River basin study reveals hidden sediment storage impacting downstream communities.
The study looked at how sediment moves in the Liu River in China over 36 years. They found that half of the sediment from upstream gets stuck in the riverbed downstream. Most of this happens between two stations. Half of the sediment that comes from upstream makes it to the end of the river. The researchers also figured out what factors control how sediment moves in the river. These findings help us understand how sediment moves in rivers and how to control it better.