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Scale effects in fluvial sediment‐associated chemical data
Author(s) -
Ongley E. D.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/hyp.3360010205
Subject(s) - extrapolation , sediment , fluvial , environmental science , scale (ratio) , water quality , hydrology (agriculture) , geology , statistics , geography , mathematics , geotechnical engineering , geomorphology , cartography , ecology , structural basin , biology
Assessment of man's impact on fluvial systems frequently involves extrapolation in time and space from data collected as part of a water quality network. Extrapolation represents information transfer and is used for scenario building and risk assessment. Transfer functions for non‐conservative quality variables are poorly understood. Metals, phosphorus, and organic contaminants, which are preferentially transported in association with suspended sediment, are especially susceptible to extrapolation errors. Information loss, which is inherent in extrapolation procedures, is characterized for sediment‐associated substances by examining the assumptions and limitations of the sediment delivery ratio. A practical demonstration of scale effects and interpretive difficulties is provided using data from the Bow River, Alberta. Guidelines for data assessment and extrapolation are summarized for temporal effects and for three different spatial scales.