22 May 2023

Advances in Dredged Material Evaluations for Inland and Ocean Aquatic Placement: Modernized Processes and Supportive Tools

Abstract: As part of the US Army Corps of Engineers’ mission to evaluate and move dredged material (DM) to maintain navigation channels, environmental evaluation of the prospective material is required by the Code of Federal Regulations. While existing guidance manuals provide useful guidance to DM regulators, they are over 30 years old and not reflective of the latest science. However, efforts to update procedures and publish the documents individually or as a combined dredging manual have been thus far unsuccessful. These issues, coupled with a lack of consistent reporting and decision documentation, lead to delays arising from challenges addressing project-specific issues not clearly covered within the existing guidance, revisiting previously resolved issues or negotiating disputes between permitting authorities. This technical report provides a path toward modernization of the environmental compliance aspects of DM evaluation guidance in part through software executables guiding the management and decision process and through a structured, evidence-based approach. The value added is an updated approach to DM testing and evaluation decisions.

30 Aug 2022

Screening Dredged Material to Meet Placement Requirements

Abstract: Certain types of dredging projects require screening of the dredged material (DM) to achieve the project’s DM placement requirement(s). Screening in the context of this report will be defined as the separation of an oversized fraction of the DM from the remaining fraction to meet project-specific placement compliance criteria (or criterion). Examples of DM placement requirements include aspects such as removing Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC) to address safety concerns and extracting over-sized material for beneficial use of DM (e.g., gravel and debris from sand to meet beach nourishment placement standards). Welp et al. (2008) provide detailed guidance for personnel involved in dredging projects with sediment containing MEC. The purpose of this document is to not only update the previous MEC-centric guidance with newly developed or identified technology but to also expand upon screening aspects to provide guidance for personnel involved in dredging projects that require removal of an oversized fraction for screening purposes other than just MEC removal.

21 May 2021

Field Survey to Prioritize Needs for Modernizing Dredged Material Evaluation Guidance

Abstract: This technical note synthesizes and disseminates results of a 2020 survey of USACE dredging program and project managers to identify and prioritize needs related to the modernization and streamlining of the dredged material assessment decision guidance pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Section 103 of the Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA). Priorities identified through the survey and subsequent follow-on interviews—together with advances in science and technology—will facilitate development of an electronic decision guidance tool to enable consistent, timely, and cost-effective dredged material management decisions. This tool will also facilitate a standardized database for ready access to historical data.