Definition: Sediment is an environmental substance comprised of any particulate matter that can be transported by fluid flow and which eventually is deposited as a layer of solid particles on the bedor bottom of a body of water or other liquid.
Definition: Suspended sediment, or suspended load, is the term for the particles settle slowly enough to be carried in flowing water (such as a stream or coastal area) either without touching the bed or while only intermittently touching it. These particles are generally of the fine sand, silt and clay size, although larger particles may be carried as well depending on the intensity of the flow.