The objective is to construct the sediment budget of the Mediterranean Lower Tordera River, recently affected by intensive gravel mining. During the relatively dry study period, mean annual sediment transit (mostly bed load) at the upper section was 30 000 tonnes, while 21 500 tonnes passed the downstream section, close to river mouth. An average of 8500 tonnes of sediment per year accumulated in the active channel. Net deposition has been the consequence of small floods (<20 m 3 s" 1), which entered the system, but did not reach the lower sections. The tendency towards river bed aggradation favours the progressive recovery of its former channel profile prior to gravel mining.