Working with Uncertainty in Sparse and Unreliable Data

Data collection plays a vital role in the analysis and results of a study. In this paper, the authors will discuss a research study in which sparse, unreliable data was collected. The original goal of the authors was to estimate daily sediment discharge at a number of tributaries. This paper will outline that original goal, discrepancies in the data, and the effects of those discrepancies on sediment discharge calculations. After dealing with unreliable data, the authors provide ideas and tips that some may have forgotten when conducting field work.