Sediment Control Research Articles

Optimizing sediment control by adjusting the relative spacing between trusses/beams in an open-type check dam

Optimizing sediment control by adjusting the relative spacing between trusses/beams in an open-type check dam

Numerical simulation and application of nature based solutions to solve bank erosion in hydrosystems

Nature based solutions (NBS) have been successfully applied in developed nations. Its application in developing countries is however still incipient to some extent. Moreover, very few studies have addressed its implementation in the domain of large river systems, which have been exposed to ever increasing anthropogenic pressure in the last decades. The Magdalena River is the main waterway in Colombia, and it exhibits one of the largest sediment loads in South America. This contribution presents the successful operationalization (i.e., hydrological and hydraulic analysis, as well as numerical simulation) of sediment traps for sedimentation control and bank stabilization of the right bank of the Magdalena at Magangué Municipality (lower Magdalena) through wooden sustainable alternatives. The NBS simulation and intervention assessment indicates that the traps effectively restored the bank shore in the critical sector of the study area. To the best of our knowledge, the intervention in question is one of the first of its kind in the region. The numerical results indicate that these traps were able to reduce the exposure of vulnerable communities, not only to floods, but also to negative hydrodynamic changes associated to climate change. Thus, the contribution currently described can potentially provide for practitioners and decision makers a guide for the application of NBS in river engineering, and, for scientists, valuable insights into processes associated with NBS in different environments. We posit that the operationalization of NBS in developing countries needs to be institutionally encouraged through, for example, the construction of a database of successful interventions, and the establishment of methodological guidelines.

Design of Integrated System for the Comprehensive Utilization of Yellow River Sediment-Sealing Machine Structure and Control System Design

With the development of national industrialization, the control of yellow-river sediment needs to develop a complete automatic treatment system. In this paper, the structure and control system of the sealing machine in the integrated system design of the yellow river sediment comprehensive utilization are designed. Firstly, the overall design scheme of the sealing machine is determined, then, the structure and working principle of the sealing machine are introduced in detail. The design part of the actuator is defined. Secondly, finite element analysis is carried out for some of the stressed parts. The results show that the sealing machine system runs normally, the structure is not deformed and damaged, and it can work continuously for 12~16 hours, and the woven bag with sand can be successfully sealed. The sealing machine can not only save manpower and material resources, but also has the characteristics of simple operation and high efficiency. However, affected by the size of the equipment, it can only work in the factory or a large flat site.

Geochemistry of Middle Jurassic Coals from the Dananhu Mine, Xinjiang: Emphasis on Sediment Source and Control Factors of Critical Metals

In recent years, coal-type critical metal deposits have become a research hotspot in coal geology. As a major coal-accumulating basin in the Xinjiang area, the Turpan-Hami Basin contains abundant coal resources and has the potential to become a large coal-type critical metal deposit. However, previous studies on the enrichment characteristics of critical metal elements in coal are few and need further research. Based on SEM-EDS, XRF, and ICP-MS experiments, this study investigates the coal petrology, mineralogy, and geochemistry of the No. 22 coal of the Xishanyao Formation from the Dananhu Coal Mine, Xinjiang, to identify the sediment source, depositional environment, and controlling factors of the critical metal elements of the No. 22 coal. The results showed that the Dananhu coals are characterized by a low ash yield, low total sulfur content, high volatile yield, and high inertinite proportions. Quartz, kaolinite, and illite are the main minerals in the coal. Compared with the world’s low-rank coals, Ni, Co, Mo, and Ta are slightly enriched, Li, Rb, Cs, Ba, Tl, Bi, and Ge are depleted, and the concentrations of other trace elements are comparable to the average values of the world’s low-rank coals. The REY of the Dannanhu coals exhibited high fractionation, with its enrichment patterns characterized by the H-type and M-H-type. Although most of the critical metals are not enriched in the Dannanhu coals, the Ga, Zr (Hf), and Nb (Ta) concentrations in the coal ash of the Dannanhu coals have reached the economic cut-off grade and have the potential to be a substitute for rare metal resources. The terrigenous detrital sources of the Dannanhu coals mainly come from the Paleozoic dacite, andesite, and a small amount of granite from the Harik Mountain and Eastern Bogda Mountain in the Turpan-Hami Basin. The Dannanhu coals are generally in a dry and hot depositional environment, with high salinity and weak reduction-oxidation. The low source input and weak reduction-oxidation environment have resulted in low concentrations of critical metal of the No. 22 coal from the Dananhu Coal Mine.

