Dredging: Contaminated Sediments

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research Report Summary, December 1999

Dredging Operations and Environmental Research Program

Dredging:

Contaminated Sediments

Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessment Guidance for Aquatic

Environments (TR DOER-4)

ISSUE: Evaluating the potential environmental

assessment within the dredging program. Guid-

ance for assessing ecological risk includes a

consequences associated with dredging and

discussion of problem formulation, including

dredged material disposal is a challenging task.

conceptual model development and the selection

Scientific advancements have made possible the

of assessment and measurement endpoints, ex-

collection of large amounts of complex techni-

posure and effects assessment, and risk charac-

cal information. The dredged material manager

terization. Standard approaches for assessing

must often weigh and balance multiple and

human health risk, including hazard identifica-

sometimes conflicting lines of evidence to reach

tion, toxicity assessment, and risk charac-

a decision; and each decision involves a certain

terization, are also discussed within the context

level of uncertainty. The application of Environ-

of aquatic placement of dredged material. Guid-

mental Risk Assessment methods will increase

ance is provided for conducting uncertainty

a manager's ability to make objective manage-

analysis for both ecological and human health

ment decisions when data collected in Tiers I-III

risk assessments. Sources of additional informa-

of the dredged material evaluation framework

tion on risk assessment applications, toxicity

are insufficient for decision making.

profiles, and other tools used in risk assessment

RESEARCH: The objective was to develop

are provided in appendixes.

guidance for conducting human health and eco-

AVAILABILITY OF REPORT: The report is

logical risk assessments to evaluate potential

available in .pdf format on the World Wide Web

impacts associated with aquatic placement of

at http://www.wes.army.mil/el/dots and through

dredged material.

Interlibrary Loan Service from the U.S. Army

SUMMARY: The guidance contained within

Engineer Research and Development Center

this report includes an overview of ecological

(ERDC), Waterways Experiment Station

and human health risk assessment and recom-

(WES) Library, telephone (601) 634-2355.

mendations on the proper application of risk

About the Authors: Drs. David W. Moore (formerly WES) and Todd S. Bridges, Environ-

mental Laboratory, WES, ERDC, were the principal investigators for this research; contract

support was provided by Drs. Jerry J. Cura and Wendy Heiger-Bernays, Menzie-Cura and

Associates, Inc., Chelmsford, MA.

P oint of Contact: D r. T od d S. B ridg es, telephone (601) 634-3626, or email

bridget@wes.army.mil.

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