Each sediment reach requires bed material information. However, any number of bed material sampling records can be defined in the Bed Mat'l records tab. A given bed material sample can be used exclusively for one sediment reach or can be shared by more than one sediment reach. The record shown in the sampling drop-down box when data is saved will be the record assigned to the sediment reach active at that time. When a new sediment reach is selected, the contents of the tabs records are automatically saved to the previously active sediment reach. The SIAM window with the bed material tab activated is shown in the SIAM Editor figure in Defining Sediment Reach. When a new SIAM project is started, after the user enters a name for the new sediment reach, a prompt will be given to name a new bed sampling record. Once this is done, the new bed sampling record will appear in the Sampling drop-down box, as will all other created bed material records.
Once a bed sample template is created the gradation can be specified in the grid. Twenty grain classes are available. The name and geometric mean grain size for each class are displayed. Gradation is entered as the percent of the total sediment gradation, which is finer than the listed particle diameter, by weight (e.g a number between 0 and 100). Any grade classes that are not assigned a percent finer value will be treated as if they do not exist in the bed material.
A text box is located at the bottom of the tab for the user to add notes that identify or otherwise describe the currently active bed material record.
Buttons available on the bed material tab are:
Create a new Bed Material Sampling record.
Rename the current Bed Material Sampling record.
Delete the current Bed Material Sampling record.
Plot the current Bed Material Gradation curve.