Overview of Methods, Technologies, and Equipment for Measuring River Sediment Concentration

Abstract

China has always attached great importance to the measurement of sediment concentration in rivers. When a large amount of sediment flows into rivers, it can cause a sharp increase in sediment concentration, leading to a series of natural disasters such as soil erosion. Soil erosion not only reduces soil fertility but also causes serious ecological damage and economic losses. Therefore, the methods and technical equipment for detecting river sediment concentration have important reference value and research significance. This article first starts with the impact of river sediment concentration on the water environment, and introduces traditional methods for measuring sediment concentration, such as filtration method, drying method, displacement method, etc; Then, the structure, principle, and application of current explored technologies such as isotopes and optics are elaborated, and the influence of sediment concentration on monitoring flow accuracy is derived using the ultrasonic time difference method as an example. Finally, by monitoring and predicting the sediment concentration of rivers in the Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Kashgar region of Xinjiang, possible directions for future measurement of sediment concentration in rivers are proposed.