Technical Bulletin No. 0354: Factors Affecting Changes in the Percent of Fine Sediment in Gravel Bedded Channels

This technical bulletin is the report on research carried out in controlled flume and field studies, to investigate factors and processes affecting the fine sediment composition of streambed gravels. The research project had several specific objectives, among these being: (a) the determination of the effective particle size on the percent intrusion of sand into a stable gravel bed; (b) measurement of the effects of the volume rate of sand transport on gravel stability; (c) determination of the fine sediment composition of streambed gravels as a result of "fines trapping" during restabilization at the mobile gravel bed, and (d) determination of the relative importance of sand transport over stable gravel beds in small mountainous streams. The study findings had several implications for the monitoring and assessment of stream chemical response to land management practices.