Northern Bayshore Dredged Material Management Plan

Raritan and Sandy Hook Bays

Monmouth County, New Jersey

Working Draft

 
Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

SECTION I. INTRODUCTION

A.  Goals and Objectives of DMMP

B.  Participants

C.  Planning Process

SECTION II.  REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

A.  Dredging Practices and Regulatory Requirements

B.  Dredging Windows

C.  Testing Requirements

D.  CDF Management

E.  Fees

F.  Acceptable Uses

G.  Limitations

SECTION III.  EXISTING CONDITIONS

A.  Characterization of Bayshore

B.  Historic Dredging Activities

C.  Current Uses of Material (Storage & Cap)

SECTION IV.  SEDIMENT REDUCTION

A.  Prevention & Remediation Options

B.  Navigation Channel Sediment Reduction

SECTION V.  CONFINED DISPOSAL FACILITIES

A.  Keyport Marine Basin CDF

B.  Pedersen’s Boat Yard CDF

C.  Monmouth County Park System CDF

D.  Shoal Harbor (N61) CDF

E.  Atlantic Highlands CDF

SECTION VI.  ECONOMIC FACTORS

A.  Cost of Dredging

B.  Material Movement Costs

SECTION VII.  BENEFICIAL USES

A.  Habitat Creation & Restoration (potential locations?)

B.  Beach Replenishment – flood protection

C.  Construction Site Uses

D.  Topsoil Creation

E.   Open Water Capping

F.   Flood Control Projects (Geotextile Uses)

G.  Quarry Rehabilitation

H.  Industry dredged-related products (bricks/pavers, etc.)

SECTION VII.  OPPORTUNITIES FOR BENEFICIAL USE FACILITIES IN BAYSHORE REGION

A.  Aberdeen Site – potential placement and mulch blending location

B.  Aeromarine – fill & capping opportunities utilizing Brownfields Program

C.  Keansburg – temporary storage area & beach replenishment opportunities

D.  Belford Landfill – active facility, blending & beach replenishment opportunities

E.  Leonardo Marina – temporary storage area & beach replenishment opportunities

F.  Sandy Hook National Park Bayside Beach Replenishment

G.  Bayshore Recycling Corporation – processing facility to create products

SECTION IX. COST OF DREDGING, LOADING AND TRANSPORT

SECTION X.  OPTIONS ANALYSIS FOR BENEFICIAL USE

A.  Cost and feasibility of beneficial uses

      1. Aberdeen Site

      2. Aeromarine

      3. Keansburg

      4. Flood Control Project

      5. Belford Landfill

      6. Leonardo Marina

      7. Sandy Hook National Park

      8. Construction Site Use - Bayshore Recycling Corporation, quarry, pavers

B.  Identification of most economically viable option

SECTION XI.  FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Marine activities in six of the seven municipalities located along the Bayshore region of Monmouth County, NJ are dependent upon regular dredging.  Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay do not have naturally deep channels near the shore; therefore, navigation channels and marinas must be periodically dredged to maintain authorized depths for recreational and commercial boating activities.  Sediment transport within the marine system creates continuous shoaling in navigation channels which impede marine activities.  Upland stream channel sediment loss compounds problems by contributing sediment to the Bay system and eventually into the marine basins thus requiring more frequent dredging. 

Each municipality or marina deals with the management of dredging and disposal on an individual basis, resulting in costly, onerous, and competitive processes.  At the moment, the waterfront communities and marinas in the Bayshore region do not have a sustainable systematic method to manage dredging activities or a course of action to utilize dredged material.  For the most part, municipalities and small marinas discharge their dredged material into individual Confined Disposal Facilities (CDF). Existing CDF sites are filling to capacity and options for using the dredged material in a beneficial manner must be explored.

Coordinating dredging among the municipalities creates an economy of scale minimizing the ultimate expense of dredging.  Mobilizing equipment necessary for dredging is an expensive endeavor.  By coordinating dredging needs among the towns, dredging activities can become predictable and enable the mobilization of heavy equipment at the same time thus saving money.  Likewise, the infrastructure necessary for the movement of the material on land can capture similar savings.

Boaters, marina owners and local officials often find dredging requirements, restrictions, and management issues confusing.  Proper planning simplifies and creates predictability in permitting requirements associated with dredging and storing dredged material.  Creating a sustainable dredged material management plan endorsed by regulatory authorities will enable a self-driven process capable of managing dredged material into the future.  Project partners will create a Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) that establishes a predictable and economical process for dredging and the beneficial use of the material.

SECTION I.  INTRODUCTION

A.  Goals and Objectives of DMMP

The goal of the project is to produce a long-term regional dredged material management plan (DMMP) for the Bayshore region of Monmouth County. The plan will cover the entire cycle from reducing sources, to accumulation of bottom sediments, and to the ultimate management of dredged material. The project will be the first comprehensive region-wide look at the issue. Having a long-term dredged material management plan will assist waterfront communities and local marinas in the Bayshore region by improving recreational and commercial boating opportunities, while still protecting and maintaining the value of coastal ecosystems. The DMMP will preserve the environment by providing sustainable dredging solutions, reducing stormwater pollution, promoting best management practices for marina operations, and improving education about dredged material use.

The Bayshore DMMP will serve as a model for other areas interested in developing a regional DMMP.  Coastal communities throughout New Jersey are struggling with dredged material management issues.  The high cost associated with limited disposal options prohibits many marinas and communities from dredging.  The beneficial use options identified in the DMMP will demonstrate cost saving options viable for many communities.

Project partners will develop a regional plan that involves inter-town cooperation to:

• determine the current volume of maintenance dredging,
• discover storage capacity and operational/management issues,
• identify environmentally sound options for beneficial uses of dredged material,
• evaluate potential costs associated with different types of dredging as well as different methods for material management, and
• summarize pertinent regulatory information (local, state, and federal) related to dredged material management for public, municipal, and marina owner use.

