Table 6-2. Mechanical dredging case studies
|
Site |
Contaminants/Targets |
Site Description |
Sediment Handling |
Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Hg, Ag, Cu, PCB SWAC for Hg Target Volume-1,134 tons; Tons Removed-1,134 |
Freshwater; 0-30 ft water depth excavation; silt curtain for resuspensionA renewed suspension of insoluble particles after they have been precipitated.; clean sediment backfill for dredged area and marsh restoration
|
Drying pad dewatering; wet cells for decanting; contaminated sediments landfilled
|
Cleanup levels met LTM, MNR in place
|
|
|
PCB, PAH, Ar, Be SWAC Target volume removed: 16,000 yd3 Total weight removed: 22,467.12 tons |
Freshwater; 1-4 ft water depth; 2 miles, sediment thickness 0.4-2.17 ft; |
Dewatered; drying pads, sand and activated charcoal filtering; landfilled; CAMUcorrective action management unit; PCB and VOC disposed off site at permitted facility |
Cleanup levels met MNR in place |
|
|
Creosote, PCP, PAH, Hg, Pb, Cu, Zn Target volume Hg 1,500-1,900 yd3 |
Marine; 15-45 ft water depth; sheet piling; Sediment thickness 0.7 yd depth
|
Dewatered; hotspot CDF disposal; large material landfilled; clean sediment backfill; cappingTechnology which covers contaminated sediment with material to isolate the contaminants from the surrounding environment. |
Goals met; capping exceeded cleanup standards; LTM/MNR PAH intertidal area |
|
|
VOC, Hg, PCBs Target volume: Area 1 3400 yd3, Area 2 160 yd3, Area 3 40 yd3 Actual Volume 8,020 yd3 |
Freshwater ; 250 ft section of Gill Creek near Niagara River; sites OU 3 – OU 5 |
Dewatered with sand bags and cofferdams; stabilized with fly ash and kiln dust then disposed of in TSCAToxic Substance Control Act/RCRAResource Conservation and Recovery Act landfills 230 yd3 incinerated |
Concentrations lowered by dredging; no capping needed; planned 5 yr monitoring of sediments and water |
|
|
Ethylene dichloride Target volume 330 yd3 Actual volume 7,500 yd3 |
Marine, 25-30 ft water depth; silt curtain
|
Cofferdam dewatering; partially dewatered sediments mixed with cement and barged to offload and disposed at a RCRA-compliant landfill |
Goals met; hydraulic dredging did not work; used barged mechanical dredging instead |
|
|
PCB Target Volume 290,000 yd3 Actual Removed 239,000 yd3 |
Freshwater; dams with bypass pumping |
Contaminated sediments sent to TSCA facility, non-TSCA sediments sent to local SW landfill |
Goals met temporarily due to a NAPL source; NAPL recovery system installed |
|
|
OU 2-OU 5 OU 2,OU 3 – 2013 OU 4,OU 5 – 2017
|
PCBs, Dioxin, Furan, DDT, Ar, Pb, Hg Target volume – combined 3.5 million yd3 |
Freshwater; 6-20 ft depth sites contain 12 dams and 17 locks; contaminated sediment depths: 2- 40 inches; contaminated sediment area 33 miles long and 1,600 square miles |
The type, extent of dredging and disposal information to be determined |
Work in progress; mechanical dredging to be used on OU 2 20-mile stretch and MNR for 1,600 square miles of Green Bay; potential capping for damaged riverbanks and sand cover |
|
VOC, Hg Target volume 19,600 yd3 Actual Volume 28,500 yd3 |
Freshwater, 0-2 ft; 2.5 acres in river embayment; berm construction to contain resuspension; on-site landfill |
Cofferdam and sumps to control water infiltration; no capping for river but capped on land; sediments placed into on-site landfill, on-site landfill in river embayment |
No capping needed in water, but was used on landfill |
|
|
PCBs, NAPL Target Volume (hotspot) 2,800 yd3 Half mile 18,138 yd3 |
Freshwater, 0-8 ft; contaminated sediment area 0.5 miles; sheet piling, dewatered for excavation; no silt curtains; dry excavation
|
Cofferdams, sumps; contaminated sediments placed in on-site facility |
Periodic NAPL release slowed project. Isolation capA covering over material (contaminated sediment) used to isolate the contaminants from the surrounding environment. installed on area not dredged; dredged areas backfilled and seeded/replanted |
