Intercomparison of sediment transport curve and novel deep learning techniques in simulating sediment transport in the Wadi Mina Basin, Algeria

The accurate estimation of sediment discharge is crucial for the design and operation of engineering structures such as dams, water treatment facilities, and erosion control systems. This study evaluates the performance of various machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models in predicting sediment transport in the Mina Basin, Algeria, at two stations: Oued Abtal and Sidi Abdelkader Djillali. The models include the sediment rating curve, category boosting, convolutional neural network, deep neural network (DNN), gated recurrent unit, and multilayer perceptron. Among these, the DNN model consistently demonstrated superior performance. For Oued Abtal station, the DNN achieved RMSE = 243.72 kg/s, MAE = 102.17 kg/s, NSE = 0.99, and PBIAS = 6.81%. At Sidi Abdelkader Djillali station, it recorded RMSE = 91.27 kg/s, MAE = 46.51 kg/s, NSE = 0.99, and PBIAS = 38.06%. Error analysis revealed that the DNN model offers the most reliable predictions, outperforming both traditional and other ML/DL methods. This study underscores the potential of deep learning models in advancing sediment transport prediction, particularly in semi-arid regions, and highlights their implications for sustainable water resource management. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025.