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