|
|
PAHs, VOCs, TPH
|
Freshwater, 5 ft water depth; 3 acres, dredge depth 2-5 ft, Dry and wet excavation, silt curtains, Sheet pile barrier, mechanical cable arm clamshell and hydraulic bucket used; backfilled with mostly gravel materials |
Sheet pile barrier for dry excavation; dewatered; sediment disposal by thermal desorption facility and RCRA-compliant landfill |
Clam bucket difficulty with sandy sediments; pre- and postdredging concentrations significantly different; successful cleanup |
|
|
PAH, PCP, dioxins, Ar, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn Target volume 80,800 yd3 |
Marine; 1.7 acres wetlands/forested shoreline; sediment thickness up to 6 ft; earth-moving equipment and clamshell/bucket dredge used; silt curtains, absorbency booms, crane/barge used; dredged areas to be backfilled with clean sand and topsoil |
To be shipped by barge to be land transported to landfill for thermal treatment. Some sediments to be disposed on site |
Work in progress. Petroleum sheen from disturbed sediments; Mummichogs to be sampled 1-2 years for cancer until background levels are reached |
|
|
PCBs Target volume 51,432 yd3 stream sediment, 8,290 yd3 floodplain soils Actual volume removed 23,883 yd3 |
Creek bed/flood plains 2 miles, sediment depths 8-10 ft, 15-25 ft wide Excavation with creek flow pumping Backfill with seeding and mulch. |
No dewatering; some sediments mixed with lime and fly ash to make them suitable for land transport |
Goals met |
|
|
PCBs, PAHs, anthracene, fluorine, pyrene, metals, Cu, Ni, debris Target volume 34,000 yd3 Actual volume removed 2,700 m2 |
Marine, 3 ft MLW; landfill revetment; 47 acres adjacent to landfill; mechanical clamshell, silt curtains |
Decontamination and recycling of dredged rocks; other dredged material sent off site for recycling or disposal; remaining dredge disposed of at landfill or other site |
Goals met. Upland revetment regraded, capped, and re-vegetated |
|
|
PCBs Target volume 6,500 yd3 Actual volume removed 6,800 yd3 tributary sediment; 1,653 yd3 wetlands soil |
Water depth 0-40 ft; tributary and adjacent wetlands; tributary 975 ft x 9 ft wide; conventional earth moving equipment; steel sheeting installed at tributary mouth to hydraulically isolate tributary from river; water pumped, treated on site; backfilled with clean fill |
Excavated material transported to dewatering pad, fed into pug mill; 14,975 tons of dewatered sediments disposed as TSCA waste; wetlands soils disposed as nonhazardous waste RFD and mixed with stabilizer or stabilizing agent and sent to landfill |
PCB levels reduced |
|
|
PCB Target volume 5,000 yd3 Actual volume removed 6,800 yd3 |
Hudson River shoreline; 0.3 acres; water level lowered to expose riverbank and shoreline using local dam; silt fence, Jersey barriers wrapped in geotextile installed on upper inland boundary; backfilled with topsoil and rip-rap; upland seeded and revegetated. |
Dewatering pads used for one week; contaminated sediments transported to off-site landfill. |
PCB levels reduced. |
|
|
PCBs, PAHs, TDBF Target volume – none specified Actual volume removed 85,655 yd3 |
Freshwater; near shore area with outfall area; 21.8 acres dredged; dredging with cable arm buckets, derrick barge with fixed-boom mounted crane with GPS system; sheet pile system with herbicide application within system; silt curtains for select area; golf course water required for some areas |
Low concentration sediments stabilized with cement and disposed of in facility landfill. High concentration sediments shipped and disposed of in hazardous waste facility |
Some areas did not meet PCB cleanup goal. One failed area was backfilled to reach cleanup goal; some PAH cells were below cleanup goal and were not capped; low molecular weight PAHs would further break down to achieve goals |
