Author(s)

F. Gentile, T. Bisantino, R. Corbino, F. Milillo, G. Romano & G. Trisorio Liuzzi

Abstract

The main torrents in Northern Apulia (Southern Italy) are characterised by a considerable suspended sediment transport that occurs during intense rainfall events. In this paper an experimental activity of sediment transport monitoring is described. A continuous measuring station located in the Carapelle torrent is equipped with a dual function optical immersion probe (turbidity/sediment). The probe has been tested with laboratory and field experiments carried out to verify the instrument’s functional capabilities and to assess the relationship between optical and gravimetric data. Monitored data have then been used to analyze the sediment transport at event scale in view to estimate the sediment balance in the watershed. Keywords: continuous river monitoring, sediment transport, turbidimeter. 1 Introduction The sediment transport processes that affect the torrents originating from Subappennino dauno and crossing the alluvial valley of Tavoliere are mainly characterised by suspended materials. The Hydrological Service of Apulia Region measured the suspended load of these water courses during the period 1933–1989. After 1989 the monitoring system was interrupted. In these torrents Marchi et al [1] found a close correlation between discharges and sediment loads. This is quite consistent with what observed by other authors who showed that the most of the annual suspended sediment is transported during the flood events, Walling et al [2]. During flood events the relationship between the suspended sediment concentration and the discharge is not linear

Keywords

continuous river monitoring, sediment transport, turbidimeter.