A simple device for estimating rates of fine sediment transport along the bed of shallow streams

Abstract

This paper describes a simple trap suitable for estimating rates of fine sediment transport in small streams, which improves upon the design of traps previously described in the literature. In a field evaluation of the efficiency of the traps at two sites, they were found, on average, to collect (± S.E.) 71.9 ± 3.8% and 47.0 ± 3.5% of the inorganic and organic material, respectively, that was transported over the patch of bed where the traps were buried. The traps have great potential in environmental monitoring because they allow the collection of information on fine sediment transport at temporal and spatial scales appropriate for detecting many sorts of impacts on the biotic component of aquatic ecosystems.