Marketing Dredged Sediment for Beneficial Use

Project Overview

On the Great Lakes, there are three general categories describing dredged sediment; sediment suitable for beach placement, contaminated sediment, and non-contaminated sediment not suitable for beach placement. Many dredging operations involve non-contaminated sediments, which are typically removed from the system requiring disposal in a Confined Disposal Facility (CDF) or dumped in the open lakes without considering beneficial use alternatives. For some dredging projects, disposal issues can be problematic resulting in delays or even cancellation of dredging at harbors. This project will provide information that to enable dredged sediment to enter the market place as a viable source of material for a variety of projects where some type of soil or fill is needed. Specifically the project will:

• integrate data and information on sources of dredged sediment, the quality and quantity of sediment available for beneficial use;
• conduct a market analysis of potential users and market demands for dredged sediments;
• overlay sediment supply information with existing transportation infrastructure necessary to bring materials to available markets;
• analyze the environmental and economic impacts and tradeoffs associated with dredging, including delays or termination of dredging projects;
• publish the above data and information on Great Lakes Dredging Team web site (www.glc.org/dredging) and in selected other media; and
• outreach to a variety of public and private sector interests to share project findings and help realize identified market opportunities.

Reference Documents

Regional Sediment Management: Background and Overview (USACE, July 2002) (PDF)

Confined Disposal Facilities on the Great Lakes (USACE, 2003) (PDF)
Great Lakes Recreational Boating Full Report Final Draft (USACE, 2007) (PDF)

Great Lakes Recreational Boating Economic Punch (GLC, July 2007) (PDF)
Great Lakes Navigation System Five-Year Development Plan FY07 – FY12 (USACE, December 2006) (PDF)

Testing and Evaluating Dredged Material for Upland Beneficial Uses: A Regional Framework for the Great Lakes (GLC, September 2004, Second Edition) (PDF)

Annotated Bibliography: Upland Beneficial Use of Dredged Material Testing

and Evaluation (GLC, September 2004, Second Edition) (PDF)

Prioritizing Abandoned Coal Mine Reclamation Projects within the Contiguous United States Using Geographic Information System Extrapolation, Andrew Voros, Environmental Management Vol. 32. No.4, pp. 527-534 (2003) (PDF)

Waste To Resource: Beneficial Use of Great Lakes Dredged Material (GLC, August, 2001) (PDF)

Identifying, Planning, and Financing Beneficial Use Projects Using Dredged Material, Beneficial Use Planning Manual, (USACE, October, 2007) (PDF) 

The Role of the Federal Standard in the Beneficial Use of Dredged Material from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New and Maintenance Navigation Projects, (Oceans and Coastal Protection Division, Office of Water, U.S.EPA and USACE, October, 2007) (PDF)

Presentations

Marketing Dredged Sediment for Beneficial use (PPT)

Presentation to the National Dredging Team, Emeryville, California by Craig Forget and Victoria Pebbles (October, 2007)

Additional reference documents can be viewed at the GLC Dredging Web Page at the Beneficial Use page at http://glc.org/dredging/benuse/.