|
|
PCBs SWAC Target volume 2.4M yd3 Actual volume removed 660 K yd3 (as of 2011) |
Freshwater; 0-25 ft water depth; 43-mile stretch of river. Mechanical dredge with environmental bucket, silt curtains, cofferdams, dewatering system; 150,000 tons of backfill and caps
|
Contaminated sediment shipped to multiple off-site facilities; spoils sites covered with low-permeability1) Characteristic of a material or membrane that allows liquids or gases to pass through it; 2) The rate of flow of a liquid or gas through a porous material. soil caps |
Dredging still ongoing |
|
|
Hg, Pb, Cr, Oil, Grease Target volume 17,000 yd3 Actual removed 15,000 yd3 |
1.5-2 ft, sediment thickness 4-7 ft, area 1 mile x 50 ft; dredge depth up to 7 ft; wet excavation with backhoe; goal to increase depth from 4-7 ft Double silt curtains |
Transported sediment to retention and dewatering facility off site and later disposed of |
Goals met; no capping or backfilling required; no MNR |
|
|
NH3, sulfide, 4-methylphenol Target volume 20,550 yd3 Actual removed volume 11,865 yd3 |
Marine; 15-20 ft water depth; 80 acres within 250 acre cove; sediment thickness 3-10 ft; mechanical clamshell; 23,000 yd3 within 30 acres backfilled/capped with sand |
Contaminated sediments disposed of on site |
Not specified but intended for protection of benthos |
|
|
PCBs, PAHs Target volume-unspecified Actual volume removed 35,000 yd3 in OU 2, OU 3. RG remove contaminated sediment |
Brackish Marsh, no depth info; 80% debris content; OU 1 12 acres disposal area, stream and golf course water hazards. OU 2 7 acres wetlands in 25/100 yr floodplain; backhoes and long reach excavators; silt fencing, air monitoring |
Removed sediments trucked to on-site treatment pad for stabilization. Contaminated material capped on site |
Goals not met. Cleanup criterion determined to be unrealistic after sampling results |
|
|
Heavy metals, VOCs, SVOCs, PCBs Target volume unspecified; actual quantity removed 23,230 tons |
Freshwater, 12-18 ft water depth; TMD system, catch basins, sanitary sewers, marina, sheet piles, silt curtains, dewatering systems |
Contaminated sediments stabilized by bentonite-polymer mixture, off-site disposal to Wayne, MI, and Lenox, MI, disposal sites; canal soils sent to USACE site in Point Mouillee, MI
|
Goals met No capping, backfill required, Limited dredging in marina slips |
|
|
PAHs Target volume 5,000 yd3 Actual volume removed 23,300 yd3 |
Freshwater, 0-4 ft water depth; 2.5 miles x 50-75 ft width of Chattanooga Creek; floodplain disposal pit and coal tar area; earthen dams, pumping, long stick excavator used; NAPL capped site |
Sediments mixed with drying agent, trucked to off-site disposal facilities, cement kiln in SC and TN, boiler in GA |
No capping, backfilling required except for the NAPL site capped with Aquablok which is still being monitored |
|
|
Toxaphene Mass removal of toxaphene Target volume 26,000 yd3 Actual volume removed 35,148 yd3 |
Freshwater; 900 ft outfall ditch, 2.2 acres of creek and confluent areas; environmental clamshell bucket, sheet piling |
Sediments retained in drain beds for 6 months; dried sediments sent off site |
Goals met with post removal concentrations |
Table 6-3. Mechanical dredging case studies
|
Site |
Contaminants/Targets |
Site Description |
Sediment Handling |
Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
PCBs, Hg, PAHs Target volume 92,000 yd3 Actual removed 81,816 yd3 SWAC
|
Project 1: Freshwater, 2-14 ft water depth; hydraulic auger dredging, followed by different dredging; silt curtains, sheet pilings; backfilled with sand
|
Dredged material to landfill; isolated in cell, monitored for leachate for life of landfill |
Ineffective dredge replaced multiple times, different dredges used, 2 dredging passes, 1999-2000 |
