How much sediment a river caries?

The amount of sediment carried by a river varies greatly from river to river and can change significantly over time. Factors such as the size of the river, the composition of the riverbed, the nature of the surrounding landscape, and the amount and intensity of rainfall or runoff can all influence the amount of sediment carried. Generally, larger rivers transport more sediment than smaller rivers, and rivers with steep gradients and unstable banks tend to carry more sediment than those with gentle gradients and stable banks.

There are many ways to measure the amount of sediment carried by a river. One common method is to use a sediment trap, which is a device that collects and measures the sediment transported by the river. Another method is to measure the suspended sediment concentration, which is the amount of sediment suspended in the water column. Suspended sediment concentrations can be measured using a variety of techniques, including turbidity measurements and water sampling.

Here are some estimates of the average amount of sediment carried by some major rivers around the world:

- The Mississippi River in the United States carries an estimated 463 million tons of sediment per year.

- The Nile River in Africa carries an estimated 121 million tons of sediment per year.

- The Yellow River in China carries an estimated 1.6 billion tons of sediment per year, making it the world's most sediment-laden river.

- The Ganges River in India carries an estimated 1.04 billion tons of sediment per year.

- The Amazon River in South America carries an estimated 1.03 billion tons of sediment per year.

- The Mekong River in Southeast Asia carries an estimated 160 million tons of sediment per year.

It's important to note that these are just estimates, and the actual amount of sediment carried by a river can vary significantly from year to year and over different time scales. Sediment transport is a complex process that is influenced by many different factors, and it is still an active area of research.