Effect of Flow Discharge on Sedimentation in Paneki River

Introduction: Paneki River has the potential for sedimentation caused by flow discharge. The condition of the river is getting wider every day which will threaten the risk of flooding if there is heavy rain with high intensity. The purpose of this study is to determine the return time flood discharge and basic sediment transport discharge in the Paneki river which can be used as a reference in planning sediment control buildings. Method: This research method includes primary data collection and secondary data collection, data management including calculating width, slope, design rainfall, design flood discharge, sieve analysis, and specific gravity. Then proceed to calculate the return time flood discharge using the Nakayasu synthetic unit hydrograph method and basic sediment transport using the Meyer-Peter and Muller method. Results and Discussion: From this research, the result of the 2-year return time flood discharge is 121.306 m3/det, for 5-year return time flood discharge is 185.069 m3 /det, for 10-year return time flood discharge is 209.261 m3 /det, for 25-year return time flood discharge is 312.359 m3 /det, and for 50-year return time flood discharge is 373.566 m3 /det. The results of basic sediment transport discharge per cross-section ranged from 0.0000861 m3 /det to 0.005641775 m3 /det. Conclusion: The study shows that sedimentation is influenced by flow discharge. The results of the calculation of flow discharge (Q) and bottom sediment transport (Qs) in Paneki River using the Meyer-Peter and Muller method resulted in Qs varying from 0.0000861 m³/det to 0.016551197 m³/det, according to the measured flow discharge. The greater the flow discharge, the greater the sediment transport, indicating a direct relationship between flow discharge and sedimentation.

An alternative approach for the sediment control of in-channel stony debris flows with an application to the case study of Ru Secco Creek (Venetian Dolomites, Northeast Italy)

Controlling sediment to reduce debris-flow hazard is generally approached using retention basins that can be closed or have an outlet structure, generally an open check dam. They are usually placed in mild slope zones that allow minimal works for the excavation and the foundation of the outlet structure if present. Recently, it has been shown that the detention of sediments can also be achieved in the high-sloping reaches of debris-flow channels using deposition areas, basins that are open on the downstream side. In this work, we propose an approach for controlling the sediment volume transported by debris flows consisting of a cascade of deposition areas and retention basins. We also include a framework for planning, sizing, and checking the works. Two scenarios are considered, corresponding to the maximum values of the debris-flow peak discharge and volume, respectively. Moreover, the presence or absence of boulders is also considered. For this purpose, a method that evaluates the clogging of a single open check dam as a function of the coarse fraction of the sediment volume is simply extended to the case of multiple dams and implemented in a routing model. The proposed approach is applied along Ru Secco Creek in northeast Italy to defend a resort area and a village hit by a high-magnitude debris flow in 2015. After a careful survey and study, a solution with a combination of deposition areas and retention basins is planned and sized. The validity and performance of the proposed solution are analyzed using debris-flow modeling for two scenarios, considering both the absence and presence of boulders. Most of the sediment volume transported by debris flows is trapped, and a small solid discharge flows downstream of the works.

Provenance and Fluvial‐Aeolian Process of Kyzylkum Desert: Constrained by Detrital Zircon U–Pb Dating

AbstractThe Kyzylkum Desert, as a transition area of different dust source in Central Asia, provides and reserves a large amount of dust transported by different atmospheric circulation systems, affecting Uzbekistan and downwind East Asia. However, there remains very few investigations about sediment sources and control factors of the desert. We hereby first present a provenance study on the Kyzylkum Desert, utilizing detrital zircon U‐Pb ages of samples composed of desert sand, alluvial sediments from Amu Darya River and piedmont of Southwest Tianshan Mountains. The results reveal that the Southwest Tianshan Mountains contribute the majority of the Kyzylkum desert sand, and the river system, dominated by Syr Darya, controls the sediment provenance of the desert. Moreover, little contribution from the Kyzylkum and Nurata segments indicates that wind erosion on the bedrocks is weak. However, the aeolian process is still crucial but deposit and storage of dust are determined by local topography.

