Sediment transport

Bedload transport measurements at the Erlenbach

The bedload transport observatory Erlenbach with sediment retention basin, basket samplers and geophone sensors (installed in the check dam). Picture J. Turowski

Basket sampler in action during high flow. The geophone sensors are installed underneath the steel plates in the check dam. Picture J. Wessels

Tracer pebbles tagged with RFID chips after seeding in the Erlenbach channel. Picture R. Hegglin

In the Erlenbach bedload transport has been monitored since the early 1980s. With more than 20 years of data this is one of the longest time series of observations world wide. Long-term measurements of sediment transport such as this are rare and very valuable.

The following measurements are conducted on a regular basis:

• In 1982 a retention basin was built. The deposited sediment volumes are surveyed at least once a year.
• Since 1986 indirect sensors record the acoustic noise of moving particles. Sediment transport rates can be inferred from these measurements. The sensors record at high temporal resolution (1 minute) and are basically maintenance free.
• In 2008 automatic basket samplers were installed at the check dam upstream of the retention basin. These allow to take bedload samples at specific times to analyse grain size properties and for the detailed comparison with the geophone signals.
• Intermittently tracer studies with tagged stones are conducted in the catchment.

Project Link

• Long-term bedload monitoring

Contact

• Dieter Rickenmann
  

• Jens Martin Turowski