• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 1993

The problem of supply and transport of sediment from a mountainous catchment is very important in explaining dynamic geomorphology and the hydrological cycle. The discharge of suspended sediment is determined by a morphological system. Human interference to environment Is also an important, not negligible factor in sediment production. Moreover, growing concern in recent years for the problems of nonpoint pollution and for the transport of contaminants through terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems has highlighted the role of sediment-associated transport in fluvial systems. This study was conducted in forested and quarried catchments in order to clarify the different discharge process and the mechanism of suspended sediment dynamics for each catchment. As a forested catchment, the Yamaguchi River catchment which drains a $3.12km^2$ area was chosen. On the other hand, the Futagami River basin which is formed by three subbasins (1.07, 1.59 and $1.78km^2$), as a quarried catchment was selected. These catchments are situated to the north and east of Mt. Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. The discharge pattern of suspended sediment from the Futagami River basin is more unstable and irregular than that from forested catchment, the Yamaguchi River catchment. Under the similar rainstorm conditions, suspended sediment concentration from quarried catchment during a rainstorm event increases from 43 to 27,340 mg/l. However, in the case of the forested catchment it changes only from nearly zero to 274 mg/l. Generally, the supply source of suspended sediment is classified into two areas, the in-channel and non-channel source areas. As a result of field measurements, in the case of the forested catchment the in-channel (channel bed, channel bank and channel margin) is the main source area of suspended sediment. On the other hand, remarkable sediment source area on the Quarried catchment is the non-channel that is unvegetated ground.