What is Particulate Matter (PM)

In this chapter we concentrate on the status of sediment, sources of siltation, sediment Information, also concentrates on the process of setting up monitoring program for the purpose of providing a valid data base for sediment water quality assessments, and modeling. Also the choice of variables to be measured in the water, the sediment in biota and the common procedures for data handling. This chapter concentrates on the existing process of monitoring programmes for interpretation of these data for the purpose of assessing sediment water quality in rivers, and reservoirs, also focus on monitoring strategies requirements for water quality data and interpretative techniques. The choice of the appropriate methods is illustrated by case studies for typical water pollution situations, beside the strategies for sediment water quality assessment. Within the range of water quality issues addressed in this chapter efforts have been concentrated on major areas of vital importance. Monitoring, analysis is done usually as part of the quality control program for drinking water. It concentrates mainly on (Daily, and monthly base) physical parameters mainly suspended sediment and turbidity. While for sediments transport concentration and load, they adopted stations along the Blue Nile and within Al Gezira scheme only, so establishment of National Monitoring Network for sediment monitoring covering all the Nile system highly recommended. Turbidity and suspended solids imposes the major constrains on the development of surface water for domestic use, where silt content exceeds the designed capacity of the treatment plants and their efficiency drop to almost half, and water contamination risk increases. Also due to continuous deforestation, and erosion in the catchments areas, the turbidity of rivers and seasonal streams increase by up to 50% per decade. The sediment creates many difficulties and problems to Sudan, at the same time, it has its negative impact on the Ethiopian Highlands, from where it originates, and degraded the land by erosion and reducing its productivity. Assessment of River Nile and its tributaries, show that the maximum value recorded of suspended solid load in Blue Nile during the flood season approximately 22 kg/m3. The sediment carried annually by the Nile River was averaging 110 million tons as measured in Aswan. However, since the 90s the average increased to about 40 million tons (HRS, 1996), during the last ten years the maximum sediment concentration increased to about 8500 ppm, (45% sand, 15% silt and 40% clay). The Nile water requires careful management to support sustainable development and avoid excessive abstraction, contamination and environmental degradation. To achieve these objectives it needs proper assessment, control and protection in short and long term perspectives. Establishment of adequate monitoring networks can help in solving these problems by implementation of most efficient tools to delimitation of vulnerable zones to siltation and sedimentation. Several models were developed to assess and quantify the impact of land management on water, sediment, nutrients and pesticides at field scale as well as at small watershed scale.