An approach for appraising the accuracy of suspended-sediment data

Abstract

Procedures are presented for appraising the accuracy of suspendedsediment data. The types of error involved are sampling error error introduced in obtaining a value representing suspended-sediment concentration for a sample taken at a single vertical during the sampling time; spatial error error in mean concentration that is determined from sampled concentration at verticals in a cross section for a point in time; temporal error error in computed values of suspended-sediment concentration for a cross section at any point in time; and sediment-discharge error error in computed values of suspended-sediment discharge for a cross section at any point in time. The standard error of estimate is the statistic used to represent errors.