Author(s): Boseong Jeong; Dongsu Kim; Suin Choi; Youngdo Kim

Linked Author(s): Dongsu Kim, YongDo Kim

Keywords: DCP signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) Suspended Sediment Concentration (SSC) SonTek

Abstract: Suspended sediment in rivers plays a critical role in pollutant transport and riverbed deformation, driving ongoing efforts to quantify its distribution accurately. Traditional approaches using sediment samplers are often expensive, pose safety hazards during flood events, and provide limited accuracy. Recently, Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) have emerged as a promising alternative. These instruments allow for the measurement of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) distributions across river cross-sections, utilizing boat-mounted systems such as the SonTek M9 and RS5. In this study, we developed and tested a preliminary software tool compatible with SonTek ADCPs to map SSC spatial distributions. The tool leverages the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as a sediment concentration indicator. Calibration techniques were employed to account for beam spreading and attenuation due to water and sediment absorption, with adjustments made iteratively through vertical cells based on the mean sediment diameter (D50) measured using a LISST sampler. The software was applied to map sediment mixing processes at a river confluence flowing into Paldang Lake, South Korea. These results highlight the potential of ADCP-based methodologies to provide a safer, cost-effective, and more accurate alternative for monitoring suspended sediments in dynamic riverine environments.

DOI:

Year: 2025