Sustainable Sediment Management

David Moore, Shelly Anghera, Jack Word*, Matt Wartian and Kurt Frederick

Weston Solutions, Inc.*Newfields Northwest, LLC.

Sustainable Sediment Management

What is it?Comprehensive approach for addressing the

long-term management/conservation of sediments within a watershed to maintain current (and future?) beneficial uses while addressing regional Environmental, Economic, and Social concerns.

Sustainable Sediment Management

Key Features:• Sediment is a resource not a waste• Emphasis on conservation and beneficial

use• Requires integrated, cross-programmatic

coordination

Sustainable Sediment Management

Brief History (US):• 1800’s

– In 1879 Congress created the Mississippi River Commission and later (1893) the California Debris Commission, both operating under the USACE to institute flood control measures

– Passage of the Rivers and Harbors Act in 1899 gives the USACE authority for maintaining Federal Navigation channels.

Sustainable Sediment Management

• 1920’s – 1928 Flood Control Act,

departure from “levees only approach”

• 1930’s – 1935 Soil conservation Act

creating the Soil Conservation Service (predecessor of the Natural Resource Conservation Service under the USDA).

Sustainable Sediment Management

• 1970s– FWPCA and subsequent

environmental legislation (CWA & MPRSA) in the 1970s led to the understanding that river and harbor bottom sediments were serving as sinks for historical and ongoing contamination and the need to manage those contaminants out of the system (e.g., CDFs).

Sustainable Sediment Management

• 1990’s to present– CWA resulted in

development of TMDLs which implicitly recognize the finite assimilative capacity of the system and the need for additional source control measures.

– Regional Sediment Management Planning –paradigm shift via creation of management strategies on a watershed scale.

Regional Sediment Management (RSM) Planning

Water resource projects should be developed and managed in the context of the watershed in order to:– “Minimize disruption of natural sediment

pathways and processes”– “Mediate natural processes that have adverse

environmental or economic impact”

RSM

• Primary focus of RSM to date has been on addressing accretion and erosional processes affecting navigation and shoreline stabilization.

• For additional info.– http://www.wes.army.mil/rsm/

RSM

• Carla’s graphic showing RSM approaches

RSM

Sustainable Sediment Management

Issues:-Contaminated sediments short circuit the

RSM concept-Limited resources (land) limit applicability of

CDFs (isolate and contain)-Current methods for treatment have limited

applicability due to logistics, effectiveness and/or cost

Basin Level ConsiderationsDriver Sediment Issue Comments

Navigation Budget Shoaling & Channel Stability

Water Quality Budget & Quality TSS, Nutrients, Contaminants

Flood Control Budget Reduced capacity

Ecological Budget and Quality Renourishment & Nutrients, Contaminants

Adapted from Babut et al. 2007

Sustainable Sediment Management

• Integrated approach under the umbrella of RSM necessary for future sustainable management of sediments.

• Erosion control • Reduction/elimination of point/non-point source loadings• Manage Clean material in the context of RSM• Emphasis on Managing Contaminated sediment within the system

– Direct beneficial use when appropriate– ”Low tech” treatment (physical separation) followed by beneficial use– In situ isolation and/or passive treatment– Ex situ active treatment followed by beneficial use– Export of contaminated material to licensed facility for “permanent

isolation”

Source Control

• Non-point Source/Erosion Controls– Vegetated swales– Buffer strips– Retention Basins

• Storm Water– Permeable pavements– Green Roofs

GreenRoof

Porous Pavement

Bio-Retention

Planter Box

Bio-Swale

Habitat creation

Beneficial Use• Habitat restoration/enhancement

(wetland, upland, island, and aquatic);• Aquaculture• Parks and recreation (commercial and

non-commercial);• Agriculture/horticulture/forestry;• Mine and quarry reclamation; • Landfill cover for solid waste

management;• Beach Nourishment/Shoreline

stabilization;• Industrial and commercial use;• Material transfer (fill, dikes, roads,

etc.); • Construction material; and• Multipurpose/innovative land-use

concepts.

Shoreline Stabilization

Reclamation

Beach Nourishment

Confinement/Passive Treatment• CDFs

– Upland– Nearshore– Islands– Aquatic

• Capping– Standard– Impermeable– Reactive

• In situ Stabilization

Treatment• Physical Treatment Processes

– Soil Washing/Particle Sorting Technologies

– Solidification• Chemical Treatment Processes

– Extraction/stabilization– Chelation– Chemical reduction/oxidation

• Thermal Treatment Processes– Vitrification– Thermal Desorption

• Biological Treatment Processes– Composting– Land Farming– Phytoremediation– Fungal Remediation

TreatmentTreatment Logistics Efficiency

Cost Facility Rate Metals PAH Pesticide PCBNatural Attenuation $ NA NA 0 0 0 0Soil Washing $$ + * + + + +Solidification $$ + ** + + + +Solvent Extraction $$$ + ** 0 + + +Vitrification $$$$ + - + + + +Thermal Desorption $$$ + * 0 + + +Composting $$ + ** 0 0/+ 0/+ 0/+Land Farming $$ 0 - 0 0 + +Phytoremediation $$ 0/+ - + + 0/+ 0Fungal Remediation $$$ 0/+ - 0 0/+ 0/+ 0/+

Sustainable Sediment Management

• Carla’s graphic showing sustainable management strategies.

Sustainable Sediment Management

Summary

Sustainable sediment management requires:– Basin Level Focus– Use of RSM principles– Source controls– Commitment to beneficial use– Creative solutions for management of contaminated

materials– Cross programmatic coordination and cooperation

Planning for the FutureLife Cycle Assessment • What are the costs (environmental, economic, social) of

not implementing longer-term vision (environmental sustainability)– Diminishing natural resources– Waste minimization– Landfill Closures for most contaminated sediments– Lack of real-estate (CAD’s/CDF’s)

Topsoil for Eco Restoration

Topsoil for LandscapingGravel from Crushed Cobbles

Sediment / PolymerPavers

Sediment / Polymer Landscaping Blocks

Sediment / PolymerBelgium Block Curb

Sediment / Polymer Structural Block

Sediment / PolymerDecorative Block

Polymer / SedimenSpray Coating

Green Roof Sediment in Vegetative La

Monotech Wall Panels

Sediment in Monocrete Shell

Sediment / PolymerWall Panels

Polymer/Composite ResearchBASF CorporationSUNY Stony BrookBrookhaven National LaboratoryUSEPA Region 2/ORD

Sediment / PolymerFloor Tiles

Sediment Based Products

(after Stern, 2005)

Source: Stern, 2005