Applying regression analysis to calculating suspended sediment runoff: Specific features of the method

Major theoretical prerequisites for the application of regression analysis are considered as applied to calculating suspended sediment given observational data on water discharge and sediment load in rivers. A concept of sediment transport curve as a calculation model based on regression analysis is introduced. The role of the probabilistic structure of raw data in the determination of the optimal form of sediment transport curve and the potential structure of errors of regression models is discussed. The most widely used theoretical models of curves, as well as the methods and algorithms for assessing regression coefficients are analyzed. The application limits and the accuracy of the method are derived from its stochastic nature, and the most common methodological mistakes in its use are discussed.