Quantifying suspended sediment sources during runoff events in headwater catchments using spectrocolorimetry

Purpose

Understanding hydro-sedimentary dynamics at the catchment scale requires high temporal resolution data on suspended sediments such as their origin, in addition to the common measurements of sediment concentrations and discharges. Some rapid and low-cost fingerprinting methods based on spectroscopy have recently been developed. We investigated how visible spectra could be used to predict the proportion of various source materials in suspended sediment samples, paying particular attention to the potential alteration of spectrocolorimetric signatures between soils and suspended sediments during transport.

Materials and methods

The 22-km² Galabre catchment, France, is composed of black marls, limestones, molasses, undifferentiated deposits and gypsum. Forty-eight source materials were sampled and 328 suspended sediment samples were collected at the outlet during 23 runoff events. Measurements were taken with a diffuse reflectance spectrophotometer on dried samples. As the erosion processes are particle size selective, five particle size fractions of source material were measured in order to assess the potential alteration of the fingerprint signatures. As the biogeochemical processes occurring in the river could also affect the signatures, source materials were immersed in the river for durations ranging from 1 to 63 days and subsequently measured. Finally, partial least-squares regression models were constructed on 81 artificial laboratory mixtures to predict the proportions of source materials.

Results and discussion

The spectrocolorimetric measurements discriminated the primary source materials but not the Quaternary deposits. As the gypsum was not conservative, only the black marls, molasses and limestones were used in the fingerprinting procedure. The construction of the partial least-squares regression models led to a median absolute error of 1.1%. This error increased to 3.9% when the models were applied to source samples with: (1) different particle sizes; (2) different durations spent in the river; or (3) different origins than those used for their construction. The effect of particle size on the fingerprinting procedure was larger than the effect of biogeochemical reactions or the spatial variability of the spectrocolorimetric signatures. Half of the 23 runoff events analysed exhibited huge variations in the source proportions from one sediment sample to another.

Conclusions

The spectrocolorimetric fingerprinting approach was able to quantify routinely the proportion of primary source materials in all suspended sediment samples collected during runoff events. The high temporal resolution of the predicted proportions revealed that only analysing three or four suspended sediment samples during a runoff event could lead to a misunderstanding of the hydro-sedimentary processes for more than half of the investigated runoff events.     

Factors controlling suspended sediment yield during runoff events in small headwater catchments of the Basque Country

For the first time in the Basque Country, turbidity (NTU), discharge (l/s) and precipitation (mm) have been continuously monitored in the gauging stations located at the outlet of three catchments (Aixola, Barrendiola and Añarbe) since October 2003. In this study, several data sets derived from flood events were used to develop turbidity and suspended sediment relationships for the three catchments separately, and so to estimate continuous suspended sediment concentration (SSC). Linear relationships are found in Barrendiola and Añarbe, and two curvilinear relationships for Aixola owing to changing sediment sources in the catchment. Several event (discharge, precipitation and suspended sediment concentration) and pre-event (discharge and precipitation) factors are calculated for all the events registered. With them correlation matrixes were developed for each catchment. Although some differences are found between catchments good correlation between precipitation (P), discharge (Q) and suspended sediment (SS) variables is found in general. Pre-event conditions are also well correlated with Q and SS variables in Barrendiola (higher regulation capacity) and Añarbe (larger area) but not in Aixola (“flash floods”). SSC-discharge evolutions through the events were also analysed. For Aixola four different types of hysteretic loops were observed: single lined, clockwise, counter-clockwise and eight-shaped; while for Barrendiola and Añarbe just clockwise loops were observed.     

Spectral fingerprinting: characterizing suspended sediment sources by the use of VNIR-SWIR spectral information

Purpose

Knowledge of sediment sources is a prerequisite for sustainable management practices and may furthermore improve our understanding of water and sediment fluxes. Investigations have shown that a number of characteristic soil properties can be used as “fingerprints” to trace back the sources of river sediments. Spectral properties have recently been successfully used as such characteristics in fingerprinting studies. Despite being less labour-intensive than geochemical analyses, for example, spectroscopy allows measurements of small amounts of sediment material (>60 mg), thus enabling inexpensive analyses even of intra-event variability. The focus of this study is on the examination of spectral properties of fluvial sediment samples to detect changes in source contributions, both between and within individual flood events.

