CHAPTER 11: EROSION,
SEDIMENTATION AND RIVER BASIN
Erosion – is the action surface processes (such
as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock or
dissolve material from one location of earth’s
crust.
Sedimentation – is the tendency for particles in
suspension to settle out the fluid which they are
entrained and come to rest against barrier.
River basin – is the portion of land drained by
river and its tributaries. It compasses all of the
land surface dissected and drained by many
streams and creeks that flow downhill into one
another, and eventually into the river.
The erosion and transport of sediment
by water is a key process in shaping a river
basin, and has important economic and
environmental consequences.
Geomorphology – is the study of the formation
of the landscape-insofar as its influenced by
water
Factors controlling erosion
1. Vegetation
2. Cohesive soil
3. Land slope
Catchment Basin – is any area of land where
precipitation collection and drains where
precipitation collects and drains off into a
common outlet, such as into a river, bay, or
other bodies of water
Physical Descriptors of Catchment
1. Stream flow
2. Drainage density
3. Area relation
4. Length of overland flow
5. Basin shape
Stream Patterns
1. Meandering
2. Braided
3. Straight
Reservoir Sedimentation
 Reservoir sedimentation broadly
defined as artificially created water
storage basin.
 The storage capacity that may
range a few thousand cubic meter
to thousands of million cubic
meter.
 Depending on the purpose of
storage, reservoirs are classified
into three main categories.
o Storage and conservation
reservoirs
o Flood control reservoirs
o Distribution reservoirs
 Reservoirs carry different types
of sediments down their riverbeds,
allowing for the formation of
riverbanks, river deltas, lakes, etc.
 The construction of a reservoir
blocks the flow of sediment
downstream, leads to increased
sediment build-up in the reservoir.
 Reservoirs sedimentation
depends upon the trap efficiency
which decides the amount of
sediments deposited with the
reservoir.
Trap efficiency – is the ratio of sediments
deposited within the reservoir.
Descriptors of Catchment Relief
1. Land Slope
2. Channel Slope (or Gradient)
3. Area-Elevation Data
4. Aspect
Sediment Yield
– the amount of sediment reaching or
passing a point of interest in a given period of
time.
The annual sediment production from a
catchment is dependent on many factors such
climate, soil type, land use, topography and the
presence of reservoirs.
Floodplains
 The valley floor adjacent to the incised
channel, which may be inundated during
high water.
 Are built up primarily from deposition
of sediment in the river channel and
deposition of fine sediments when
flooded.
 Organic materials may also accumulate
in cut off meander loops (oxbow lakes).
 Often a natural levee will form along the
banks of the incised channel caused by
the deposit of coarse sediments as the
water from the stream invades the
floodplains.
 Sediment deposition in the channel plus
natural levees on the bank can cause the
stream flow at a higher elevation than its
floodplain.
 Floodplains tend to be flooded at fairly
low recurrence intervals. Leopold et al.
Stated that return periods generally
range between 1 and 2 years.
 In any case, it is clear that the floodplain
is subjected to frequent flooding and
hence, its use for buildings and other
purposes should be carefully regulated.
Suspended-Sediment Transport
 Wash loads are washed into the stream
during rainfall and travels through the
system without redepositing.
 In turbulent flow, the gravitational
settling of particles is counteracted by
upward transport in turbulent eddies.
 Since the concentration of suspended
material is greatest near the bottom of
the stream, upward moving eddies carry
more sediment than downward-moving
eddies
 The system is in equilibrium if gravity
movement and turbulent transport are in
balance and the amount of suspended
material remains constant.
Bed-Material Transport
 Bed-material load is the portion of the
sediment that is typically consists of all
the bed load and bed suspended load.
 Composed of larger grains than any of
the other loads.
 Generally consists of grains coarser than
0.062 mm.
 Accuracy of instruments for bed-load
measurement is so uncertain that field
comparison of bed-load formulas is
difficult.

 Sediment moves in the stream as

suspended sediment in the flowing water
and as bed load, which slides or rolls
along the channel bottom.

 Bed-material load, represented by those

particles of grain size and wash load,
made up of finer particles are usually
found in bed.

 Saltation is the movement of particles

which seems to bounce along the bed.