The project goal is to create a community forum by which user groups and stakeholders can participate in the development of the Dredged Material Management Plan.  This will involve completing the following tasks.

Task 1: Determine extent of dredging needs along the Bayshore

• Objective A: Collect information about historic Bayshore dredging activities.
• Objective B: Determine the scope of maintenance dredging needs, dredging cycle needs, historical storage and release timelines, capacity determination of existing confined disposal facilities, material management options available and appropriate for each facility, and the identification of any operational or management issues associated with dredged material management.

Task 2: Identify environmentally sound dredged material management options in the Bayshore region.

• Objective A: Create a menu of environmentally sound dredging practices, beneficial use options, costs associated with dredging techniques and management methods compatible with confined disposal facilities in the Bayshore region.  Associate most viable option from the menu list with each disposal facility in the region. 

• Objective B: Provide recommendations based on cost, technology and geographical capabilities. Incorporate results of analysis into the dredged material management plan.

Task 3: Educate marina managers, municipal officials and the general public on dredged material and management.

• Objective A: Develop a user-friendly reference guide to summarize pertinent regulatory information related to dredging and material management.
• Objective B: Distribute the reference guide to Bayshore towns, marinas and the interested public.

Task 4: Engage user-groups and the community in developing the Dredged Material Management Plan

• Objective A: Solicit input from the community using various data gathering tools such as Clean Ocean Action’s Dredging Needs and Beneficial Material Use Needs surveys.
• Objective B: Hold community meetings to discuss dredging options appropriate for the Bayshore community.

Task 5: Develop a Dredged Material Management Plan for the Monmouth County Bayshore Region.

• Objective A: Assemble and organize information collected in Tasks 1-4 to create a DMMP.
• Objective B: Present the final DMMP to the region through community meetings, and appropriate agencies.

B.  Participants

Principal project partners include the Bayshore Regional Watershed Council, the Hazlet Area Quality of Life Alliance, Clean Ocean Action, Mr. John Tiedemann, Associate Dean of the Monmouth University School of Science, Technology and Engineering; and Mr. Steven Taylor, Adjunct Professor in the Monmouth University Department of Political Science Policy Program and an environmental consultant specializing in the development of watershed management plans.

The municipalities in the Bayshore region and county agencies fully support the development of a regional DMMP and determine it necessary for the maintenance and enhancement of water recreation activities for which their communities are dependent.  The Monmouth County Park System, the Borough of Atlantic Highlands, Middletown Township, Monmouth County Planning Board, the Borough of Keyport, Aberdeen Environmental and Shade Tree Council, have already provided statements of support for the DMMP.

A number of organizations have continually demonstrated support for the DMMP by participating in planning meetings.  Representatives include the Atlantic Highlands Harbor Commission, Keyport Yacht Club, Pederson’s Marina, NJDEP – Coastal Engineering, Naval Weapons Station Earle, Monmouth County Park System, Monmouth County Planning Board, Atlantic Highlands Environmental Commission, Middletown Environmental Commission, Keyport Council and Commission Members, NJ Marine Sciences Consortium, and the Monmouth County Mosquito Extermination Commission

C.  Planning Process

The planning process consists of a planning advisory team and public forums.  The planning advisory team is comprised of members from Bayshore Regional Watershed Council, Hazlet Area Quality of Life Alliance, Clean Ocean Action, NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Monmouth University and Steve Taylor who serves as the project manager.  Public forums are being held to discuss the development of the DMMP, the feasibility of beneficial use options for dredged material, and potential locations for dredged material management.  Funding for the project is from the NJ Department of Transportation Maritime Resources Division through the I Boat NJ program.

SECTION II.  REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

A.  Dredging Practices & Regulatory Requirements

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) developed a list of Best Management Practices (BMPs) intended to reduce environmental impacts associated with dredging activities.  Concerns about potential impacts to benthic habitats and aquatic organisms led to the development of BMPs to control the dispersal of sediments away from the dredging area.  Preventing aquatic degradation is keystone for these practices, so areas of ecological importance such as shellfish beds and finfish migratory pathways are avoided.  The following BMPs are used to minimize the potential for environmental impacts from dredging operations and will be incorporated into permit conditions based on applicability and their relative effectiveness.

• Hydraulic Dredging – requires a nearby CDF capable of handling large volumes of pumped slurry-like material with a high water content.

• Closed Clamshell – use of a closed, watertight clamshell reduces the suspension of solids in the water column and is often used when contamination levels warrant concern.  The method is required by NJDEP when a no-barge-overflow permit condition is in effect.

• Dredging Practices – practical procedures that minimize the dispersal of suspended solids when using a clamshell dredge:
• Maximize “bite” size taken by the clamshell to reduce total number of bites taken to extract material.
• Withdraw clamshell through the water column slowly.
• Prohibit hosing or rinsing sediments off barge.

• No-Barge-Overflow – restricts loss of material from the barge to reduce suspension of solids in the water column.  Required by NJDEP when material contains contaminants at levels warranting concern.

• Shunting – involves pumping free water in a barge to the bottom of the water column to reduce turbidity in the upper water column.  The discharge end of the shunting system must include a diffuser to minimize disruption of bottom sediments.

• Seasonal/Migratory Periods – prohibition of dredging activities during times of the year when aquatic and near-shore terrestrial wildlife may be impacted.

• Semi-enclosed water bodies – dredging on incoming tides will limit dispersal of suspended sediments into areas outside of the semi-enclosed water body.

• Dredging inspectors – 3^rd party, independent inspectors are hired to ensure permit conditions are upheld and adverse environmental impacts are avoided or minimized.