Materials and methods

Sediment samples from the following three different origins were collected in the Isábena catchment (445 km²) in the central Spanish Pyrenees: (1) soil samples from the main potential source areas, (2) stored fine sediment from the channel bed once each season in 2011 and (3) suspended sediment samples during four flood events in autumn 2011 and spring 2012 at the catchment outlet as well as at several subcatchment outlets. All samples were dried and measured for spectral properties in the laboratory using an ASD spectroradiometer. Colour parameters and physically based features (e.g. organic carbon, iron oxide and clay content) were calculated from the spectra. Principal component analyses (PCA) were applied to all three types of samples to determine natural clustering of samples, and a mixing model was applied to determine source contributions.

Results and discussion

We found that fine sediment stored in the river bed seems to be mainly influenced by grain size and seasonal variability, while sampling location—and thus the effect of individual tributaries or subcatchments—seem to be of minor importance. Suspended sediment sources were found to vary between, as well as within, flood events; although badlands were always the major source. Forests and grasslands contributed little (<10 %), and other sources (not further determinable) contributed up to 40 %. The analyses further suggested that sediment sources differ among the subcatchments and that subcatchments comprising relatively large proportions of badlands contributed most to the four flood events analyzed.

Conclusions

Spectral fingerprints provide a rapid and cost-efficient alternative to conventional fingerprint properties. However, a combination of spectral and conventional fingerprint properties could potentially permit discrimination of a larger number of source types.     

泥沙来源“指纹”示踪技术研究综述

泥沙来源"指纹"示踪技术是综合研究流域土壤侵蚀和泥沙输移的新方法。泥沙来源"指纹"示踪技术基于流域侵蚀产沙过程划分潜在物源类型,根据物源特性筛选具有诊断能力的"指纹"性质,通过定量转换模型建立流域出口泥沙与内部潜在物源间的"指纹"联系,定量描述各潜在物源对流域出口产沙的相对贡献;结合悬移质或沉积泥沙通量监测,定量分析各潜在物源对流域产沙的绝对贡献量及流域侵蚀产沙时、空变化特征。通过综述泥沙来源"指纹"示踪技术的理论基础及实施框架,流域尺度潜在物源类型,泥沙"指纹"因子类别、分布特点及诊断能力,泥沙来源复合"指纹"示踪技术的研究进展,指出泥沙来源"指纹"示踪技术的局限性,并对泥沙来源"指纹"示踪技术进行展望。     

A streamlined approach for sediment source fingerprinting in a Southern Piedmont watershed, USA

Purpose

Sediment fingerprinting is a relatively recent research technique, capable of determining the origin of suspended sediment. In this study, we investigated sub-basins within a larger watershed we examined previously. The objectives were to determine if there was spatial variation in the origin of the suspended sediments and to test a streamlined fingerprinting approach which would reduce the cost, thereby paving the way for adoption by government agencies.

Materials and methods

Samples were collected from three tributaries, the outlet of the main stem, and at the middle of the main stem. Two methods to collect suspended sediment samples were compared: a mobile continuous-flow centrifuge and automated samplers. A relatively small initial tracer suite consisting of stable isotopes of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) (¹⁵N and ¹³C), total N (TN), and total C (TC) was tested. Tracer concentrations were obtained through a single mass spectrometry analysis requiring <1 g of sediment.

Results and discussion

Multivariate discriminant analysis showed that three of the four tracers (δ ¹⁵N, δ ¹³C, and TC) from the initial pool were capable of accurate classification of the source samples. A multivariate mixing model showed that banks contributed the majority of sediment throughout all locations sampled and that in tributaries it was an even more dominant source. Despite variations in land use and stream order, the legacy sediments comprising the banks and floodplains were the main factor in impairment for suspended sediment. We found a small but statistically significant difference in δ ¹⁵N and δ ¹³C concentrations collected using automated samplers vs. the mobile centrifuge, but the effect on analysis of sediment source proportions was minimal.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicate that, at least in the study watershed, the majority of sediment in suspension was of streambank origin. A cost-effective tracer suite was identified as well as an attempt to make a streamlined approach to the technique. The streamlined approach cost much less ($7,550 US) than the conventional approach ($46,600 US) and should be suitable for total maximum daily loads analysis by state government agencies in the Southern Piedmont region of the USA.     