Analysis of The Effectiveness of Sediment Control Structures and River Improvement on The Omu River Post-Earthquake in Sigi Regency

This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of sediment control structures, such as sabo and consolidation dams, and river normalization on sediment control in the Omu River after the earthquake in Sigi Regency on September 28, 2018. The analysis was conducted using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) method based on average rainfall data over 20 years. Erosion and sedimentation volumes before and after the earthquake were analyzed to understand the changes. The results showed that in 2020, the erosion volume reached 120,700.27 m³/year, and sedimentation was 17,030.81 m³/year, an increase from 2017, which recorded an erosion volume of 91,282.60 m³/year and sedimentation of 12,879.97 m³/year. Sediment transport simulation with daily discharge over 12 years indicated that in Scenario-1, sediment could be reduced by 10.81%, and in Scenario-3 by 23.18%. Meanwhile, simulation with Q100 flood discharge in Scenario-2 showed sediment reduction by 47.18%, and in Scenario-4 by 62.96%. The general conclusion of this study is that sediment control structures and river normalization are effective in reducing sediment volumes. Specifically, the construction of sediment control structures has proven to significantly reduce erosion and sedimentation. This research highlights the importance of structural improvements in mitigating post-disaster erosion impacts. The results of this study can serve as a reference for planning and implementing sediment control in disaster-prone areas. Keywords: sediment control, sabo dam, consolidation dam, river normalization, Omu river

Analisis Erosi dan Sedimentasi di Sub Das Alo-Pohu Kesatuan Pengelolaan Hutan Vi Gorontalo

Gorontalo Province has topography in the form of lowlands to highlands which is shaped like a basin and most of Gorontalo Province is a water catchment area. One of the rivers with quite high sedimentation levels is the Alo River. To avoid more severe damage, technical conservation steps need to be taken, one of which is by building serial and continuous Check Dams. This research aims to determine erosion and sedimentation control and its effectiveness in the Alo watershed. The research method used was a direct survey method at the activity location, interviews with related agencies and people who were active at the location, then analysis was carried out. The stages begin with collecting primary data, secondary data. The data analysis used is using the Smith and Wischmeier (1978) equation known as the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) A = R x K x LS x C x P. The results of the research show that the activities The construction of the Check Dam was carried out in 2021 by the Environment and Forestry Service of Gorontalo Province through KPH VI Gorontalo which is located in Buhu Village, Gorontalo Regency. The results of studies in the field show that the width of the Alo River is narrowing and experiencing shallowing, marked by the appearance of deltas at several points. On average, the width of the Alo river is only around 3-4 meters with a depth of around 10-15 cm. The conclusion of this research is 4. The Check Dam built by DLHK Gorontalo Province through KPH VI does not function well in dealing with erosion and sedimentation that enters the Alok River due to lack of maintenance and involvement of the local community. Keywords: Soil conservation, Water, Gorontalo.

Reducing Sedimentation in Catchment Areas as Part of the Revitalization Efforts at Batujai Reservoir in Central Lombok

This research discusses efforts to revitalize the Batujai Reservoir in Central Lombok with a focus on sedimentation problems. Batujai Reservoir has a strategic role in meeting water needs in the surrounding area, but faces serious challenges due to significant sedimentation. In addition to assessing the effects of these changes on the reservoir's benefits�such as irrigation, flood control, and electricity production�this study intends to examine the effects of land use changes in the Dodokan Sub-Watershed Catchment Area (DTA) on the features and volume of sedimentation entering the reservoir. In addition, this study attempts to develop suggestions for efficient sedimentation management plans in order to increase the Batujai Reservoir's service life. Research methods include primary and secondary data collection, sedimentation modeling using the Water and Tillage/Sediment Delivery Model (WATEM/SEDEM), to evaluate the impact of sediment control structures such as check dams. Research variables include catchment area, population, annual rainfall, average daily evaporation, mainstay surface water availability, land surface erosion rate, sediment volume deposited in the reservoir, effective age of the Batujai Reservoir, and changes in land use in the Dodokan Sub-watershed. The results of this research will provide a better understanding of the main sources of sedimentation in the Batujai Reservoir and the impact of land use changes on the reservoir. It is hoped that the recommendations for sedimentation management strategies resulting from this research will help maintain reservoir storage capacity, which is important for meeting various water needs in the region.

