TAble 1. Members of the Phytoreclamation Working Group

Technical Note DOER-C9

November 1999

Table 1

Members of the Phytoreclamation Working Group

Name

Title

Affiliation

Mr. Richard A. Price

Research Agronomist

WES, Vicksburg, MS

Dr. Charles R. Lee

Soil Scientist

WES, Vicksburg, MS

Dr. John W. Simmers

Research Biologist

WES, Vicksburg, MS

Mr. Antonio J. Palazzo

Research Agronomist

ERDC, Cold Regions Research and Engineering

Laboratory (CRREL), Hanover, NH

Dr. Rufus Chaney

Research Agronomist

U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research

Service, Beltsville, MD

Dr. Steve Rock

Environmental Engineer

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),

Cincinnati, OH

Dr. Robert J. Fellows

Senior Research Scientist

Battelle Northwest

Dr. Paul Schwab

Professor of Soil Chemistry

Purdue University

Dr. Charles Reynolds

Research Physical Scientist

CRREL, Hanover, NH

in dredged material and develop guidelines on the application of phytoreclamation to dredged

material, providing environmentally effective alternatives to dredged material management.

OVERVIEW OF DREDGED MATERIAL AND CONFINED PLACEMENT: The majority of

phytoreclamation research and demonstration efforts have occurred on industrial, Department of

Defense (DoD), and Department of Energy (DOE) sites. Although the working group participants

were very familiar with the application of phytoreclamation in these areas, some had not been

exposed to CDFs and the complexities of dredged material. WES personnel presented a brief

overview describing the dredging process, CDF design, and contaminated dredged material man-

agement. Chemical concentrations of dredged materials studied previously were described includ-

ing those from Indiana Harbor, Blackrock Harbor, and New Bedford Harbor. These dredged

materials were representative of the higher concentrations of contaminants in dredged material

considered for upland placement. A data summary of these materials is provided in Table 2. In

addition, proposed application of phytoreclamation to Pearl Harbor dredged material was described.

The application of phytoreclamation to dredged material presents some challenges that are unique

to dredged material. Dredged material comes from an aquatic environment and is initially wet and

anaerobic after placement in a CDF. Subsequent drying and oxidation depend on dewatering and

management techniques, which vary from site to site. Drying and oxidation of surface layers may

result in physicochemical changes that may affect plant establishment and contaminant mobility.

Although the surface layer of dredged material in a CDF may be dry and aerobic, deeper layers may

remain anaerobic due to the physical design of CDFs and limited air penetration of the surface layers.

Saltwater dredged material provides another level of difficulty for vegetation and in most cases must

be leached to reduce soluble salts. Depth of dredged material in a CDF may be only a few feet to

as much as 27 m (90 ft). Dredged material management is further complicated by the potential of

elevated concentrations of multiple contaminants. The selection of plant species and methods of

establishment will be determined by these factors.