Estimating the Capability of Shatt Al - Hilla within Hilla City to Carry the Total Bed – Material Load

The case study is Shatt Al – Hilla within Hilla City, where no sediment measurement has been done whatsoever. Data on bed soil and expected hydraulic parameters at Km. 39.000 of Shatt Al – Hilla just at the upstream of Hilla City for the developed design discharge of (303 m³/s) were previously investigated. The main objective of this research is to apply different commonly – used approaches worldwide to estimate the capability of an alluvial channel to carry total bed – material load, taking Shatt Al – Hilla within Hilla City as the case study. Five, somehow different formulas to estimate the bed – material load were used. These are: Laursen 1958, Karim & Kennedy 1990, Engelund & Hansen 1967-1962, Ackers & White 1973-1990, and Yang 1973. Considering the results by Yang 1973 of judgment, the research indicated: 1) the expected bed – material load at the considered location is about (200000 m³/Year). 2) Differences of results of predicting sediment load in rivers by different formulas by some folds is not a surprise. 3) Measurement of sediment load at important locations such as those contributing to life and property in an important city (like in the case study) is essential. (paper)