Sediment source and sink identification using Sentinel-2 and a small network of turbidimeters on the Vjosa River

Abstract

Measurement of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) at a basin outlet yields a basin-integrated picture of sediment fluxes; however, it does not give a full spatial perspective on possible sediment pathways within the catchment. Spatially resolved estimates of SSC along river networks are needed to identify sediment sources and sinks, to track erosion gradients, and quantify anthropogenic effects on catchment-scale sediment production, e.g., by dam construction or erosion control. Here we explore the use of high-resolution Sentinel-2 satellite images for this purpose in narrow and morphologically complex mountain rivers, combined with ground station turbidity sensing for calibration and supported by a Lagrangian kayak-derived river profile measurement. The study is carried out on the Vjosa River in Albania, which is one of the last intact large river systems in Europe. We developed a workflow to estimate river turbidity profiles from Sentinel-2 images including atmospheric, cloud cover, and deepwater corrections for the period May 2019 to July 2021 (106 images). In situ turbidity measurements from four turbidity sensors located along the Vjosa River provided ground truthing. A multivariate linear regression model between turbidity and reflectance was fitted to this data. The extracted longitudinal river turbidity profiles were qualitatively validated with two descents of the river with a turbidity sensor attached to a kayak. The satellite-derived river profiles revealed variability in turbidity along the main stem with a strong seasonal signal, with the highest mean turbidity in winter along the entire length of the river. Most importantly, sediment sources and sinks could be identified and quantified from the river turbidity profiles, both for tributaries and within the reaches of the Vjosa. The river basin and network acted as a sediment source most of the time and significant sediment sinks were rare. Sediment sources were mostly tributaries following basin-wide rainfall, but within-reach sources in river beds and banks were also possible. Finally, we used the data to estimate the mean annual fine sediment yield at Dorez at ∼2.5±0.6 Mt yr−1, in line with previous studies, which reveals the importance of the Vjosa River as an important sediment source of the Adriatic Sea. This work presents a proof of concept that open-access high-resolution satellite data have potential for suspended sediment quantification not only in large waterbodies but also in smaller rivers. The potential applications are many, including identifying erosion hotspots, sediment activation processes, local point sources, glacial sediment inputs, and sediment fluxes in river deltas, with a necessary future research focus on improving accuracy and reducing uncertainty in such analyses.