Sediment Yield Prediction and Modeling

Abstract

Abstract The estimation of sediment yield – the amount of sediment reaching or passing a point of interest in a given period of time – is an inherently complex and uncertain science as it is the integrated outcome of erosion, sediment transport, and deposition processes through an often complex landscape. Thus, sediment yield can vary greatly from year to year with variation in climate, land use, and land management. A range of estimation techniques have been developed ranging from simple empirical relationships between sediment yield and river flow or basin characteristics, through methods to scale soil erosion estimates or measurements using delivery ratios, to physically based distributed models. Descriptions of the various approaches, together with advantages and shortcomings of these methods, are given. For prediction of future sediment yields, the uncertainties are even greater as climate and land‐use pressures are not easily defined for hypothetical situations. Here, recommendations are made to incorporate uncertainty into the prediction and decision‐making process.