Sampler, BMH-53

HIF/FISP Part # 4103001

The US BMH-53 is a hand-held piston-type bed-material sampler. The sampler is used to collect a sample of material from the bed of a shallow stream. The overall length of the tubular sampler is 46 in and it weighs 7.5 lbs. The lower end of the sampler contains a 2-in diameter, 8 in long cylinder that is pressed into the stream bed to collect the sample. A handle for pressing the cylinder into the bed is on the upper end, and passes through the sampler frame to the piston inside. The suction created by the piston holds the sample in the cylinder. The sample is pushed out of the cylinder by the piston. The US BMH-53 sampler will not work for some bed materials, such as coarse sands and gravels. HIF Repairable.

Where and how the sampler is deployed in the field is as important as the fundamental design of the sampler. Additional information about how to properly use this sampler can be found in the following references:

Edwards, T.K., and Glysson, G.D., 1999, Field Methods for Measurement of Fluvial Sediment: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water Resources Investigations, book 3 chapter C2, 89 p.