Temporal variations of fine suspended sediment concentration in the Changjiang River estuary and adjacent coastal waters, China

SummaryFine suspended sediment concentrations were measured for the periods August 1982 to July 1983; September 1992 to August 1993; August 1997 to July 1998; August 1998 to July 1999; and May 2002 to April 2003 from eight stations in the Changjiang River estuary and adjacent coastal waters, China. Analyses of those data suggest that (1) yearly-averaged suspended sediment concentrations increased from landward to seaward, i.e. 0.13 kg m−3 at Xuliujing, 0.36 kg m−3 at Sheshan, and 1.56 kg m−3 at Tanhu; (2) the suspended sediment concentrations in the inner part of the estuary were higher in summer than in winter, while in the outer part of the estuary they were higher in winter than in summer; (3) the amplitude of suspended sediment concentration variations was greater in the outer part of the estuary than in the inner part of the estuary, and greater in Hangzhou Bay than in the Changjiang River estuary; (4) the fine suspended sediment concentrations had pronounced seasonal and spring-neap tidal variations; and (5) wind waves controlled seasonal variations and tidal currents controlled spring-neap tidal variations.