Effect of snow amount on runoff,soil loss and suspended sediment during periods of snowmelt in southern West Siberia

Surface runoff, soil loss, suspended sediment concentration (SSC), texture of eroded soils and suspended sediment were determined on slightly eroded chernozems (mouldboard fall-ploughed) during years with different amounts of snow in three areas of southern West Siberia (Predsalairye, Priobye and Kuznetsk hollow). These areas have different geomorphological and climatic characteristics and soils. Observations were made from 1969 to 2007. The soil loss during very low-snow and low-snow years did not exceed 2 t ha^− 1. After winters with normal amounts of snow, the runoff led to slight soil loss (2–5 t ha^− 1). Soil losses in high-snow and very high-snow years varied from slight to severe (4.8–15.8 t ha^− 1) depending on studied area. The main sediment exported during intensive snowmelt and the 1 mm of runoff transported from 35 to 150 kg ha^− 1 of soil material. The removal of soil particles < 0.01 mm (especially clay) prevailed during the initial and final stages of snowmelt. Clay removal by meltwater from the ploughed layer in high-snow and very high-snow years varied from 3300 to 4200 kg ha^− 1 and, in the initial and final stages of snowmelt clay removal, accounted for 1260–1,500 kg ha^− 1. Among the three studied regions, Predsalairye had decreased soil erosion resistance and was the area with the greatest danger of erosion.     

Variability of the particle size of suspended sediment during highly concentrated flood events in a small mountainous catchment

Purpose

There is a growing interest in the characterization of the particle size of sediment due to its impact on particle dynamics, especially for connectivity purpose. This study determined the particle size distribution of suspended sediment in a mountainous catchment, with the aim to evaluate the variability of particle size during floods, the main controlling factors, and if indirect information from hillslopes was useful for the interpretation of particle size measured at the catchment outlet. This work involved the development of a measurement protocol.

Material and methods

Samples were collected automatically from streamwater during flood events using an ISCO 3700 sampler. Five events were analyzed for their particle size distributions using a Malvern Mastersizer 2000. Because the samples were too concentrated, two different protocols were tested to address the errors made during the subsampling step: using a pipette and a home-made device with successive dilution phases.

Results and discussion

High errors occurred when using a pipette to extract particles within a stirred sample. The maximum errors were reduced from 1,600 to 30?% using the device described within this study. Particles were found to be aggregated at various levels regardless of the discharge they were sampled at. Their size was found to be either variable or stable at the event scale, and statistical analyses revealed that discharge was the factor that best correlated with particle size. The results obtained in this study are in agreement with the few other studies in comparable environments. Some hypothesis are put forward and discussed to explain the positive relationship between particle size and discharge. Input from hillslopes seems to have a measureable effect in this headwater catchment.

Conclusions

While the need for in situ measurements has long been stressed in lowland rivers, estuaries, and coastal environments, it was shown that the use of an accurate dilution protocol could provide some physically interpretable measurements on the particle size distributions of suspended sediment transported in a mountainous catchment. It also appears that hillslope information has to be considered when studying particle size measured at the catchment outlet.     

Evaluating tracer selection for catchment sediment fingerprinting

Purpose

Recent sediment fingerprinting research has shown the sensitivity of source apportionment results to data treatments, tracer number, and mixing model type. In light of these developments, there is a need to revisit procedures associated with tracer selection in sediment fingerprinting studies. Here, we evaluate the accuracy and precision of different procedures to select tracers for un-mixing sediment sources.