• Silt curtains – used in low velocity areas, curtains are effective at controlling dispersal of sediments in the upper water column.

• Split Hull Barges – only used for open water disposal methods or subaqueous disposal pits.

• Dredged Material Pumping Systems – some pumping systems such as the positive displacement pump (similar to concrete pumps) and vortex type pumps in combination with directional control systems can significantly reduce resuspension of sediments and transfer material with reduced water content to CDFs thus reducing impacts to surface water quality.

B.  Dredging Windows

Dredging activities are prohibited during times of the year when aquatic and near-shore terrestrial wildlife may be impacted.  The most common timing restriction is from January 1 through May 31 for winter flounder.

C.  Testing Requirements

Testing of dredged material for contaminants is required unless the material to be dredged is greater than 90% sand (grain size of >0.0625 mm) and other background information such as no known historical spills or discharges of pollutants do not lead the NJDEP to believe the material may be contaminated.

If additional testing is required, bulk sediment chemistry analysis as well as modified elutriate (wash extraction) testing will be required when disposal is intended for a containment area or upland CDF.  It must be demonstrated that the placement of the dredged material in a CDF will not result in significant adverse impacts to terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems or pose risk to public health. 

Prior to sampling, the applicant shall obtain a dredged material sampling and testing plan sediment sampling plan from the Office of Sediment and Technology.  Attachment A of this document outlines the information that must be submitted for the Office to prepare the dredged material sampling and testing plan.

Please note that if the material is to be amended (i.e. with Portland cement), additional testing of the amended material will be required.

D.  CDF Management

Owners of CDFs are responsible for the material contained within them.  To maintain oversight of the CDF, the NJDEP issues Acceptable Use Determinations (AUDs) to the owners/operators of CDFs.  Some common requirements contained in AUDs are as follows:

·         Owners/operators of CDFs are required to maintain a minimum of one foot of freeboard from the top of the berms during dredging operations. 

·         A minimum of 24 hours of retention is required prior to discharge of effluent.

·         Owners/operators may be required to sample the effluent and report results to the Office for those pollutants that were detected above the NJ Surface Water Quality Standards in their modified elutriate tests.

·         No dredged material shall be removed from the CDF without prior written approval from the Office of Sediment and Technology in the form of a modification to the Acceptable Use Determination.

·         Owners/Operators shall inspect berms for structural integrity during dredging operations.

Material may be removed from a CDF, but before dredged material is removed, the owner/operator must obtain an AUD from the NJDEP.  Essentially, the AUD ensures that the dredged material and any supplemented material (admixture) will be protective of human health and the environment.

Application for an AUD requires the submission of data required to determine the safety of the dredged material and its admixture.  A contaminant profile and an evaluation of the general quality of all dredged material, admixtures, and all products produced from the blending process are required.  Basic monitoring will include grain size characteristics, total organic carbon (TOC), and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH).  Additional evaluations may be assigned on a case-by-case basis.

The AUD also requires detailed recordkeeping of all materials and processes.  Additional information will include, but may not be limited to, processing descriptions, material tracking, material classifications, storage and processing capacities, regulatory activities, authorizations, mapping, geographical assessments, operational timetables, photographs, etc.

E.  Fees (permit fees, sediment testing costs, other expenses)

Tidelands Council Use fee = $0.30/cy.  Historically, fees have been reduced or waived.  NJDEP explores a fee waiver when dredged material is used beneficially.

F.  Acceptable Uses

Dredged material can and should be considered a resource as opposed to a waste for disposal.  The NJDEP supports its use as a beneficial product versus an exclusive reliance on disposal.  Due to the never-ending supply of dredged material, strategies are needed to ensure a long-term sustainable program for the use of dredged material.

The Army Corps of Engineers and the NJDEP have identified a number of alternative uses for dredged material.  The following list is not all inclusive and the NJDEP encourages creative and multi-faceted uses of the material:

·          Beach Nourishment

·          Habitat Development (wetland & upland habitats)

·          Structural & Non-structural Fill

·          Landfill Cover

·          Agricultural Uses

·          Capping Open Water Disposal Sites

G.  Limitations

Dredged material may not be used with contaminated solid wastes or material that would render the material hazardous.

SECTION III.  EXISTING CONDITIONS

A.  Characterization of Bayshore

Raritan Bay - Sandy Hook Bay is a large embayment measuring nine by twelve miles (109 square miles) with a surface area of about 28,000 hectares (69,188 acres). The inshore portion of the bays within this habitat complex has a total area of 13,500 hectares (33,500 acres).

Raritan and Sandy Hook Bays are divided between the states of New Jersey and New York, and receive direct inflow from the Raritan River, the Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers, and numerous smaller tributaries along the shorelines of Staten Island and New Jersey. The bays also receive indirect inflow from the Hudson through lower New York Bay and the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers via Newark Bay and the Arthur Kill. Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay drain a watershed of approximately 3,630 square kilometers (1,400 square miles), not including the Hudson, Hackensack, or Passaic Rivers.

Dredged channels in Raritan and Sandy Hook Bays range in width from 24 to 427 meters (80 to 1400 feet) and are 3 to 11 meters (10 to 35 feet) in depth. Except for the channels, the bay is relatively shallow, usually less than 6 meters (20 feet) in depth.

The tidal range averages 1.7 meters (5.5 feet), entering and leaving the bay in a counter-clockwise gyre. High-salinity ocean water enters at the flood tide from the Ambrose Channel, mixes with the fresh and brackish water, and exits at ebb tide through the Sandy Hook Channel.

Compared with other parts of the New York - New Jersey Harbor Estuary, the shorelines of Raritan and Sandy Hook Bays have more remaining natural shoreline and open space. The area is subject to a wide variety of fluctuations in temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, both from natural and anthropogenic activity, especially industrial and sewage effluent and storm-water runoff.