Sugarcane cultivation as a major surface source of sediment in catchments from a coastal zone of Pernambuco, Brazil

ABSTRACT Identifying sediment sources is fundamental for protecting and improving soil and water quality. Conventional fingerprinting studies have often collected sediments at the overall watershed outlet only, resulting in an important spatial scale dependency. This study aimed to identify and to assess the delivery patterns of sediment sources within three priority sub-catchments (Sapocaji, Piedade and Minas) located in the downstream portion of the Ipojuca River watershed in Brazil. This research would build on understanding sediment sources in the studied watershed by elucidating source type contributions on a sub-catchment basis. Both bed and suspended sediment samples were collected in these sub-catchments, and two types of sources were sampled: surface and subsurface sources. A total of 21 geochemical tracers were measured. The tracers were evaluated for their conservation and discriminatory ability (Kruskal-Wallis test and linear discriminant analysis), and the best set of tracers was selected for source apportionment modeling using MixSIAR. Surface (i.e., sugarcane croplands) sources contributed the highest to suspended sediments in the Piedade and Minas sub-catchments. There was a difference in the quality of riverbank management, which helped explain contrasts in the importance of this source. Overall, sub-catchment-specific sediment control management measures, such as the revegetation of riparian forests, need to be implemented, mainly in the Sapocaji sub-catchment. These results underscore the importance of connectivity for surface source contributions.

Holistic evaluation of inlet protection devices for sediment control on construction sites

To address the deleterious impacts of excess soil erosion from the construction sites, the United States Clean Water Act requires that erosion and sediment control measures (ESCs) be implemented on construction projects disturbing more than 0.4 ha. Inlet protection devices (IPDs) are a common ESC utilized on construction projects to reduce the amount of sediment entering storm sewers. In Ohio, regulatory agencies use approved, non-proprietary IPDs made from commonly available materials (e.g., silt fence, geotextile, lumber, and aggregate) to mitigate sediment on construction projects; however, these IPDs often rely on extended ponding to remove sediment and require frequent maintenance making these unsuitable for road construction projects. Commercially manufactured (i.e., proprietary) IPDs which rely on filtration to quickly dewater following rainfall may prove more practical for road construction projects. However, little research which quantitatively compares the holistic performance of these two types of IPDs in field settings has been performed to date. To address this knowledge gap, the performance of 24 proprietary IPDs was evaluated at field-scale using simulated construction site runoff and compared to three non-proprietary IPDs currently approved for use in Ohio. Bypass flows, which typically occurred due to poor IPD fit to standard drainage inlets used in Ohio transportation settings, significantly increased effluent total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity compared to tests of IPDs where bypass did not occur. Overflow, or intentional bypass around primary IPD flow pathways during high flows, did not significantly impact effluent water quality. Despite differences in treatment mechanisms (i.e., sedimentation versus filtration), the water quality performance of non-proprietary and proprietary IPDs were not statistically different, indicating comparable sediment removal was provided by both categories. Findings from this research can provide design engineers and state regulatory agencies the necessary tools to evaluate IPD performance in road construction settings and, ultimately, alleviate the impact of excess sediment discharged from construction sites.

Sediment control and flow redistribution with submerged vanes: a review

ABSTRACT The most challenging issues in rivers include sediment management, outer bank erosion, intake choking, channel bed shoaling, and river meandering. This paper provides a concise review of the newly developed sediment and flow control technique known as the Iowa vane or submerged vane. Submerged vanes are small flow training structures designed to redistribute flow and sediment within the channel cross-section. The structural stability and economic feasibility of submerged vanes, which distinguish them from conventional methods such as dikes and groins, have inspired many researchers to study their use and efficiency in river management over many decades. Various hydrodynamic characteristics, such as flow structure, sediment motion, vortex generation, and scouring around submerged vanes and arrays of vanes, have been reviewed. Additionally, various vane parameters that influence these characteristics are also explained. This paper also underscores current limitations in understanding the flow and sediment behavior around submerged vanes, while also providing recommendations for future research in the field.

