Comparative assessment of suspended sediment monitoring methods along the Danube River
To reveal the sediment loads in rivers, many different monitoring methods have been used in practice. These methods are inherently based on different technical solutions which can lead to differences in the measurement results as well. When analyzing the sediment balance of a longer river section, or in this case, the Danube River itself, the harmonization of sediment data from different countries is of primary importance. However, It is a relevant question how the unification of the measurement data and the data analysis can be done in case of such an international river. To answer this question, an extensive comparison of the methods needs to be done.
The comparative assessment will include a brief presentation of the suspended sediment monitoring methods used by the different countries and organisations along the Danube River. Next, the comparative analysis of the historical sediment data for sections where data is provided by two countries, e.g. the common reach of the Danube in Hungary and Slovakia, will be performed. This analysis can give a more direct information about the differences between the measurement methods. Furthermore, own sediment samples will also be analysed, which were collected during joint measurement campaigns with measurement teams from other countries. Based on the data analysis and using the results from recent studies a recommendation will be made on the harmonization of sediment data collected in the past for the Danube River.
