Beneficial Utilization and Wetland Creation from Dredge Spoil

by Ricardo W. Serpas, Louisiana Dep of Natural Resources,
L. Phil Pittman, Louisiana Dep of Natural Resources,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Coastal Zone '93

Abstract:

The Louisiana Coastal Management Division monitored a federal navigation dredging project where half of the wetland disposal sites were constructed by non-traditional methods (partial containment or open disposal) rather than the traditional method (total containment). Five of the ten sites were to have partial or no containment levees in order to allow the hydraulically dredged material to freely disperse and hopefully create or enhance wetlands that were badly deteriorated or non-existent. Each of the study sites were photo-documented and parameters were assessed prior to disposal for marsh to open water ratio, vegetative species composition, existing elevations, and salinity. After disposal, the same parameters were measured at one and two year intervals in addition to obtaining soil borings to determine the thickness of spoil material over the previous elevations. This data will be used to establish disposal site selection criteria and designs for various wetland conditions and habitat types, while creating wetlands rather than elevated spoil areas that adversely impact wetlands in the Louisiana Coastal Zone.

Subject Headings: Wetlands (coastal) | Waste sites | Dredged materials | Site investigation | Waste disposal | Management methods | Land reclamation | Louisiana | United States

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