Abstract
Water and sediment samples were collected from the Fenland drainage basin to assess the fluvial contribution to the sediment budget of The Wash, on the east coast of England. Using the uranium-series disequilibrium found in the products of the weathering system (river sediment and water), the ratio of material carried in solid form to that dissolved ( U s/ U w) was assessed and the total flux of weathered material (sediment yield) was quantified. The results show that the U s/ U w ratio is controlled to a degree by catchment geology and hydrology, and that there is a marginal seasonal increase from between 3.28 ± 3.95 and 4.60 ± 0.44 (summer mean and weighted mean) to between 5.35 ± 3.05 and 6.07 ± 0.63 (winter mean and weighted mean). The best estimate of annual sediment flux from the Fenland to The Wash is between 2800 and 17,700 tonnes yr −1, equivalent to a rate of 0.22–1.42 tonnes km −2 yr −1. This is lower than previous estimates for the region, but reinforces the argument that sediment reworking within The Wash and erosion of the adjacent coasts and sea beds are important sources of sediment for the intertidal flats and salt marshes.
Published Version
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