Suspended sediment load in the watershed of the ebda wadi, algeria

Solids transport is a complex phenomenon; the intensity of this phenomenon varies greatly with the general environment: geology, degree of rock alteration, hydrology, vegetation, climate, etc. The extent of the phenomenon is out of proportion in semi-arid areas or areas with temperate climates. Algeria is one of the countries most affected by this phenomenon and its consequences. To enable a rapid response to demands from engineers for the quantification of bed load transport at the outlet of a catchment area, a simple tool easy to implement has been developed. The principle adopted is based on hydrometric data from gauging stations, seasonal and annual analyses have defined an appropriate method for estimating the sediment yield. This work presents a study of the sediment transport in the Wadi Ebda watershed. In order to understand the sedimentation dynamic in the watershed, an analysis is based on instantaneous flow data and the concentration of suspended sediments transported in the stream. The results obtained were quite satisfactory because the correlation coefficients of the model Qs= f (Ql) are between77% and 84%. This method once refined can be generalized to all the watersheds of northern Algeria. In addition, the results show that the annual average of specific degradation is about 809 t km-2 year-1. This value is comparable to those found in other regions with similar hydrologic regimes.