Quantifying soil erosion and soil organic carbon conservation services in indian forests: A RUSLE-SDR and GIS-based assessment

Indian forests, having sixteen types of vegetation, provide various ecosystem services. Forests reduce water erosion of soil, reduce floods and conserve low river flow during dry seasons. Present study estimated annual sedimentation, texture, soil organic carbon control service of forests of India using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) approach through GIS technique along with identifying important drivers responsible for erosion in forests. The soil erosion control service was based on five factors viz., rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope, crop management, conservation practice factor and SDR across the various forest dominated river basins. Geo-detector modelling was performed to evaluate environmental drivers responsible for soil erosion. Valuation of soil control service of the India’s forests was estimated based on damage and replacement cost method. Annual soil loss rate was maximum in Tropical Thorn Forest and in Ganga River basin. Maximum sediment control and SOC conservation against the soil erosion control service by India’ forests were due to Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest with a total annual sedimentation control and SOC conservation of 33,056,560 tonnes and 3,31,115.06 tonnes, respectively. The conservative estimate of the economic value of soil conservation service by the forests of India was US$ 535.6 M with an average of 4.40 US$ ha−1 and a maximum share of value for Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest i.e. 294.18 million US$ and average maximum value for Littoral and Swamp Forest (28.91 US$ ha−1). The soil erosion in Tropical and Sub-tropical Forest was influenced by the interactive effects between NDVI and Bulk Density. In contrast, soil erosion in the temperate and alpine area was influenced by anthropogenic activity in combination with climatic factors. Present study accounts the role of India’s forests for the soil conservation service and may provide inputs to implement forest and reservoir management strategies besides providing information for Integrated Watershed management and Catchment Treatment Plans.

Sulfide-rich sediments remediation by slow-release calcium nitrate with low risk: Experiments in a continuous flow reactor

Nitrate-driven sulfide oxidation has been proven to be a cost-effective approach for controlling sediment odor. However, injecting liquid nitrate (LN) directly into sediment carries ecological risks of nitrate escape and release of pollutants into overlying water. In this study, slow-release nitrate granules (GN) were prepared and applied in a continuous flow reactor to assess the differences between GN and LN in sediment remediation and control of this ecological risk. The results showed that the GN slowly released calcium nitrate, resulting in a decrease in acid volatile sulfide (AVS) from an initial 1328 ± 42.7 mg/kg to 490 ± 341 and 212 ± 32.8 mg/kg in the upper (U) and deeper (D) layers of the sediment, respectively. No significant decrease in AVS concentrations was observed in the LN treatments. Compared with LN-D and -U, the NH4+-N production and PO43--P release doses were reduced by 29.5% and 52.0% for GN-D and 41.2% and 37.8% for GN-U, respectively. Taxonomic analysis showed that sulfide-driven denitrifiers such as Thiobacillus, Rhodanobacter, Sulfurimonas, and Pseudomonas became dominant in the GN treatments, which were 2.8–6.7, 27.0–201.8, 1.5–3.0, and 3.0–496 times that of the LN treatments, respectively. The abundance of sulfur oxidation genes (e.g., sat and aprB) and denitrifying genes (e.g., nirS and nosZ) were also upregulated to higher levels by GN. Moreover, the genes (e.g., nrfA) responsible for the isomerization of nitrate into ammonium were down-regulated by GN. The results showed that the slow-released calcium nitrate should be a promising way for in-situ remediation of sulfide-rich sediment.

River Morphological Change and Sedimentation Countermeasures Analysis in Miu River

One major floods problem in Miu River is huge amount of sediment which transported along the river channel. The decreasing of river capacity has been analysed and some channel courses changes also detected. These problems caused river morphological change and it is necessary to find comprehensive solution which not only decreasing the flood damage but also consider appropriate approach to natural environment. The complexity of these problems and possible solutions to overcome flood and sedimentation problem were investigated. Increasing of river capacity by channel excavation, protecting riverbank with revetment and construction of sediment control facilities were proposed as main solution. However, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of these efforts by analysed sediment control facilities location and dimension of the structures. Some alternatives were investigated in order to find most effective solution to solve flood and sedimentation problem in Miu River.

Application of multi-criteria decision-making on low-impact development practice selection for the Kinyerezi River sub-catchments in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The impermeable areas in catchments are proportional to peak flows that result in floods in river reaches where the flow-carrying capacity is inadequate. The high rate of urbanization witnessed in the Kinyerezi River catchment in Dar es Salaam city has been noted to contribute to floods and siltation in the Msimbazi River. The Low-Impact Development (LID) practices that includes bio-retention (BR) ponds, rain barrels (RBs), green roofs (GRs), etc. can be utilized to mitigate portion of the surface runoff. This study aims to propose suitable LID practices and their sizes for mitigating runoff floods in the Kinyerezi River catchment using the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach. The results indicated that the BR and RBs were ranked high in capturing the surface runoff while the sediment control fences were observed to be the best in reducing sediments flowing into the BR. The proposed BR ponds were greater than 800 m2 with 1.2 m depth while RB sizes for Kinyerezi and Kisungu secondary schools and Kinyerezi and Kifuru primary schools were 2,730; 2,748; 1,385; and 1,020 m3, respectively. The BR ponds and RBs are capable of promoting water-demanding economic activities such as horticulture, gardening, car washing while reducing the school expenses and runoff generation.