|
|
PCBs, Hg Target volume 12,000 yd3 Actual removed 8,200 yd3 RG mass removal, demonstration |
Project 2: Freshwater, 0-8 ft water depth, contaminated sediment thickness 2-3 ft; Hydraulic cutterhead with swinging ladder; additional dredging at bedrock interface; perimeter barrier, silt curtain; turbidity meters; deflection barrier around industrial water intake |
Sediments taken to county landfill; 1,632 tons to EQ landfill, 2,400 tons to disposal facility |
Mixed results, PCB levels lowered in some areas, other areas post dredge levels higher that pre-dredge |
|
|
PCBs, Dioxin, Furan, DDT, heavy metals Target Volume 748,000 yd3 Actual removed 500,000 yd3 SWAC |
OU 1: Freshwater, 6-20 ft; contaminated sediment area 39 miles, depth 1-6 ft; swinging ladder dredge used; silt curtains; sand cap |
Non TSCA sediments transported to landfill |
Goals met |
|
|
VOCs, Hg, PCBs Target volume 40-3,400 yd3 in select areas; riverbank unknown Actual removed 120-6,500 yd3 |
Freshwater, 250 ft contaminated sediment area; hydraulic and mechanical dredging, and excavation; clay liner to prevent GW discharge; cofferdams, sandbags, dewatering systems used for excavation |
Sediment stabilized with fly ash, transported to RCRA/TSCA landfill; hazardous sediments identified and incinerated |
Goals met, lower levels, no backfilling required; 5-yr postremediation monitoring by sediment/water sampling |
|
|
PCBs Target volume 29,000 yd3 Actual removed 13,800 yd3
|
Freshwater, St Lawrence River, flow rate 2.9 fps, 11 acres, 2,500 ft long near shore area; bottom boulders recycled to shore reconstruction; silt curtains replaced later by sheet pile |
Highly contaminated sediments transported by rail to Utah facility; remaining sediments to lined on-site landfill |
Goals met in 5/6 cells; augmented with sand backfill |
|
|
Pb, dioxin Target volume 6,000 yd3 Actual removed 11,000 yd3
|
Freshwater, debris contaminated lake, contaminant area 3.1 acres, 2 ft sediment depth; 1-5 ft dredge depth; horizontal dredge used; rock backfill
|
Sediments disposed of in on-site RCRA containment cell and later into constructed on-site landfill |
Goals met with lower contaminant levels |
|
|
PAHs, PCBs, metals, cyanide Target volume 750,000 yd3 Actual removed 788,000 yd3 RG remove non-native sediments and contaminants
|
Freshwater, 0-4 ft water depth, 5 mile contaminated area, dredge depth 0-20 ft; floating debris boom, oil boom, turbidity curtain maintained 2,000-3,000 ft downstream, sheet pile system, cofferdams |
Cofferdams to contain dredging areas over specified level; sediment deposited in on-site CAMU |
Initial goals met but contaminant levels increased later; additional dredging required |
|
|
PCBs Target volume 24,000 yd3 Actual volume 38,000 yd3 |
Freshwater, 0-4 ft water depth, 63,000 ft river stretch |
Sediment disposed in on-site landfill |
Goals met after second dredging event when contaminant levels were above cleanup level |
|
|
PCBs Target volume 3,500 yd3 Actual removed 3,000 yd3 SWAC
|
Freshwater, 10-15 ft depth, one acre near shore sediments; hydraulic auger with diver assisted vacuum, floating oil booms, silt curtains |
Dredged slurry separated and treated with lime then filtered, disposed of in TSCA/RCRA landfill |
Dredging difficulty due to bottom debris; higher post dredging fish tissue contaminant levels that later returned to pre-dredging levels; sediment sampling indicated that contaminant levels were reduced from surface to all depths; most of projected mass removed |
|
|
PCBs Target volume 75,000 yd3 Actual removed 24,400 yd3
|
Freshwater, 10-15 ft water depth; hydraulic cutterhead dredge, silt curtains, dewatering, Geotube system |
Treated water returned to river, dewatered sediments disposed of in on-site TSCA/RCRA landfill |
