Suspended sediment fluxes in the large river basins of Brazil

JORGE ENOCH FURQUIM WERNECK LIMA1,
WALSZON TERLLIZZIE ARA贘O LOPES2,
NEWTON DE OLIVEIRA CARVALHO3,
MAURREM RAMON VIEIRA2 &
EUZEBIO MEDRADO DA SILVA1
1 Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Embrapa Cerrados, BR 020, km 18,
PO Box 08223, 73310-970 Planaltina, DF, Brazil
jorge@cpac.embrapa.br
2 Brazilian National Water Agency, ANA, Setor Policial, 羠ea 5, Qd.3, Bl. L,
70610-200, Bras韑ia, DF, Brazil
3 Rua Conde de Baependi, 112, ap. 904, 22231-140 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Abstract

In Brazil, measurements of suspended sediment transport have been
undertaken regularly since 1970 at a number of stations located on the main
rivers. The database resulting from those measurements now makes it possible
to study the sediment loads of the largest river basins. The primary objective
of this paper is to present a preliminary study of the suspended sediment loads
of Brazil抯 largest river basins, namely the Amazon, Tocantins, S鉶 Francisco
and Paran?rivers. In view of the available data and the importance of information
on sediment loads, this analysis has also been extended to other important
basins of the country. The sediment balance along each river was assessed
by comparing the mean suspended sediment load of successive measuring
stations. Values of mean annual suspended sediment concentration and discharge
have been calculated for each station. The total suspended sediment production
from the territory of Brazil has been estimated to be 610 ?106 t year-1.
Key words Brazilian rivers; sediment loads; suspended sediment flux; water management;
water quality

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