TRACES - Project 2
SP2 Sediment Transport an Pollutants II - Catchments, Rivers and Reservoirs
Sediments in reservoirs may offer excellent but previously unused opportunities to log changes of sediment transport, sediment composition and other environmental conditions like the concentration of pollutants in temporally high resolution since the construction of the respective selected dams (1939-1982). Preceded by seismic surveys (with boomer and pinger shallow- to medium-penetration sub-bottom profilers and single-beam echosounders), the field work in SP2 concentrates on the identification and retrieval of sediment cores from up to three selected reservoirs in the working areas. Additionally, river bed sediment sample from the associated catchment areas as well as the suspension loads are necessary to interpret the core records in the regional context. Dating, in particular with 210Pb, 137Cs, but also limited with 14C, will be used to estimate sediment accumulation rates and patterns. By detailed analyses on the sediment composition (determination of main and trace elements, heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, micro plastics and isotope signatures) partners in SP2 will be able to reconstruct trends and scopes of changes in the different systems. The nature of the respective component makes it possible to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic processes. Most of the parameters can be analyzed in the laboratories at the University of Bremen.
