There are different methods that are used to measure the total suspended solids. In one method, researchers must filter, dry, and take the weight of a given water sample while measuring for the total suspended solids. Basically, this will allow them to separate the water from the total suspended solids. As such, they can get a sense of the total suspended solids by weight. They might be able to perform a more detailed analysis on the individual particles from that point onward.

This is a method that will truly provide accurate results. It is also a method that does not require a lot of expensive technology, which is one of the reasons why it is so popular at this point in time. However, there are other methods that are more high-tech and that will provide quicker results. Using the relatively new acoustic Doppler meter backscatter method will tend to allow researchers to calculate the suspended sediment in a given water sample very easily.

This newer method will not provide the most accurate results. However, it actually makes it possible to take more continuous readings. With the more traditional method of measuring the total suspended solids, people would often struggle to get a series of readings. Since that method took so long, even taking a lot of different samples would not give researchers the ability to do that very easily. However, researchers with enough tools will be able to get great results.