A Proposal for Sediment Control Countermeasures in Non-Flowing Mountain Streams

In Japan, the heavy rain disaster that occurred in July 2018 revealed that about 70% of the streams affected by debris flows that resulted in human casualties were small, steep mountain streams with a catchment area < 0.05 km2. Generally, many streams that are close to residential houses or roads do not have a constant flow of water and are known to pose a high risk of human fatalities when a debris flow occurs. This study aimed to promote sediment control as debris flow countermeasures in non-flowing mountain streams, utilizing secondary manufactured products (permeable debris flow barriers) with excellent constructability, focusing on the mechanism of sediment outflow from the gaps between a permeable debris flow barrier and mountain stream side banks. The necessity and effectiveness of preventative measures based on preliminary experimental results are presented. When impermeable structures were installed at both ends of the permeable debris flow barrier side, compared to using only a permeable debris flow barrier (covering the entire width with permeable debris flow barriers), we found that the capture function improved significantly, achieving a 200% increase in effectiveness.

Monitoring the impacts of rainfall characteristics on sediment loss from road construction sites

Exposed soils associated with active construction sites provide opportunities for erosion and sediment transport during storm events, introducing risks associated with excess sediment to downstream infrastructure and aquatic biota. A better understanding of the drivers of sediment transport in construction site runoff is needed to improve the design and performance of erosion and sediment control measures (ESCMs). Eleven monitoring locations on 3 active road construction sites in central Ohio were established to characterize runoff quality from points of concentrated flow during storm events. Grab samples were analyzed for total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, and particle size distribution (PSD). Median TSS concentrations and turbidity levels across all samples were 626 mg/L (range 25–28,600 mg/L) and 759 NTU (range 22–33,000 NTU), respectively. The median PSD corresponded to a silty clay loam, mirroring the soil texture of much of Ohio’s subsoils. TSS concentrations and turbidity were significantly positively correlated with the rainfall intensity 10 min prior to sample collection, suggesting that higher flow rates created greater shear stress on bare soil which resulted in more erosion. Conversely, rainfall duration was negatively correlated with particle size, indicating that prolonged moisture from rainfall promoted the dispersion of soil aggregates which mobilized smaller particles. Multivariable linear regression models revealed that higher rainfall intensities corresponded to higher turbidity values, while higher TSS concentrations were associated with higher rainfall intensities, depths, and durations. Results from this study highlight the importance of reducing raindrop impact and subsequent shear stress applied by concentrated flows through the use of ESCMs to limit sediment export from construction sites.

Quantifying sediment sources, pathways, and controls on fluvial transport dynamics on James Ross Island, Antarctica

Proglacial regions are enlarging across the Antarctic Peninsula as glaciers recede in a warming climate. However, despite the increasing importance of proglacial regions as sediment sources within cold environments, very few studies have considered fluvial sediment dynamics in polar settings and spatio-temporal variability in sediment delivery to the oceans has yet to be unravelled. In this study, we show how air temperature, precipitation, and ground conditions combine to control sediment loads in two catchments on James Ross Island, Antarctica. We estimate that the sediment load for the Bohemian Stream and Algal Stream over the 50 day study period, the average sediment load was 1.18 ± 0.63 t km−2 d−1 and 1.73 ± 1.02 t km−2 d−1, respectively. Both catchments show some sensitivity to changes in precipitation and air temperature, but the Algal catchment also shows some sensitivity to active layer thaw. The downstream changes in sediment provenance are controlled by underlying lithology, while differences in sediment load peaks between the two catchments appear to be primarily due to differing glacier and snowfield coverage. This identification of the controls on sediment load in this sub-polar environment provides insight into how other fluvial systems across the Antarctic Peninsula could respond as glaciers recede in a warming climate.