Sediment Concentration Changes Caused by Barge Tows. Long Term Resource Monitoring Program

摘要

Suspended sediment samples have been collected in the channel border area during tow passage events at several locations on the upper Mississippi River and the Illinois River. Typical plots show the pattern of rapid increase and gradual decrease in concentration following tow passage. Comparisons are made between a Mississippi River site with rather small changes in concentration and an Illinois River site with larger increases in concentration. Several parameters describing tow characteristics are discussed. Preliminary conclusions are drawn from the comparative analysis of the two data sets.