Sediment yield estimation formulations for arid regions

Abstract

Previous studies lack proper and quick assessment of sediment yield rates in arid regions. Sediment yield at a point along the main channel of a drainage basin is an integrated result of upland, gully, and channel erosion, transportation, and depositional processes. The external dynamic agents of sediment yield are water, wind, gravity, temperature change, ice, and biological activities. Although each may be important in arid regions, at locations, occasionally present-day hydrological cycle works water are the most widespread agent of erosion and account for the bulk of sediment yield. This paper focuses on sediment yield formulations in arid regions in terms of little morphology in addition to the runoff discharge after a storm rainfall. Among the morphological variables are the drainage basin area, main channel slope, and the drainage density. Hence, the channel head is represented by the combination of drainage area and the slope. The emphasis is given to the determination of simple and straightforward sediment yield rate formulations by dimensional analysis technique. Three simple formulations are derived, and two of them are applied to one of the largest wadis, Wadi Baysh, with its 54 sub-basins, in the southwestern Saudi Arabia.