The catchment sediment budget as a management tool
Date
2008
Authors
Walling, Des, E.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Environmental science & p o li c y
Abstract
There is increasing recognition that fine sediment represents an important diffuse source
pollutant in surface waters, due to its role in governing the transfer and fate of many
substances, including nutrients, heavy metals, pesticides and other organic contaminants,
and because of its impacts on aquatic ecology. Catchment management strategies therefore
frequently need to include provision for the control of sediment mobilisation and delivery.
The sediment budget concept provides a valuable framework for assisting the management
and control of diffuse source sediment pollution and associated problems, by identifying the
key sources and demonstrating the importance of intermediate stores and the likely impact
of upstream mitigation strategies on downstream suspended sediment and sedimentassociated
contaminant fluxes. Accordingly, the utility of the sediment budget concept
for catchment management is further discussed, by introducing examples from several
contrasting river basins.
Keywords:
Sediment budget
Catchment management
Sediment sources
Sediment stores
Sediment yields
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Catchment management , Sediment yields