Measurements of spatio-temporal fluvial channel bed evolution and sediment transport rate under four different bedload dominant transport conditions in the SAFL main channel

Abstract

Accurate prediction of sediment transport rate is important for understanding of fluvial channel evolution. Yet, our understanding on the sediment transport processes is far from clear due to their large spatio-temporal variability, and complex interaction with flow dynamics and channel morphology. Assuming the most of sediment is transported by migrating bedforms, we study how various scales of migrating bedforms contribute to sediment transport. Our experiments suggest that small, secondary ripples on the bed surface emerge as the main contributor to the sediment transport. In addition, we find that the sediment transport rate can be accurately estimated based on spectral descriptions of temporal bed elevation statistics. This data archive includes synchronized three independent measurements under four different bedload dominant transport conditions: volumetric sediment flux time series, bed elevation timeseries at fixed locations, and 2D spatio-temporal bed evolution.