Determination of the total sediment load at selected points in agricultural Watersheds is important forevaltating the status of a land area. Total sediment load date allows the identification of problem areaswhere the land surface is eroding at rates too high to allow sustainable agriculture and/or is producingsediment at rales such that aquatic organisms in nearby streams will be adversely affected. Thedevelopment of effective sampling strategies and accurate computaional models requires accurateinformation on the processes by which sediment is transported. Researchers at the NationalSedimentation Laboratory are developing and testing new methods to measure and predict sedimentbospoft. These new methods are providing an improved understanding of the processes involved insediment transport and are leading to important advancements in the measurement and prediction ofsediment transport. Determination of the total sediment load at selected points in agricultural watersheds is important forevaltating the status of a land area. at rales such that aquatic organisms in nearby streams will be adversely affected. Thedevelopment of effective sampling strategies and accurate computaional models require accurateinformation on the processes by which sediment is transported. Researchers at the NationalSedimentation Laboratory are developing and testing new methods to measure and predict sedimentbospoft These new methods are providing an understanding of the processes involved insediment transport and are leading to important advancements in the measurement and prediction of sediment transport.