The bottom sediments of Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay are predominantly sand, with some areas of gravelly sand overlaid with coarse to fine silt and fine to very fine sand, respectively. Though the majority of the Raritan River watershed drains from the Piedmont physiographic province, the Raritan and Sandy Hook Bays and their shorelines are located on the gravels, sands, and clays of the Coastal Plain physiographic province. The terminal moraine of the most recent glaciation follows the southeastern Staten Island shoreline of Raritan Bay, reaching its southernmost extent in this region at Perth Amboy.

B.  Historic Dredging Activities

The table below displays the location of dredging activities and the volume of dredged material removed from Bayshore waters between January 1999 and June 2005.  It should be noted that Amboy Aggregates dredges the Ambrose Channel in Raritan Bay on a regular basis for sand mining purposes.  Since this material is used for land-based construction, it does not create a dredged material management need and will therefore be excluded from this plan.  Naval Weapons Station Earle also actively dredges in the Bay.  Their material is either taken out of state or to the HARS site for disposal and thus will be excluded from this plan.

C.  Current Uses of Dredged Material

Current beneficial uses of dredged material in the Bayshore include landfill capping, beach replenishment and septic system soil amendment.  The Shoal Harbor CDF utilizes material to cap the historic Belford landfill.  Dredged material is blended with leaf compost to create topsoil suitable for capping the Belford landfill.  In 2007, Shoal Harbor was permitted to place 16,000 cy of dredged material on the landfill for capping purposes. Do we know the total amount in cy used for capping?  Most of the landfill has the minimum two feet of cover from capping.  A study is planned to determine which areas should now be closed from capping.  Currently, landfill elevations range from eleven to twenty-four feet.

The Shoal Harbor CDF has also been utilized for beach replenishment.  The beach nourishment plan focuses on protection of the landfill and ensuring the integrity of the CDF berms.  Sand is placed on the beach near the ferry terminal so that it may naturally migrate east toward the landfill and CDF location.  Suitable material must consist of at least 90% sand grain.  Approximately 9,000 cubic yards of sand have been placed on the Belford beach.  Additional material is needed for beach nourishment and it is evaluated for suitability on a case-by-case basis.  The beach nourishment project has a 60 year life expectancy.

The Borough of Keansburg utilized dredged material for a beach replenishment project.  In 2003 a permit was issued to the NJDEP Coastal Engineering Program to dredge 36,000 cy from the mouth of Waackaack Creek and a channel into Raritan Bay.  The permit allotted 30,000 cy for beach replenishment and 6,000 cy to be stockpiled for future beach nourishment and berm maintenance.

Holmdel Township permitted the use of dredged material for septic system leach field soil amendments.  A residential housing development planned for construction on top of clay soils required the use of dredged material to ensure proper drainage of septic systems.  The dredged material, consisting primarily of sand, was trucked-in and blended with existing soils to meet State Septic Fill criteria.  Approximately 2000 truck loads of material were brought into the development with about 200 loads devoted to each septic system.  The cost per load ranges from $150-200 totaling $300,000 to $400,000 for the cost of septic systems in the development.

SECTION IV.  SEDIMENT REDUCTION

A. Prevention & Remediation Options

When it rains, soil and debris from the landscape are eroded and washed into streams.  From there, sediment particles wash downstream towards the bay.  Sediments tend to accumulated at stream and storm drain outlets, some of which discharge directly into marine basins.  It is then the responsibility of marina owners to remove sediment accumulation where it creates navigation problems.

Sediment transport through aquatic systems is a natural occurrence.  Sediment carries nutrients vital to aquatic life, but all too often the sediment load is too great and actually impairs aquatic organisms.  Eroded sediment can cause many problems in coastal areas, including adverse impacts on water quality, critical habitats, submerged aquatic vegetation beds, recreational activities, and navigation.  It can include unwanted biological growth caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus, and increased turbidity.

Sediment is delivered to the aquatic environment by stream erosion and loss of soil at construction sites.  Stream erosion is caused by the proliferation of impervious surfaces such as roadways and parking lots.  Rainwater that once percolated into the soil is now channelized into stormwater conveyance systems that discharge into local streams.  The increase in flow from the channelized discharge causes an increased flow in the stream which causes streambed and stream bank erosion.  The eroded material is washed downstream until its ultimate discharge into the bay.

Soil loss at construction sites results from land disturbance activities.  As the land is graded to accommodate new roadways and buildings, freshly exposed soil is washed into local streams during rain events.  To control soil loss, the Freehold Soil Conservation District is charged with managing soil containment at construction sites.  Soil containment strategies include silt fences, sediment deposition areas, construction site ingress and egress controls and stormwater filtration devices.  Soil management requirements are controlled under the Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Act.

The goal of the Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Act is to retard sediment-related nonpoint source pollution and to protect the land, water, and other natural resources.

It is more practical, time efficient, and cost-effective to prevent sediment from getting into our waterways.  Consequently, construction sites are routinely inspected, and plans are required to be on site at all times. 

Local governments also have responsibility for managing stormwater. By utilizing strict control of land use and development within their municipalities, they can reduce incidents of erosion and sedimentation.  Municipalities have the option to make their laws stricter than the federal or state laws.  By requiring the use of specific “Best Management Practices”, municipalities can place comprehensive erosion controls on development projects.

Best Management Practices (BMPs) are structural and nonstructural stormwater management control measures taken to mitigate changes to both quantity and quality of runoff caused by changes to the landscape.  Generally BMPs focus on addressing increased impervious surfaces from development such as roadways and rooftops.  BMPs are designed to reduce volume, peak flows, and/ or non-point source pollution through evapotranspiration, infiltration, detention, and filtration or biological and chemical actions.