Pilot study for different capping materials; rocky bottom impeded progress and had equipment failures, limited dredging; after backfilling, 95% lower levels |
|
|
Hg, methyl Hg, Cu, Pb Target volume 87,000 yd3 Actual removed 88,300 yd3
|
Freshwater, 2-18 ft water depth, 1-7 ft contaminated sediment thickness, area 18.2 acres; silt curtains, Geotubes |
Dredged sediments placed into Geotubes, buried with clean soil cap cover |
Uncertain, project completed with final corrective action, contaminant levels exceeded discharge permit |
|
|
PCBs Target volume 17,000-433,000 yd3 Amendment with 867,000 yd3. |
Harbor, 6-50 ft water depth, silty sediments, 170-190 acres contaminated sediment area; salt marsh, residential, shipping channels; two hydraulic cutterhead dredges; silt curtains, 5 acre dewatering facility |
Disposed of into 5 acre dewatering facility, 4 nearshore CDFs, slurry sent off site to TSCA facility by rail or truck |
Silt curtains failed, replaced by BMPs, water quality measurements to ensure protective risk and continuation of ongoing dredging; PCB levels are lower |
|
|
DNAPL Target volume 2,000 yd3
|
Freshwater, river sediment, 1-acre cove area; diver assisted suction hydraulic dredging of grid sections; silt curtains, sheet pile system, cofferdams
|
Majority of sediments processed, placed into super sacks, remaining sediments disposed of into landfill |
Post dredging sediment sampling indicated lower levels |
|
|
Cr, As, Hg, Tannery waste Target volume 76,000 yd3 Actual removed 85,000 yd3
|
Freshwater, 10-15 ft, 6.2 acres of bay; hydraulic cutterhead dredging, barge mounted excavator, silt curtains, dewatering system |
Dewatering on barges and in Geotubes; sediments treated prior to disposal in off-site landfill; some dredged areas backfilled |
Most tannery waste removed, post sampling residuals reduced |
|
|
PCBs, metals Target volume 10,000 yd3 Actual removed 14,000 yd3
|
5 acres contaminated sediment area; hydraulic cutterhead dredge modified with oil catching shroud; silt curtains |
Dredged sediment were transported by pipeline to temporary CDF, dewatered and disposed of into off-site TSCA landfill |
Goals met well below cleanup level |
|
|
PCBs Target volume 10,900 - 35,700 yd3 Actual removed 6,300 – 32,000 yd3; SWAC
|
Freshwater harbor, 14-25 ft water depth, 10 acres of contaminated sediments; hydraulic cutterhead dredge; marina slip converted into on-site landfill; sheet pile system, silt curtains |
Constructed on-site marina landfill sediments treated by thermal desorption; upper harbor sediments pumped directly into the marina landfill and water pumped out; the landfill was capped and vegetated
|
Goals met; silt curtains failure allowed suspended sediments to be treated with coagulant before silt curtain removal and upper harbor dredging completion; continued dredging in 2012, results unknown |
|
|
Pegan Cove, MA OU 2 /Natick Labs / Army Natick Soldier Systems Center (NSSC), 2010 |
PCBs SWAC Target volume 2,510 yd3 |
Freshwater, 0-10 ft water depth, shoreline, 34 acres contaminated sediments, SW outfall, 4 hotspots; hydraulic cutterhead dredge, silt curtains, water monitoring, dewatering systems (geotextile bags, pipeline) |
Sediments pumped into geotextile bags; slurry pumped into dewatering stations; geotextile bags cut open, sediment trucked to off-site facility |
Goals met, SWAC met; NFA |
|
Hg, PAH SWAC Target volume 184,000 yd3 Actual removed 79,500 yd3 |
Marine, bay, fringe marsh, 80,000 acre contaminated sediment area; hydraulic cutterhead dredge, silt curtain, turbidity monitoring, dewatering system |
Contaminated sediment transported to off-site facility |
Two phases were completed, one implemented as treatability study, second as full-scale remediationThe act or process of abating, cleaning up, containing, or removing a substance (usually hazardous or infectious) from an environment.; Hg levels elevated periodically; MNR to observe biota tissue level decreases |
