1. PIANC USA and ASCE-COPRI DREDGING 2012
San Diego, CA October 2012
Managing Dredged Sediment for Beneficial Purpose, A Conceptual Framework
John L. Childs, P.E.
Corps of Engineers-Engineer Research and Development Center

2. Beneficial Use Initiative
Objective: The Beneficial Use Initiative is to increase awareness of BU opportunities and provide guidelines to increase the beneficial use of dredged material generated during support of the Corps of Engineers’ navigation mission.
Note: The Corps’ Engineer Manual EM is dated 30 June 1987

3. Beneficial Use Initiative
Estimate past beneficial use volumes.
Provide consistent beneficial use terminology.
Track beneficial use.
Identify funding and collaboration opportunities.
Identify dredged material optimization tools.
Prepare a method to quantify the environmental value.
Prepare technical guidelines to evaluate and perform beneficial use projects, and
Monitor and apply adaptive management.

4. Dredged Material SEDIMENT as a RESOURCE
Corps 1987 EM : Beneficial Use is utilizing dredged material as a resource in a productive way, which provide environmental, economic, and/or social benefits.
National Dredging Team’s Dredged Material Management: Action Agenda for the Next Decade (2003): Much of the sediment dredged each could be used in a beneficial manner, such as habitat restoration and creation, beach nourishment, and industrial and commercial development; yet much of this dredged material is disposed in open water, confined disposal facilities, and upland disposal facilities;
Beneficial use must become a priority at all levels of management and there must be recognition that dredged material is a valuable resource (EPA 2003).
DM is a valuable Resource with beneficial uses of such importance that they should be incorporated into project plans.
Technical Framework, EPA/USACE2004.

5. Technical Guidance for Management of Dredged Material
USEPA and USACE 2004
Evaluating Environmental Effects of
DM Management Alternatives (33CFR 336.1)
(A Technical Framework)
USEPA/USACE 1991
Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act
Ocean Testing Manual
USEPA/USACE 1998
Clean Water Act
Inland Testing Manual
USACE 2003
Five Risk Pathways for CDFs
Island, Nearshore, or Upland Testing Manual

6. Technical Guidance for Management of Dredged Material
USEPA and USACE 2004
Evaluating Environmental Effects of
DM Management Alternatives (33CFR 336.1)
(A Technical Framework)
USEPA/USACE 1991
Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act
Ocean Testing Manual
USEPA/USACE 1998
Clean Water Act
Inland Testing Manual
USACE 2003
Five Risk Pathways for CDFs
Island, Nearshore, or Upland Testing Manual
USACE and USEPA
Aquatic Placement of Dredged Material: Testing, Evaluation, Assessment, and Management Manual (TEAMM)

7. Estimate past beneficial use volumes

8. Estimate past beneficial use volumes
Table 3. Dredged Material Management Category as tracked by DIS (DIS data-base 29-Feb-2012), with estimates of Beneficial Use
Tracker (Disp_Type)
Material Management Category
Percentage of total Dredged Material Management from 1995 to 2011
Estimated Percent of Dredged Material Potentially used Beneficially B
Beach Nourishment 5 C
Confined 9
1-5 D
Underwater Confined 1
0-1 M
Mixed, more than one type 10
4-8 O
Overboard and open water 47
10-30 S
Open water and upland T
Beach nourishment and upland U
Upland 7 W
Wetlands nourishment or creation 8 X
Undefined
2-5
Total
100
33-73

9. DM Placement Options: Location-Specific
Beneficial Use Terminology
Upland
Nearshore
Onshore
Shallow Water
Deep Water
DM Placement Options: Location-Specific

10. Beneficial Use Alternatives--Purpose
Habitat Restoration and Development
Sustainable Relocation (RSM)
Beach Nourishment
Shoreline Stabilization and Protection
Engineered Capping
Aquaculture, Agriculture, Forestry, and Horticulture
Recreational Development
Commercial Land Development
Commercial Product Development

11. Guidance: Planning/Funding/Authorities
Identify funding and collaboration opportunities
Guidance: Planning/Funding/Authorities
Technical Guidance: Wetland Engineering and Upland Management

12. Prepare method to quantify the environmental value
Ecosystem
dynamic complex of plant, animal, and microorganism communities and the nonliving environment interacting as a functional unit.
Humans are an integral part of ecosystems.
Ecosystems vary enormously in size; a temporary pond in a tree hollow and an ocean basin can both be ecosystems
Ecosystem services benefits people, including:
provisioning services such as food and water;
regulating services such as regulation of floods, drought, land degradation, and disease;
supporting services such as soil formation and nutrient cycling;
and cultural services such as recreational, spiritual, religious and other nonmaterial benefits”
UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005
If ecosystem services are included in the decision-making paradigm, a more holistic approach to management and operations can occur–one that considers an ecosystem-based perspective (Burks-Copes, et al. in progress).

13. Existing Quantification Methodologies
Prepare method to quantify the environmental value
Existing Quantification Methodologies
Value= significance + Quality + Quantity
HEP-Habitat Evaluation Procedure
EBI-Environmental Benefit Indicator
HBU-Habitat Benefit Units
EBU-Environmental Benefit Unit
Ecosystem Services
Economic Analysis of Ecosystem-Based Management

14. Quantification General Approach
Prepare method to quantify the environmental value
Quantification General Approach
Define Categories
Develop Conceptual Models for Categories
List Features (BU) and Attributes (benefits)
Identify various methods for quantification
Determine weighting factor for each variable
Develop algorithm to quantify cost to environmental benefit ratio
Illustrate method with several case studies (past or current)
Monitoring/Update CSM

15. Technical Guidelines DM-BU Opportunities Upland Onshore/ nearshore
Shallow water
Deep water
Material Suitability
Physical
Chemical
Biological
Regulatory
Site Selection
Distance
Slope
Elevation
Dredge compatibility
Public support
Placement Logistics
Hydrodynamics
Fine Sediment Processes
Stability
Engineering Tools
Funding
Base Plan
Sponsors
MCDA—D2M2

16. Dredged Material Mgmt SEDIMENT is a RESOURCE
RSM and EWN