Data for paper "Fine Sediment-Associated Contaminants in Gravel Bed Rivers: Evaluating Storage Times and Turnover Using Fallout Radionuclides (FRNs)"

Excess fine sediment supply and its associated contaminants can have detrimental effects on water quality and river ecology with sediment deposition on, and subsequent infiltration in, streambeds impacting riverine habitats. Fallout radionuclides (FRNs) are used as tracers in aquatic systems, and the 7Be/210Pbex ratio is a useful indicator for sediment residence/storage time. Here we report 7Be/210Pbex activity ratios, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and particulate trace metals and phosphorus in suspended and mid-channel bar fine sediments (< 63 microns) collected during five field surveys in a 5 km reach of the River Avon, Devon, UK. These activity ratios were used to estimate sediment storage times and the proportion of recently deposited sediments (RDS), and subsequently, residual contaminant (RC) and recently deposited contaminant (RDC) concentrations after floods.