Sediment transport in the Tanana River in the vicinity of Fairbanks, Alaska, 1977

Measurements of suspended- and bedload-sediment transport for the Tanana River in the vicinity of Fairbanks, Alaska, show that suspended-sediment load, G in tons per day, relates to water discharge, Q, in cubic feet per scond, as:

G_S = 1.66 x 10^-8 Q^2.83

The bedload transport rate is approximately one percent of the suspended-sediment transport rate.

The median particle size of suspended sediment is generally silt (<0.062 mm), but at some low-water discharges, the median particle size is very fine sand. The median particle size of bedload is generally gravel (>2.0 mm, and often in the range of 10 to 20 mm), but at some low transport rates, the median particle size is medium sand. At all water discharges and sediment-transport rates, the particles constituting the suspended load are significantly smaller than the particles constituting the bedload.