The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
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Suspended load consists of sediment particles that are mechanically transported by suspension within a stream or river. This is in contrast to bed or traction load, which consists of particles that are moved along the bed of a stream, and dissolved load, which consists of material that has been dissolved in the stream water. In most streams, the suspended load is composed primarily of silt and clay size particles. Sand-size particles can also be part of the suspended load if the stream flow velocity and turbulence are great enough to hold them in suspension.
The suspended load can consist of particles that are intermittently lifted into suspension from the stream bed and of wash load, which remains continuously suspended unless there is a significant decrease in stream flow velocity. Wash load particles are finer than those along the stream bed, and therefore must be supplied by bank erosion, mass wasting, and mass transport of sediment from adjacent watersheds into the stream during rainstorms.
Water density is proportional to the amount of suspended load being carried. Muddy water high in suspended sediment will therefore increase the particle buoyancy and reduce the critical shear stress required to move the bed load of the stream.
The ratio of suspended load to bed load in a stream depends on the ratio of the shear velocity (a property of the flowing water that reflects the degree of turbulence) and the fall velocity (a property of the sediment grains). The fall velocity is that at which a sediment particle will fall through still water, and thus depends on both grain size and mineralogy (density). Bed-load transport predominates when the shear velocity is significantly less than half the fall velocity and suspended load transport predominates when the shear velocity is two to three times greater than the fall velocity. Mixed-mode transport occurs when the ratio falls within a range of approximately 0.4 to 2.5.
Erosion; Rivers; Sedimentation; Stream Valleys, Channels, and Floodplains