Sediment sampling

Durga Prasad Sangroula

Associate Professor
Department of Civil Engineering,
Institute of Engineering
Pulchowk Campus

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 Contents
Needed sediment data?
Sampling Location
Sediment load and sediment sampling
Suspended sediment sampling
Bed load sampling
Bed material sampling
Sampling location and quality control
Representative sample
Personnel
Samplers
Method
Sampling frequency
Challenges of sampling in the Himalayan Region

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 Why sediment data needed for
HPP?

Reservoir Scheme
To collect data needed to determine the long
term average value for estimation of
sediment yield.
Run of River Scheme
Sediment content in the abstracted water is
more important than the total sediment load
PSD of sediment load is important with
respect to trapping of sediment in settling
basin

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 Sampling Location

The sediment sampling location depends on

the requirement of the sediment
programme

Over all sediment study (networking) or

A particular project study

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 Site Selection
Uniform flow
Well mixed flow (higher the turbulence
better the mix up of sediment)
Ability to sample range of stages
Existence of background data

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 How to Select a Suitable Site
Walk over survey along the banks
Sampling site close to Gauge station
Downstream of rapids which provides good
mixing conditions for the sediments.
Accessibility of site in monsoon (sampling,
storage, transport etc.)
Upgrading of sampling site

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 Gauging station

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 Personnel

Accuracy and reliability of data

Most important for correct sampling
Knowledgeable enough to understand the
principle of sampling (training)
Able to read and write and make good
judgments
Must be skilled, active and dynamic
Honest and trustworthy

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 Reliability & Accuracy

Reliability and accuracy of data collection is

equally important as the reliability and
accuracy of the laboratory analysis.

Too small samples tend to magnify errors

Too large samples may cause problems
with respect to drying and weighing

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 Quality control
Data entry Form

Standard Forms and Instructions are used for

quality control - maintains consistency and
accuracy

Instructions
provide methodology and procedures for
the sampling, labelling and transporting
Field forms
For recording the necessary information

Reliable data depends on: Willingness to get wet

(interested), Training/Experience and Good equipment
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 Samplers

Suspended sediment samplers

Instantaneous sampler
(Bucket or open container, Limited
applicability)
Time integrating sampler
(One that collects a sample during a finite
time interval)
Depth integrating
Point integrating
Bed load samplers
Bed material samplers
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 Suspended sediment samplers
Depth Integrating

To accumulate sample as they are lowered to the

stream bed and raised to the surface at a uniform rate
During transit, velocity in intake nozzle = local stream
velocity at all points in the vertical

Point Integrating

To accumulate a sample at any selected point in a

stream
A valve opening and closing is operated by a
solenoid energized by batteries at the surface

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 Sampling
To obtain a sample in such a way that the water-
sediment mixture moves with no change in velocity as it
leaves the ambient flow and enters the sampler intake.

Critical step toward collecting a representative sample

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 Depth-Integrating sampling
To accumulate samples
as they are lowered to
the stream bed and
raised to the surface at
a uniform rate

Location of verticals:
Single point at mid
stream
Verticals at , and
width
Equal Width Increment
method
Equal-Discharge
Increment method
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 Point-Integrating sampling
To accumulate a sample US P-61-A
at any point in a stream.
A valve opening and
closing is operated by
solenoid energized by
batteries at the surface

Location of points
may be:
Single point at 0.6 depth
Two points at 0.2 and 0.8
depth
Some time multiple
points

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 Bed load and bed material sampling

US BLH-84

US BL-84

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 Automatic sampling

(ref. Bogen, J. 2004)

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 Swedish Type Sediment Sampler

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 Hand Held Sampling Method
Hand-held sampler (Swedish or US)
2 samples retrieved per day, additional
samples during high sediment
concentrations
The samples should not be transferred from
the sampler to another bottle at site.
Gauge height, temperature, rainfall, river
colour
Sample bottles sealed, water levels
recorded, transported in special boxes to the
laboratory
All samples should be analysed within a time
frame of two weeks from the date of
sampling
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 Hand Held Sampling (Point integrating
method)

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 Hand Held Sampling in the Kulekhani

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 Depth-Integration Techniques

Equal Width Increment (EWI)

method
Equal-Discharge Increment (EDI)
Single-vertical sample

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 Depth-Integration Techniques

Equal Width Increment (EWI) method

Cross section divided into (8-20) equal-

width increments
Collect samples from the mid-point
vertical in each width increment
Composite all sub-samples for analysis

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 Depth-Integration Techniques

Equal Discharge Increment (EDI) method

Cross section divided into (4-9) equal

increments of discharge
Collect samples from the centroid
vertical of each discharge increment
Analyze samples individually or
composited

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 Depth-Integration Techniques

Single Vertical Sample

Single vertical at the point in the X-Sec

where the mean sediment
concentration occurs over the largest
range in the stage
Duplicate samples are typically
collected

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 Collected Samples

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 Sampling from Cableway (Seti
River)

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 Sampling from Cable way (Seti River)

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 Sampling in Sand Bed Rivers

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 Sampling in Gravel Bed Rivers

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 Point Integrating Sampler

US P-61-A1

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 Depth Integrating Sampler

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 Automatic Pumping Sampler

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 Hand-held Sampler

US DH-48

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 Sampler for Bed Load

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 Bed Load Sampler

US BL-84

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 Bed Load Sampler

US BLH-84

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 Bed Material Sampling

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 Sampling Frequency

Generally dictated by the study

approach and level of funding

Pre-monsoon high frequency

Monsoon regular frequency
Dry season low frequency (once/week)

Regular frequency (2-3 times/day during

monsoon)
Additional samples (beyond the regular
frequency)
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 Challenges of sampling in the
Himalayan region
80-90% of the total precipitation is taking
place during monsoon (June-August) and
the rives carry more than 90% of the
sediment load in this time of the year.

Rivers are running through various

climatological and topographical reaches
(steep pool stream-boulder bed river-gravel
bed river-bed of sand and silt). Rivers are
capable to transport all types of boulders
in the mountains regions (tens of tonnes
boulders).

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 Sediment production

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 Problem related to use of samplers in
steep mountain rivers

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 Bed load

Bed load measurement in the Mountain

Rivers is almost impossible. Bed load could
be taken up to 60% of the suspended load
in the High Himalaya (steep slopes) up to
40% of the suspended load in the Siwaliks
(local steep slopes) and up to 15% of the
suspended load in the Lower Lesser
Himalaya (Galay et al., 2003).

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 Challenges
According Carson, B (1985)
The major limitation with present
sedimentation data is that bed loads are not
measured, but are assumed to be a small
portion (10-20)% of the suspended load. In
mountain rivers, where gravel and boulders
dominate the bed load, commonly applied
hydraulic formulas cannot properly account for
observed bellied movements; until sediment
and bed load data improves, the Engineer must
be aware that sediment budgeting for
Himalayan rivers relies on rough estimations
rather than precise measurements.
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 Bed material characteristics

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 Conclusion
Sediment load in the year varies largely from
year to year. Major part of the sediment load is
transported in the monsoon season, however,
high sediment concentration expected during
small pre-monsoon flood.

Sediment sampling should be carried out with

high frequency during monsoon time. Suspended
sediment sampling stations should be located
with care. In the Mountains Rivers, the gradient
at the site should preferably be less than 1:200,
depending on the size of the river.

Reliable and accuracy of data are very

important.

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