Materials and methods

We present a new approach to tracer selection based on identifying and removing tracers that exhibit non-conservative behaviour during sediment transport. This removes tracers on the basis of non-conservative behaviour identified using (1) tracer-particle size relationships and (2) source mixing polygons. We test source apportionment results using six sets of tracers with three different synthetic mixtures comprising one, five, and ten mixture samples. Source tracer data was obtained from an agricultural catchment in northwest England where time-integrated suspended sediment samples were also collected over a 12-month period. Source un-mixing used MixSIAR, a Bayesian mixing model developed for ecological food web studies, which is increasingly being applied in catchment sediment fingerprinting research.

Results and discussion

We found that the most accurate source apportionment results were achieved by the selection procedure that only removed tracers on the basis of non-conservative behaviour. Furthermore, accuracy and precision were improved with five or ten mixture samples compared to the use of a single mixture sample. Combining this approach with a further step to exclude additional tracers based on source group non-normality reduced accuracy, which supports relaxation of the assumption of source normality in MixSIAR. Source apportionment based on the widely used Kruskal-Wallis H test and discriminant function analysis approach was less accurate and had larger uncertainty that the procedure focused on excluding non-conservative tracers.

Conclusions

Source apportionment results are sensitive to tracer selection. Our findings show that prioritising tracer exclusion due to non-conservative behaviour produces more accurate results than selection based on the minimum number of tracers that maximise source discrimination. Future sediment fingerprinting studies should aim to maximise the number of tracers used in source un-mixing constrained only by the need to ensure conservative behaviour. Our procedure provides a quantitative approach for identifying and excluding those non-conservative tracers.

     

Mineralogy and nutrient desorption of suspended sediments during a storm event

Purpose

This study investigated desorption of potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) from soil and river suspended sediments sampled during a storm event in a Brazilian watershed traditionally used for tobacco plantations.

Material and methods

Suspended sediment samples were collected automatically at the outlet of the watershed and were grouped into three phases: beginning (phase a), middle (phase b) and final stages (phase c) of the storm event. Granulometric and mineralogical characterisation of soils (0 to 0.20 m depth) and suspended sediments was determined, and K and P extractions were performed using a cation and anion exchange resin (CAER) membrane. A kinetic modelling approach was used to estimate the amount of K and P desorbed.

Results and discussion

Clay-sized (<2 μm) content of the soils were all <21 %. Kaolinite, smectite (partially with hydroxy-Al interlayer) and a small amount of illite were found in the clay fraction of the different soils. The clay-sized fractions in sediments of phases a, b and c of the storm event were 49, 52 and 72 %, respectively. Smectite (>90 %) and kaolinite (<10 %) were the dominant clay minerals in the suspended sediments. The values of labile P and potentially available P of suspended sediments were higher than those for soils. In sediments, the highest values of labile P (325 mg kg^?1) and labile K (4,458 mg kg^?1) were found in phase c and in phase a, respectively.

Conclusions

Particle size distribution and clay mineralogy of soils differed from those of suspended sediments collected during the storm event. By comparison with the watershed soils, suspended sediments collected during the storm event were enriched in fine particles composed mainly of smectite, and this may explain their P and K desorption behaviour. This suggests particle size and clay species selectivity processes during the transfer of sediment particles from soils to aquatic systems. The amounts of P and K desorbed from the suspended sediments in the three phases of the storm event were much larger than those desorbed from soils. This indicates that rainfall promoted the transfer of these nutrients to the watercourses.     

Compositional dynamics of suspended sediment in the Rhine River: sources and controls

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Information on the geochemical composition of suspended sediments in rivers is crucial to identify sediment source type or area. In large river basins, however, the...     

Relationships among rainfall, runoff, and suspended sediment in a small catchment with badlands

