Streamflow and Suspended Sediment Transport in an Urban Environment

Abstract

Processes controlling streamflow generation and suspended sediment transport for the Aberjona River watershed, a highly urbanized watershed located near Boston, were evaluated through a program of measurements on the Aberjona River and its principal tributary, Horn Pond Creek. For the Aberjona River, streamflow was associated with three distinct components (quick strong flow, slow storm flow, and long-term baseflow); and suspended sediment transport was likewise associated with these same three components as well as rainfall and channel routing effects. Due to storage effects of larger reservoirs, streamflow through Horn Pond Creek did not respond with distinct components; and suspended sediment transport was affected by long-term seasonal effects such as algal growths and the deposition of particulates. Separation of the streamflow hydrograph into components was essential for understanding transport processes for the watershed; a similar hydrograph separation technique should be useful for other rivers in urban areas whose response is not attenuated by storage effects.