Application of the USBR equation for surveying balance of sediment yield in Dez River branches in Iran

Accurate determination of mean annual sediment load (MASL) of natural rivers will affect administrative aspects of water planning in dams. The MASL in Dez River in the southwest Iran has been considered. Sezar and Bakhtiari are its two branches. The amount of MASL was predicted by the USBR equation with three scenarios: using mean value of sediment discharge, using probabilistic classification of river flow data and using separation of wet and dry months. The results show that the USBR equation can be used to evaluate MASL in the Dez basin.