The Araguás Catchment of the Central Spanish Pyrenees has been monitored since 2004 to study weathering, erosion, and the hydrological and sediment response to rainfall events in order to understand the hydromorphological dynamics of a badland area in a relatively humid environment. This small catchment (0.45 km²) shows highly active processes of physical and chemical weathering related to seasonal variations in temperature and moisture. Erosion and sediment transport are widely studied in badlands within Mediterranean environments because they represent the dominant sediment source. To obtain information about suspended sediment and discharge, a gauging station was installed within the Araguás Catchment during the summer of 2005. The aim of this work is to determine the relationships among rainfall, runoff, and suspended sediment in this badland area. Towards this goal, we analyze the relationships between suspended sediment concentration and discharge during rainfall events.From a hydrological viewpoint, the Araguás Catchment reacts to all rainfall events with torrential flow being the most characteristic hydrological response. The results obtained between October 2005 and April 2007 reveal extremely high concentrations of suspended sediment, with values frequently exceeding 100 g l^{<modINS>−<!--[/INS]"> 1} and reaching a maximum of 1200 g l^{<modINS>−<!--[/INS]"> 1}. Three different types of hysteretic loops were observed: clockwise (22 events, 28%), counter-clockwise (27 events, 34%), and figure-eight (12 events, 15%). Moreover, 23% of events were classified as complex hysteretic loops and removed from the analysis due to their complexity. Clockwise hysteretic floods are characterized by their long duration and the highest hydrological and sedimentological responses; counter-clockwise hysteretic floods are characterized by their short duration and moderate hydrological and sediment responses; finally, figure-eight hysteretic floods are related to multiple peaks in suspended sediment, coinciding with oscillations in discharge associated with the highest rainfall intensities within each event and moderate hydrological and sediment responses.     

Capacitance sensors for measuring suspended sediment concentration

Measurements of suspended sediment concentration are of importance in soil erosion research and soil and water conservation practices and monitoring. A method of measuring sediment concentration with capacitance sensors was advanced in this study. The relationships between the sediment concentration in flowing water and the output of capacitance sensor, as affected by temperature, flow velocity, soil types and salt contents were experimentally investigated with two types of capacitance sensors. The temperature used in the experiments ranged from 0 to 40 degrees centigrade. Salt concentrations (NaCl) in the flowing water ranged from 0 to 5 g/L and the flow velocity varied between 0.5 to 2.0 m/s. Two types of soil (a loam and a sandy soil) with sediment concentration up to 70% were studied. The results showed that suspended sediment concentrations, over a wide range, were linearly correlated with the outputs of capacitance sensors. The outputs of the capacitance sensor increased with temperature, with little influence from flow velocity, soil types and salt concentration. The results suggest that capacitance sensors may be used for sediment concentration measurement of flowing water.     

Erodibility of arable soils in Georgia during the period of storm runoff

The erodibility of arable soils in Georgia varies from 1.0 to 2.9 t/ha per unit of the rainfall erosivity index. The well-structured brown forest and yellow-brown soils with a high humus content are the most resistant to erosion. The soils in the dry areas of Georgia (gray-cinnamon and cinnamon soils) are the most susceptible to erosion. The first map of the soil erodibility was composed that illustrates the spatial distribution pattern of this parameter in the Georgia territory.     

武陵山区女儿寨小流域次降雨径流与产沙特征

 以武陵山区女儿寨小流域为研究区,根据流域2004—2008年77场典型降雨径流观测资料,研究流域次降雨径流与产沙特征。结果表明:77场降雨中,以25.0～49.9 mm和50.0～100.0 mm的降雨为主,占降雨总数的67.53%,降雨强度以10～40 mm/h为主;降雨量与径流深和产沙模数呈现较为显著的线性相关性,降雨量、径流深及降雨侵蚀力对产沙模数均有明显影响,其中以径流深和产沙模数的拟合效果最好,R2达0.684 7;在对降雨、径流、产沙共12个指标进行相关性分析的基础上,对径流深、洪峰流量、产沙模数、降雨侵蚀力4个主要指标进行多元逐步回归拟合,R2均在0.85以上,并通过显著性检验,回归方程拟合效果较好,可用于相关指标的定量计算;流域的产沙量主要取决于几次大的暴雨,汛期的降雨决定流域的产流产沙状况。研究结果可为流域水土流失监测和预报、水土保持措施合理配置等提供相应参考。     

The use of visible and near-infrared reflectance measurements for identifying the source of suspended sediment in rivers and comparison with geochemical fingerprinting

Purpose

Visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) reflectance measurements may be an alternative technique to identify suspended sediment sources in streams of headwater catchments. In this study, we examined if Vis-NIR reflectance measurements are capable of estimating sediment source contributions to sediment yield and compared this technique with a more conventional (i.e. geochemical) technique.