Traditional BMPs include detention and retention stormwater basins, vegetated buffers and silt fencing.  More recently, innovative BMPs are gaining traction such as Rain Gardens and Green Roofs.

A rain garden is a strategically located low area planted with native vegetation to intercept rainwater runoff.  These vegetated depressions slow the water down in order to prevent erosion and allow it to percolate into the ground.  In many cases the plants are chosen for their ability to maintain soil porosity and to remove pollutants.

A green roof is a rooftop that is partially or completely covered with plants. It may be a tended roof garden or a self-maintaining ecology like a living wall.  Earthen structures often have such a roof, as plants simply grow naturally over it, making a hill that is from some angles indistinguishable from a natural one.  Engineered green roofs are typically place on buildings with flat a roof such as a municipal building.  Plant and soil material on the roof absorb and cleanse rainwater before it is released into downspouts and storm drains.

B.  Navigation Channel Sedimentation Reduction

Channel sediment reduction techniques reduce the amount of sediment settling within navigation channels.  These techniques can reduce the cost of dredging operations. Sediment reduction can be classified into two types: Channel Design Optimization and Structural Modification.

Channel Design Optimization reduces sedimentation within the channel by straightening the channel.  Commonly referred to as channel realignment, this method increases water velocity within the channel moving suspended sediment through the water column more rapidly.  The rapid movement of water reduces the amount of material settling out of the water column and accumulating in the channel.

Structural Modifications are physical constructions designed to keep sediment moving through the channel or preventing sediment from entering the channel.  Typical structures include flow training dikes and sills, scour and propeller jets, gates and curtains, pneumatic barriers and sedimentation basins.  Hydrodynamic numeric models are used to determine the feasibility of specific structural modification plans.

Source: DMMP for the Port of NY & NJ: Technical Appendix, 10/8/98, ACOE

SECTION V. CONFINED DISPOSAL FACILITIES

Note: Balloons lettered A through E identify the locations of CDFs in the Bayshore and correspond with descriptions in the following paragraphs.

A.  Keyport Marine Basin CDF

Storage capacity is approximately 20,000 CY.  Facility was permitted in 2003 to place 15,000 CY in CDF.  Material is required to stay there until they modify their acceptable use determination for a final disposal site.  Not deed restricted, meaning the material meets residential standards for development.

B.  Pedersen’s Boat Yard CDF

Storage capacity is approximately 22,000 cubic yards.  Pedersen's dredged 6,000 CY under a permit issued in 2002.  On August 3, 2007, a modification was issued to allow an additional 6,000 CY so they have placed 12,000 CY in the CDF.  This material has not been moved.  Deed Restricted?

C.  Monmouth County Park System CDF

Storage capacity is approximately 10,000 cubic yards.  A permit was issued to Monmouth Cove Marina on February 24, 2004 to dredge 9,050 CY.  Material was ultimately disposed of at the Belford Landfill as landfill cover material.  The material contained in the CDF meets residential standards for development and is therefore not deed restricted.

D.  Shoal Harbor (N61) CDF

Storage capacity is 100,000 to 160,000 cubic yards depending on the type of dredged material received.  Approximately 43,000 cubic yards of material dredged from Comptons Creek was placed in N61 in 2006.  The material has not been removed.  The ACOE is planning to dredge approximately 100,000 cy from Comptons Creek and place it into N61 in 2009.  The CDF is deed restricted since the material does not meet residential standards for development.

The design of the CDF requires hydraulic pumping to place material within the site.  The facility, situated near an old airport, also receives material by truck.  The material is placed on the old tarmac and blended with leaf litter from nearby towns to create topsoil.  The topsoil is then used to cover the historic Belford Landfill adjacent to the CDF.  A landfill closure plan is currently under development.

E.  Atlantic Highlands CDF

Storage capacity is 22,700 cubic yards.  In 2007, 18,000 CY was placed in the CDF.  A permit modification was issued November 7, 2007 to allow an additional 6,300 CY to be placed in the CDF while allowing 15,000 CY to be removed from CDF and used as cover at Belford landfill. (Total allowed to be taken to Belford landfill is 20,000 CY but not sure how much material has been moved to date.)  Material meets residential development standards, so it is not deed restricted.

SECTION VI.  ECONOMIC FACTORS

Dredging is an expensive endeavor and moving dredged material from one point to another is often the most expensive part of managing dredged material.  Minimizing the movement of material will inevitably be the least costly option.  Finding nearby locations for the use of dredged material will be desirable. 

A. Cost of Dredging

The ACOE provides actual annual costs for dredging activities throughout the United States.  Some dredging work is contractual and some is done by the Corps itself.  They classify dredging costs in two categories, hopper dredging and non-hopper dredging.

Hopper vs. Non-hopper Dredging (ACOE – Average U.S. Dredging Costs in 2007)

Hopper = $3.58/cy

Non-hopper = $5.22/cy

Hopper Dredge

A Hopper dredge is a propelled floating plant which is capable of dredging material, storing it onboard, transporting it to the disposal area, and dumping it. Hopper dredges are workhorses responsible for clearing channels and offshore sandbars from the mouths of major rivers. A hopper dredge fills its hoppers as it dredges the bottom.  Hopper dredges move like a ship, and when the dredge's hopper is loaded, it moves to the material relocation site.

Direct pumpout is a common method of removing dredged material from hopper dredges. The dredge moors to a structure, buoy, or multiple buoy berth. Hoses connected to a pipeline extending to shore are attached to the hopper dredge discharge manifold. The dredge mixes the dredged material with water to form a slurry and pumps the slurry from its discharge manifold through the hoses and pipeline to a designated discharge location.

