Abstract: Study on the relationship between flow and sediment is an important content of basic research in the regulation of rivers. Lutaizi hydrological station is a major control station in the upper reaches of Huaihe River. Water-sediment relationship at this station is important in revealing the fluvial process and river regulation in middle Huaihe River. On the basis of Ruijin Zhang’s formula of sediment carrying capacity and the Manning equation, we derived the formula of sediment carrying capacity for Lutaizi station in different conditions (sediment equilibrium, erosion, deposition) by analysing the hydraulic gradient-flow relationship, hydrogeometric relationship, and channel roughness. Furthermore, we took the measured sediment load in 1990-2007 to verify this formula, and the result suggest that this formula could reflect the relation of flow and sediment of Lutaizi Station.

Key words: water-sediment relationship, equilibrium of sediment transport, channel forming discharge, generalizability analysis, Lutaizi hydrological station