Materials and methods

Two headwater catchments in Ethiopia, Unta (2,052 ha) and Desera (1,657 ha), were analysed with the same techniques in order to find similarities and differences in the results obtained. The first technique used Vis-NIR spectral analysis as a fingerprint, using a partial least squares regression model. The second technique was a quantitative composite fingerprinting technique using geochemical analysis of source materials and suspended sediment samples. As a comparison, the partial least squares model was also used on the geochemical data. In August and September 2009, 30 soil samples of three different land uses (landslides, croplands, and grazing lands) and 21 suspended sediment samples at the catchment outlet were collected. Source samples were sieved to <63 μm. Geochemical analyses consisted of total element concentrations, percentage carbon, percentage nitrogen, and atom percentage ¹⁵N and δ¹³C. Reflectance measurements were taken on dried source samples with a spectrometer.

Results and discussion

Neither technique was able to predict the contributions of the three land use types; they could only distinguish between landslide and topsoil material. The agreement between the results of both techniques was significant for the Unta catchment (R ²?=?0.80) but not for the Desera catchment (R ²?=?0.39). The uncertainty of the technique using Vis-NIR reflectance measurements was slightly higher than with the geochemical approach. Both techniques revealed that topsoil erosion played an important role during storm runoff discharges. Using the partial least squares model for the geochemical data revealed that uncertainty can differ greatly when using other statistical techniques.

Conclusions

The quantitative composite fingerprinting technique using spectral signatures from both source and suspended sediment samples was able to quantify the contribution of two source materials (landslides and topsoil). It provided a faster and more cost effective alternative to the conventional geochemical procedure.     

南方红壤区坡面次降雨产流产沙特征

研究坡面次降雨土壤入渗及产流产沙特征,对于坡地水土流失防治及水土资源管理利用具有重要意义.基于广东省五华县水土保持试验推广站野外径流场2014年的观测数据,研究不同下垫面条件下坡面入渗及产流产沙特征.次降雨入渗量与地表植被盖度间存在显著相关关系(P ＜0.05,R=0.95).入渗量随降雨强度增加,呈先增后减的变化趋势,存在入渗量达最大值的临界降雨强度;人工林及灌草地临界降雨强度为19.9 ～ 27.8 mm/h,均高于自然撂荒地.次降雨径流深和土壤流失量与地表植被盖度间,存在显著负相关关系(P＜0.05),相关系数超过0.9.土壤侵蚀率随径流系数呈幂函数增加趋势,径流中泥沙浓度随径流系数、降雨侵蚀力呈对数函数增加趋势,土壤流失量随降雨侵蚀力及次降雨径流深均呈线性递增趋势.次降雨径流深20 mm为土壤流失量变化拐点,径流深超过20 mm后,土壤流失量随径流深递增速率较快.     

Duration and intensity of rainfall events with the same erosivity change sediment yield and runoff rates

The effect of different rainfall patterns on surface runoff,infiltration and thus soil losses and sediment concentrations are still in the focus of current rese...     

Comparing alternative tracing measurements and mixing models to fingerprint suspended sediment sources in a mesoscale Mediterranean catchment

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Knowledge of suspended sediment provenance in mesoscale catchments is important for applying erosion control measures and best management practices as well as for...     

黔西高原坡面次降雨产流产沙特征

利用野外径流小区径流泥沙观测数据与降雨特征资料,定量研究黔西高原地区降雨对坡面产流产沙的影响.结果表明:1)黔西高原地区年均侵蚀性降雨为22次,中、低降雨强度型降雨次数占降雨次数的93.0％;2)坡面产流产沙特征与降雨的年内分布密切相关,5-8月坡面产沙量占总产沙量的99.2％,产流量占总产流量的95.8％;3)坡面产沙量与降雨量存在显著的指数相关关系,其指数方程为M=0.346e0.109P;4)坡面产流产沙与中、高降雨强度型大雨和暴雨密切相关,4次暴雨事件产生的径流量占总径流量的57.3％,产沙量占总产沙量的91.5％.