Non-hopper Dredge (typically “Mechanical Dredge”)

The two most common types of mechanical dredges are dipper dredges and clam shell dredges. Mechanical dredges are rugged and capable of removing hard-packed materials or debris. They can be worked in tight areas and are efficient when large barges are used for long-haul disposal. Mechanical dredges have difficulty retaining loose, fine materials in buckets, do not dredge continuously like pipeline dredges, and may need added controls when handling contaminated sediments. Mechanical dredges place the material into barges for transport to the placement location.

Bucket Dredge

The bucket type of dredge is so named because it utilizes a bucket to excavate the material to be dredged. Different types of buckets can fulfill various types of dredging requirements. The buckets used include the clamshell, orangepeel, and dragline types and can be quickly changed to suit the operational requirements. The vessel can be positioned and moved within a limited area using only anchors; however, in most cases anchors and spuds are used to position and move bucket dredges. The material excavated is placed in scows or hopper barges that are towed to the disposal areas. The crane is mounted on a flat-bottomed barge, on fixed-shore installations, or on a crawler mount.

The bucket type of dredge is not self-propelled but can move itself over a limited area during the dredging process by the manipulation of spuds and anchors. The loaded barges are towed to the disposal area by a tug and emptied by bottom dumping if an open water disposal area is used. If a diked disposal area is used, the material must be unloaded using mechanical or hydraulic equipment.

Bucket dredges may be used to excavate most types of materials except for the most cohesive consolidated sediments and solid rock. Bucket dredges usually excavate a heaped bucket of material, but during hoisting turbulence washes away part of the load. To minimize the turbidity generated by a clamshell operation, watertight buckets have been developed. The edges seal when the bucket is closed and the top is covered to minimize loss of dredged material. These buckets are best adapted for maintenance dredging of fine-grained material.

Dipper Dredges

The dipper dredge is basically a barge-mounted power shovel. It is equipped with a power-driven ladder structure and operated from a barge-type hull. A bucket is firmly attached to the ladder structure and is forcibly thrust into the material to be removed. To increase digging power, the dredge barge is moored on powered spuds that transfer the weight of the forward section of the dredge to the bottom.

The dipper type of dredge is not self-propelled but can move itself during the dredging process by manipulation of the spuds and the dipper arm. The best use of the dipper dredge is for excavating hard, compacted materials, rock, or other solid materials after blasting. Although it can be used to remove most bottom sediments, the violent action of this type of equipment may cause considerable sediment disturbance and resuspension during maintenance digging of fine-grained material. In addition, a significant loss of the fine-grained material will occur from the bucket during the hoisting process. The dipper dredge is most effective around bridges, docks, wharves, pipelines, piers, or breakwater structures because it does not require much area to maneuver; there is little danger of damaging the structures since the dredging process can be controlled accurately. No provision is made for dredged material containment or transport, so the dipper dredge must work alongside the disposal area or be accompanied by disposal barges during the dredging operation.

Dipper-dredged material can be placed in the shallow waters of eroding beaches to assist in beach nourishment. It is difficult to retain soft, semisuspended fine-grained materials in the buckets of dipper dredges. Scow-type barges are required to move the material to a disposal area, and the production is relatively low when compared to the production of cutterhead and dustpan dredges. The dipper dredge is not recommended for use in dredging contaminated sediments.

B.  Material Movement Costs

There are essentially four stages of movement relating to the placement of dredged material.  Each stage has specific costs associated with handling the material.  First is dredging sediment from marinas and navigation channels.  Second is transporting the dredged material from the marina/channel to a nearby confined disposal facility (CDF).  Third is excavating the material from the CDF and loading it onto a transport system such as a truck, barge or train.  Fourth is moving the loaded material to its ultimate destination.

Access & Loading Costs from CDFs

For CDFs that are road accessible, the cost of accessing the CDF and loading material

into a transport vehicle can be expected to range from $6/CYD to $8/CYD. (Source: ACOE, 2006)

The cost of removing materials from a CDF surrounded by salt marsh or open water, and loading the material into a transport vehicle, is estimated to range from $12/CYD to $14/CYD. (Source: ACOE, 2006)  (Note: Keyport Marine Basin recently moved material…how much did that cost?  Jeff gathering info.)

Transport Cost Estimates

Professionals in the field state that the current cost of hauling material to a disposal area in Pennsylvania is $50.00 per ton. (Source: Personal Communication with M. Fedosh, AccuTech, Inc., 2008)

In 2006 the Army Corp of Engineers reported the following costs per cubic yard dried:

(Source: ACOE, 2006)

Note: Driving Distance from Highlands to Keyport = 12.3 miles

SECTION VII.  BENEFICIAL USES

Dredged material can and should be considered a resource as opposed to a waste destined for disposal.  It is increasingly important to explore emerging beneficial use options to ensure an integrated long-term program for the management of dredged material.  Depending on its characteristics, particularly grain size, dredged material may be suitable for habitat development projects, beach replenishment, construction site fill for non-structural and structural applications, topsoil creation and many other creative applications.

A.  Habitat Creation & Restoration (potential locations?)

The majority of habitat creation and restoration projects (e.g., wetland creation, mud flat creation, etc.) recommended by the ACOE and NJDEP require the placement of dredged material in open waters.  Concerns about potential impacts to aquatic organisms have not permitted these types of projects in New Jersey.  Hence, NJDEP is not pursuing habitat creation or restoration options at this time.  They are however listed below should the State decide to pursue habitat creation and restoration projects.

• Wetland creation
• Mud flat creation
• Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) creation
• Oyster reef creation
• Shellfish bed creation
• Fish reef creation
• Bird upland habitat creation

B.  Beach Replenishment

NJDEP encourages the replenishment of eroding beaches for both flood protection and public use/access to waterways.  Beach replenishment must involve the placement of clean sand of acceptable grain size and composition to ensure beach stability.  Suitable material must be comprised of 75% or greater sand with a grain size compatible with that of the receiving beach.  Material with a grain size smaller than the “compatible grain size” for the beach, but still greater than 75% sand, could be utilized in dune construction, provided that the effective erosion controls are utilized until vegetative cover is established.

