The 1986 act required that projects performed by USACE have a local sponsor because such projects provided a local economic benefit and included a cost-sharing strategy.
“In 1986, the Water Resources Development Act changed the way projects were done,” says Grady Bryant of Gahagan and Bryant Associates, an engineering firm that specializes in dredging projects nationwide. Congress provides a significant portion of the funding for dredging activities until 1986, these projects were completely paid for with federal funds. The vast majority of dredging activities are financed and performed under the auspices of federal and state agencies, with local port authorities receiving both benefits and cost. Fortunately, ongoing research by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Dredging Operations and Environmental Research (DOER) program, as well as private innovations, continues to improve the cost-effectiveness, environmental sensitivity, and productivity of dredging operations. Sensitivity to the breeding habits of various aquatic species might limit the periods of time that dredging can be performed, forcing work to be done under less-than-ideal weather conditions. In addition, assessment of the dredged materials has to be performed to identify a final disposal site, necessary permits, and other regulatory compliance issues. But to be successful, each project requires a great deal of planning and engineering that includes environmental and logistics analysis and identifying equipment appropriate for moving the materials. Dredging is also performed as part of various land reclamation programs, including beach renourishment, as well as for wetland creation and environmental remediation.Įach program, in its simplest form, involves the removal and relocation of soils from an underwater location to an onshore site or a disposal area far offshore. Dredging activities are performed as both construction and maintenance functions in various waterways, especially the waterways used for navigational activities ranging from recreational boating on a lake to commercial shipping involving supertankers and container cargo ships.
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