sediment suspended sediment 2010-03-17T01:17:02Z ENVO ENVO:01000113 ORCID:0000-0002-4366-3088 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.