Water Velocity And Sediment Depth In Streams

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Water Velocity & Sediment Depth in Streams Introduction: Water covers over 70% of the world and is one of the most essential compounds in life. Water is continuously cycling to transport nutrients around the world. Rainfall will wash away sediment and carry it through streams, rivers, and other flowing bodies of water. Certain sections of flowing bodies of water can be classified as riffles, runs, and pools based on the velocity of the water. A riffle is a shallow, fast moving section of a stream and is usually followed by a run, where the water tends to be deeper and slower. On the other hand, a pool usually has a water velocity close to zero, where most of the sediment and nutrients float down and settle at the bottom. In a shallow, coastal Pacific stream, organic matter particles travelled further in a fast, shallow riffle than a slow, deep pool. Furthermore, most of the stiff, heavier particles like rocks and clay in this stream were retained in deeper water (Hoover, 2009). This illustrates the affects of water velocity on movement and deposition of sediment. In addition, water velocity has been directly correlated to the distribution of organisms throughout a running body of water (Davis, 1989). In a shallow stream located in France, an abundance of both sediment and aquatic life was observed in the pool areas of the streams (Mermillod-Blondin, 2000). Marine biologists often use the mean velocity of water flow to compare the flow of nutrients and sediments. This same method can be used in our study. Most of the essential nutrients flow downstream, and the organisms naturally follow their food source (Davis, 1989). Understanding the affects of water velocity on sediment depths in streams can help to understand certain organisms’ habitats and environmental needs. Furthermore, understanding sediment flow down streams can help in areas where water

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