Sediments budget in drainage basins and decay of small rivers on the Russian Plain

Abstract

The paper discusses up-to-date methodical approach to detailed studies of the sediments budget for rivers of various order and to assessment of rate of small rivers decay; the methods include soil erosion profiles compilation, drilling along profiles, calculations by models and also usage of cesium-137 isotope to estimate quantitatively erosion and deposition rates. The necessity is shown to use two or more independent methods to find components of the sediments budget. Examples are given of the sediments budget and calculations of load transport coefficients for a series of drainage basins of different order on the Russian Plain. Using the southern mega-slope of the Russian Plain as an example, the authors analyze the rate of floodplains alluviation and decrease in total length of drainage network due to excess in sediment supply.