Sources and sediment yield from a rural catchment in humid temperate environment,northwest Spain |
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| Authors: | M L Rodríguez‐Blanco M M Taboada‐Castro M T Taboada‐Castro |
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| Institution: | Faculty of Sciences, University of A Coru?a, A Zapateira, A Coru?a, Spain |
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| Abstract: | A study was carried out on a rural catchment located in northwest Spain to examine the sediment yield from the catchment by measuring suspended sediments during rainfall events. Within the catchment regular surveys were conducted to obtain data on the suspended sediment sources. Important variations in sediment load were detected at event scale (0·3–21·0 Mg); some of these can be explained in terms of event size, antecedent conditions, rainfall distribution and soil surface erosion. To study the variables controlling suspended sediment yield during the events in the catchment, several event and pre‐event variables were calculated for all events. The sediment load is strongly influenced by discharge variables. During the events discharge–suspended sediments were also analysed. When the soil surface was unprotected, the formation of rills and ephemeral gullies on agricultural land at the catchment head was an important source of suspended sediments in the catchment. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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| Keywords: | events sediment load rills ephemeral gullies catchment |
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