A model is presented that enables us to estimate the temporal variation of sediment pick-up in evolving scour holes around circular cylinders, for uniform sediments, under a clear water scour. The procedure developed for computing the pick-up rate of sediment is based on the fundamental equation of local scour considering the horseshoe vortex system in front of the cylinder to be the main scouring agent. The present model agrees satisfactorily with experimental flume data.