Fine sediment transport and management

This chapter considers the key concepts to develop an improved understanding of the fine sediment loads of rivers. The key concepts are non‐capacity and supply‐controlled nature of fine sediment transport, the significance of grain size, sediment composition and composite particles, the importance of sediment source and the need to view the fine sediment load of a river as a component of the overall catchment sediment budget. The chapter reviews the fine sediment loads of rivers which have been paralleled by the development of a range of tools for meeting requirements for new information. It discusses improved monitoring techniques and equipment, sediment source fingerprinting, sediment tracing and modelling fine sediment yields across a range of temporal and spatial scales and for a range of purposes. The growing awareness of the environmental significance of fine sediment, and particularly its ecological importance, is directing increasing attention to sediment management in river catchments.