A conceptual framework for predicting the occurrence of sediment focusing and sediment redistribution in small lakes

Four processes are important in causing either sediment focusing or overestimation of sediment accumulation rates by traps, or both. A simple model to predict the occurrence of these events was constructed from published data for monomictic and polymictic lakes which contained sufficient detail to identify the major redistribution process. Boundaries between the regions where different mechanisms dominate were calculated from the expected mode of operation of the processes. The model was tested using sediment trap and accumulation rate vs. water depth data from the literature. Other published work is in general agreement with the predictions of the model.