Abstract. The amount and composition of suspended load from 19 stations in Swiss rivers werestudied. Generally, the correlation between the amount of suspended load and of water discharge is good, although measurements over short periods of time show large fluctuations.
The denudation rate was calculated from the suspended load discharge, the amount of elements in Solution, and the water discharge. Values of about 0.05 mm/yr were obtained for drainage areas consisting mainly of crystalline rocks and about 0.25 mm/yr for drainage areas dominated by sedimentary rocks.
The mineralogical composition of the suspended load determined by X-ray diffraction can be correlated with the rock types in the drainage areas. Composition changes resulting from transportation were not observed. The clay fraction is mainly composed of illite and chlorite which was, for the most part, formed during mechanical weathering in the Alps.