|
|
VOC, PAH, BTEX, Coal Tar Target volume 6,600 yd3 Actual volume removed: 6,600 yd3 |
Freshwater, gravel pit, lake sediment, sand, 0.5-3 ft sediment depth, 1 acre lake site, hydraulic cutterhead dredge, absorbent boom, silt curtains, settling basin |
Phase 1: Nonhazardous sediments to landfill, nonhazardous sludge to city, Phase 2: coarse sediment to ECL, nonhazardous sludge to RDF, solidified sludge to treatment facility |
Goals met, no capping needed |
Table 6-4. Mechanical dredging case studies
|
Site |
Dredging Method |
Volume Dredged Material |
Disposal Location |
Material Treatment |
Material Regulated? |
Transfer Method |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Excavation |
7,500 yd3 |
Two off-site hazardous waste landfill; one 105 miles away, other 264 miles |
Mixed with 10% cement to stabilize after partial dewatering |
RCRA regulated |
Truck |
$1.4 million total cost, disposal rushed to meet deadlines, so two disposal facilities used and sediment stabilized with cement. |
|
|
Hydraulic dredging |
200,000 yd3 |
on-site CDF on existing Dredge Island |
No treatment |
No |
Direct Transfer |
$3 million total cost |
|
|
Hydraulic dredging and excavation |
13,000 yd3 |
2 hazardous waste disposal facilities. One 20 miles away, other 105 miles |
Thermal desorption |
Treatment allowed material to meet regulations of hazardous waste disposal facility |
Truck |
$13 million total cost; approximately $60/ton disposal cost, excess sediment treated at secondary landfill to save time |
|
|
Swinging ladder hydraulic dredging |
188,000 yd3 |
off-site landfill approximately 20 miles away |
Dewatering |
Non-TSCA PCB waste |
Truck |
$61.7 million total cost |
|
|
Hydraulic dredging |
88,000 yd3 |
on-site CDF buried with top-soil |
Dewatering with Geotubes |
Non-regulated |
Piping |
$7 million total cost |
|
|
Mechanical dredging |
11,865 yd3 |
Adjacent industrial landfill |
Gravity dewatering, water allowed to drain into ground |
Material tested, found suitable for disposal in industrial landfill |
Not mentioned |
$1.8 million total cost, approximately $0.4 million for disposal |
|
|
Excavation within sheet pile cells |
6,000 yd3 and 1,000 yd3 |
Off-site commercial landfill |
Gravity dewatering in stockpile |
TSCA permitted landfill |
Not mentioned |
$4.5 million for first 6,000 yd3 |
|
|
Mechanical dredging |
400,000 yd3 |
CAD |
Not needed |
Testing after burial showed no contamination in water |
Barge transfer, clamshell bucket for controlled placement |
5 ft cap placed on CAD |
|
|
Baird and McGuire, MA |
Mechanical dredging |
4,700 yd3 |
On-site disposal |
Incineration |
No |
Truck transfer to incinerator |
Incinerated material returned to point of removal. Incinerator used for 210,000 tons of soil on site |
|
Ashtabula River, OH |
Hydraulic dredging |
550,000 yd3 |
Off-site CDF 3 miles away |
Dewatering |
CDF for the non-TSCA waste |
3-mile pipeline |
$50 million total cost |
|
Hydraulic and mechanical dredging as well as excavation |
100,000 yd3 |
Off-site landfill in Michigan |
Dewatering and stabilization |
Stabilization allowed disposal to commercial sanitary landfill |
Rail car |
77,000 yd3 dredged, 23,000 yd3 excavated |
|
|
United Heckathorn, CA |
Mechanical dredging |
108,000 yd3 |
Two off-site landfills; one 871 miles away in AZ, the other 860 miles away in UT |
Dewatering and stabilization |
Stabilization allowed disposal to commercial solid waste landfill |
Rail car |
Cost for transport to landfill approximately $50 per ton |
|
Mechanical Dredging |
85,600 yd3 |
Majority to on-site CDF, remainder to off-site disposal 325 miles away |
Stabilization with Portland cement for CDF |
TSCA regulated PCB waste to authorized hazardous waste facility |
Truck |
69,000 yd3 disposed on site, 16,600 yd3disposed off site |
Publication Date: August 2014