1. River Transportation and Deposition
A closer look at the sediment moved in a river system

2. Sec Page
Load
Dissolved load
Suspended load
Bed load
Competency
Capacity
Deposition

3. Dissolved (in solution) load composed of… Suspended load made up of…
Bed load made up of…..
Salt, calcium ions
Silt, clay and fine sand
Pebbles, cobbles, boulders
Dissolved: slat, calcium ions, Suspended: silt, clay fine sand, Bed load: pebbles, rocks, boulders
ES1303

4. How will each material be transported
How will each material be transported? bed load, suspension or as dissolved load?
Clay
Boulders
Calcium ions
Pebbles
Silt
Coarse Sand
Magnesium ions
Fine Sand
Suspension
Bed load
Solution
* Depends upon the velocity of the river.

5. Interpreting Graphs: Homework with your group at the end of the lab tomorrow
What particle stays in
suspension at the slowest
stream speed?
2. What is the minimum speed
needed to carry a boulder
in suspension?
Name all the particles that would be in suspension in a stream moving at 100 cm/sec.
1. Clay cm/s clay, silt, sand, pebbles larger diameter – higher the velocity needed to keep it in suspension
4. Describe in words the
relationship between particle
diameter and the velocity of
stream flow needed to keep the
particle in suspension.

6. Competency The maximum SIZE of particles that a stream can transport
The higher velocity of the water, the greater the competency

7. Capacity The maximum AMOUNT of load a stream can carry
The more discharge, the greater the capacity
Sediment laden stream in Madagascar

8. The sediments will settle out of a running body of water when the velocity slows. The larger, more dense particles settle out first as they require a higher velocity to transport them. The finer material gets suspended and carried for a longer period of time. Precipitates (solutes in solution) will be carried the longest as they can remain in solution for a period of time.
Sedimentary rocks are made of sediment

9. Deposition When a stream velocity decreases (near the mouth)
the river loses ENERGY and can no longer carry material. (competency)
It DEPOSITS (dumps) sediment
LARGEST material is sorted and deposited first.
Eventually forming sedimentary rock.
dunes
Alluvial fans
deltas