Premium
A New Sampler Design for Measuring Sedimentation in Streams
Author(s) -
Hedrick Lara B.,
Welsh Stuart A.,
Hedrick James D.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/m03-236.1
Subject(s) - riffle , sedimentation , sediment , environmental science , streams , sampling (signal processing) , hydrology (agriculture) , invertebrate , sieve (category theory) , upstream and downstream (dna) , sediment trap , habitat , ecology , geology , upstream (networking) , biology , geomorphology , mathematics , computer network , geotechnical engineering , filter (signal processing) , combinatorics , computer science , computer vision
Sedimentation alters aquatic habitats and negatively affects fish and invertebrate communities but is difficult to quantify. To monitor bed load sedimentation, we designed a sampler with a 10.16‐cm polyvinyl chloride coupling and removable sediment trap. We conducted a trial study of our samplers in riffle and pool habitats upstream and downstream of highway construction on a first‐order Appalachian stream. Sediment samples were collected over three 6‐week intervals, dried, and separated into five size‐classes by means of nested sieves (U.S. standard sieve numbers 4, 8, 14, and 20). Downstream sediment accumulated in size‐classes 1 and 2, and the total amount accumulated was significantly greater during all three sampling periods. Size‐classes 3 and 4 had significantly greater amounts of sediment for the first two sampling periods at the downstream site. Differences between upstream and downstream sites narrowed during the 5‐month sampling period. This probably reflects changes in site conditions, including the addition of more effective sediment control measures after the first 6‐week period of the study. The sediment sampler design allowed for long‐term placement of traps without continual disturbance of the streambed and was successful at providing repeat measures of sediment at paired sites.