Management Actions for Physical Impacts and Storage Capacity

Framework for Dredged Material Management

May 2004

Descriptions of the commonly used management actions and contaminant

controls are given in the following paragraphs. Additional guidance on selection of

management actions and contaminant controls for CDFs is available (USACE 1983, 1987

and in preparation; Francingues et al. 1985; Cullinane et al. 1986; Averett et al. 1990).

These references contain testing procedures and criteria needed for evaluating and

selecting appropriate contaminant control measures for CDFs, and should be consulted

for additional detailed discussions of the attributes of the various technologies.

Management actions may include managing or modifying the proposed placement

operation, modification of the CDF design or geometry, treatment of effluent, runoff, or

leachate discharges, and physical management such as covers, liners, or barrier systems

(USACE 2003). Recent references relevant to application of management actions at

CDFs include USEPA (1994); National Research Council (1997); Permanent

International Association of Navigation Congresses (PIANC) (1996 and 2003); Palermo

and Averett (2000).

5.4.1 Management Actions for Physical Impacts and Storage Capacity

A number of management techniques have been developed and used that can

eliminate or minimize adverse direct physical impacts resulting from construction of

CDFs. These include:

Management of the CDF for dewatering the dredged material, thereby

reducing the volume of material and reducing the need for larger or additional

sites (USACE 1987).

Treatment of effluent to remove additional solids and reduce turbidity of the

discharge (USACE 1987).

Implementation of Disposal Area Reuse Management involving removal of

material from the CDF for some beneficial use, thereby restoring the capacity

of the CDF (USACE 1987; Lee 1999; Olin-Estes and Palermo 2000a; Olin-

Estes and Palermo 2000b; Olin-Estes 2000; Lee 2000; Spaine et al. 2001; Lee

2001; Olin-Estes et al. 2002b).

Mitigation to include creation of alternative habitat and designated resource

management onsite.

Modification of site through landscaping and screening to improve site

aesthetics and features to protect cultural resources.

5.4.2 Treatment of Liquid Streams

The objective of liquid streams controls is to remove residual contaminants from

the liquids produced as discharges from a CDF operation such as:

Effluent discharges from active filling operations.

Surface runoff.

Leachate.

Water produced from dewatering or treatment processes.