Estimating the suspended sediment yield in a river network by means of geomorphic parameters and regression relationships

摘要

An application of regression relationships depending on geomorphicparameters is proposed to predict the amount of the average annual suspendedsediment yield at different sections of the drainage network. Simple andmultiple regression relationships, utilising the drainage density and thehierarchical anomaly index as independent variables, based on data from 20river basins of different size located in Italy, are here tested. Anapplication is also shown for a small river basin located in central Italywhere it is possible to compare the obtained suspended sediment yieldestimates with reservoirs siltation data. The results confirm the potentialapplicability of regression equations for estimating the suspended sedimentyield depending on the topological behaviours of the river network. Adiscussion of the reliability of the method for ungauged basins is alsoprovided, which puts in light the necessity of additional tests to supportthe application of the approach to small size watersheds.