Potential adverse environmental impacts can result from the placement of dredged material on beaches if the material contains excessive levels of organic material.  NJDEP’s objectives are to prevent any adverse impacts that threaten public health, benthic and open water ecological communities, or are of aesthetic concern to the community.

Beach replenishment projects in the Bayshore include Keansburg and Middletown.  The Keansburg site has received 30,000 cubic yards of material with an additional 6,000 cy stockpiled for future beach nourishment from Waackaack Creek and is being managed by the NJDEP.  The Middletown site is located in front of the Belford Landfill and the N61 CDF.  Approximately 9,000 cubic yards has been placed on the beach.  Placement material must have grains of at least 90% sand to ensure beach stability and to minimize sand migration.  The Belford facility is owned and managed by Monmouth County.

C.  Construction Site Uses

Some dredged material can be used as construction material.  In many cases, dredged material consists of a mixture of sand and clay fractions, which requires some type of separation process. Dewatering may also be required because of high water content.

Depending on the sediment type and processing requirements, dredged material may be used as: concrete aggregates (sand and gravel); backfill material or in the production of bituminous mixtures and mortar (sand); raw material for brick manufacturing (clay with less than 30 percent sand); ceramics, such as tile (clay) pellets for insulation or lightweight backfill or aggregate (clay); raw material for the production of riprap or blocks for the protection of dikes and slopes against erosion (rock, mixture); and raw material for the production of compressed blocks for security walls at military installations and for gated communities and home subdivisions. (ACOE & USEPA, 2006)

Uses include:

·                                  Structural

·                                  Nonstructural

·                                  Roadway Aggregate

·                                  Soil Amendment

·                                  Septic System Leach Field Soil Amendment

D.  Topsoil Creation

Maintenance dredging in harbors, access channels, and rivers produces mixtures of sand, silt, clay and organic matter that can be excellent ingredients for topsoil. However, dredged material from coastal or tidal areas require special attention to salinity, since most vegetation cannot tolerate and grow in salty soil. Salinity may be reduced naturally by rain or by a dewatering process. Other uses of topsoil might include using dredged material to cap poor soils or to cover and fill coarse material (e.g., urban or industrial waste sites).

Other dredged material may require blending with other residual materials such as organic matter (yardwaste, wastepaper, storm debris, etc.) and biosolids (human sewage sludge or animal manure) to manufacture enhanced fertile topsoil. This method is practiced at the Belford Landfill where dredged material is blended with leaf litter to create a topsoil for the landfill.

The dredged material may be used to improve soil structure for agricultural purposes. For production of food, uncontaminated material must be used. For other uses, the allowed contaminant level will depend on the use of the topsoil. In some cases, suitable material may be placed in a thin layer directly by pumping. After dewatering, the material is suitable topsoil for seeding and planting. Dewatering may require several years, depending on the granular texture of the dredged material and is influenced by additional substances or by the type of dewatering process.

Dredged material can also be used in the manufacture of blended artificial topsoil products. The blended topsoil can be used for athletic fields such as soccerfields and ball fields, home landscaping, golf courses, parks, brownfield redevelopment, etc. Required topsoil specifications for a specific use can be met through blending appropriate materials together in specific amounts.

E.  Open Water Capping

Open water capping involves the placement of clean dredged material over a deposit of contaminated dredged material in open-water.  It is used as a means of isolating contaminated sediment from the surrounding environment. Open-water caps provide a wave-and current-resistant layer on top of previously deposited contaminated materials. Sand or mixed materials may be used for open-water capping.

Open water capping is used at the Historic Area Remediation Site (HARS) off the coast of Sandy Hook, New Jersey.  Clean material dredged from the New York and New Jersey Harbor is used to cover existing contaminated sediments at the designated Historic Area Remediation Site.  Since 1997, approximately 4.3 million cubic yards of dredged material has been used to remediate the HARS.

The NJDEP has expressed concern about impacts to aquatic organisms from open water capping.  Consequently, open water capping is only considered a beneficial use when remediation is required.

F.  Flood Control Projects (Geotextile Uses)

The planned Raritan Bay-Sandy Hook Bay Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Plan presents an opportunity for the use of dredged material.  Beach nourishment plans for Old Bridge and Keansburg will require substantial volumes of sand.  Levee protection in Keansburg may present opportunities for geotextile use.  Geotextile tubes can be filled with dredged material and used as foundation material for levee walls.  While beach nourishment will require the use of sand, geotextile tubes can utilize fine grain materials such as silt and clay. 

The Storm Damage Reduction Plan includes the study of flood prevention in Leonardo, Port Monmouth, Keyport and the Highlands.  The project is stalled due to inadequate funding but is nevertheless slated to be completed by 2010-2015.

G. Quarry Rehabilitation

Quarries in the region present opportunities for the beneficial use of dredged material.  Once a quarry has finished extracting mining material, closing plans may seek rehabilitation of the land.  Some rehabilitation plans call for redevelopment of the property by filling and re-grading the landscape.  In some cases, dredged material may be used as fill.  When this occurs, substantial volumes of material can be brought in to improve property topography.  Bernards, New Jersey has undertaken this type of rehabilitation with the Millington Quarry.  Officials estimate that more than 2 million cubic yards of material will be needed to rehabilitate the quarry for development.

H.  Industry dredged-related products (bricks/pavers, etc.)

Dredged material can be blended with recycled residual materials such as glass, gypsum, plastic bottles, and automobile interiors, etc. to manufacture statues, figures, garden benches, stepping patio pavers, plant vases, artificial rocks and water fountains. These products can be used to landscape gardens, backyards, swimming pool environments, monument stones, miniature golf courses, highway rest areas, tourist welcoming centers, zoos, and theme parks.  Suitable dredged material may contain sand, silt, clay and mixtures.

SECTION VII.  OPPORTUNITIES FOR BENEFICIAL USE RELAY FACILITIES IN BAYSHORE REGION

Most beneficial use options require some level of processing of the dredged material.  For example, dredged material used for construction sites must be dried before transporting, and material used for soil amendments will require desalination and blending with leaves and/or aggregate.  Both drying and processing will require a Dredged Material Processing Facility with adequate storage space and blending capabilities.  The following sites meet these criteria simply because they provide adequate space for such activity or are currently used for blending/storage.

(Note: These sites are not listed in priority order.) 

A.  Aberdeen – potential placement and mulch blending location

The Aberdeen site is located in the Cliffwood Beach section of Aberdeen.  The property is adjacent to Mattawan Creek and Raritan Bay.  The site is a historic dredged material disposal site that the township currently uses as a leaf compost facility.  Each year leaves collected by Aberdeen public works are placed on the site in windrows and turned periodically for composting.  The windrows can be seen in the photograph below.  After blending and proper decomposition, the material is available for compost in the municipality.

This site offers an opportunity to blend dredged material with leaf compost to create more robust topsoil for residential and commercial use in the township.  The township has limited capability for blending material but already supports movement of the material on and off site.

B. Aeromarine – fill & capping opportunities utilizing Brownfields Program

The Aeromarine site once manufactured planes, engines, propellers, and sea planes. Sometime around 1940, the manufacturing plant closed and the site became an industrial park and a garbage landfill.  Development of the site may present opportunities for utilizing dredged material.  Removal of landfill material may result in the need for clean fill and topsoil for capping that dredged material may provide.  As of the date of this document, the Department of Environmental Protection has not made a final determination regarding remediation/redevelopment of the site.

C. Keansburg – temporary storage area & beach replenishment opportunities

The Keansburg site is located off of Laurel Avenue and Charles Avenue in Keansburg.  It has been used as a temporary disposal facility.  Because of its location, opportunities for beach replenishment may be presented.  In 2003, 36,000 cy were permitted to be dredged from the mouth of Waackaack Creek and a channel into Raritan Bay.  Of that 30,000 cy were permitted for beach replenishment and 6,000 cy were permitted to be stockpiled for future beach replenishment and berm maintenance.

D. Belford Landfill – active facility, blending & beach replenishment opportunities

The Belford landfill is located at the eastern terminus of Centre Avenue just east of the Belford community in Middletown.  This abandoned airfield belonged to the J. Howard Smith Fish Factory in Port Monmouth and was used by aircraft to spot schools of menhaden for the fishing fleet.  The property is owned by Monmouth County and is leased to Middletown Township for leaf compost storage and processing.

Similar to Aberdeen’s Cliffwood Beach facility, the site offers an opportunity to blend dredged material with leaf compost to create topsoil for residential and commercial use in the area.  The county and township have some limited capability for blending material.

E. Leonardo Marina – temporary storage area & beach replenishment

Leonardo State Marina is located adjacent to Sandy Hook Bay and is a popular jumping off destination for boaters due to its close proximity to popular fishing grounds.  Leonardo State marina has a public launch ramp, bait shop and fuel.  Shoaling at the mouth of the marina canal is common and dredging with a long-reach excavator is common.  Dredged material is placed within reach of the excavator for a natural dewatering process.  Nearby beaches are owned by Middletown Township and beach nourishment opportunities may exist.

The federal channel leading to the Leonardo Marina was last dredged in 1991 with approximately 58,756 cy removed at a cost of $454,536.  The material was 92% sand and was placed along the beach on the southeast side of the channel.  On May 2006 a survey revealed that the grain size is approximately 50% sand and 50% silt.

F. Sandy Hook National Park Bayside Beach Replenishment

The National Park Service has identified an area along the Sandy Hook bayside where beach replenishment is necessary.  Approximately 80,000 cubic yards of sandy material is needed to adequately restore and protect the beach.  Rip rap structures placed to the north to protect historic Fort Hancock and park roadways is causing sediment migration loss.  The land area around the fill site contains two large historic gun batteries that are in danger of being undermined.  Two historic powder magazines have already been lost by erosion and collapsed into the bay.  The shoreline was previously protected by a long wooden bulkhead.  Native vegetation in the area supports a variety of wildlife including diamondback terrapins, raccoons, red fox, osprey and several species of shorebirds.  Without beach replenishment, this area is at severe risk of loss.

G. Bayshore Recycling Corporation

Bayshore Recycling Corporation is a waterfront construction debris recycling operation that accepts concrete, asphalt, brick, block, ID-27 and slag.  Materials are processed and transformed into marketable products for various applications.  Products are turned into commodities such as clean stone, DGA road stone, sand and other special blends.  The facility is located in the Keasbey section of Woodbridge and is classified as a Class B recycling center by the NJDEP.  Bayshore Recycling is currently pursing authorization to accept dredged material for product blending.

SECTION IX. COST OF DREDGING, LOADING AND TRANSPORT

By reviewing historic dredging activities and trends, dredging costs can be discerned.  Dredged material not used in a beneficial manner has cost the Bayshore Region approximately $2.5 million dollars between the years 1999 and 2005.  Data below identify costs associated with dredging in the Bayshore region.  (The table on the next page identifies costs associated with loading and transporting material.)  Two columns reflect non-hopper and hopper dredging.  Most dredging in the Bayshore consists of non-hopper dredging and hydraulic dredging.  Numbers were not readily available for hydraulic dredging.

The material movement costs table identifies the amount of material dredged in the Bayshore from the years 1999 to 2005.  The column titled “Management Need” identifies the amount of material where management is needed because the material was not used beneficially.  Beneficial use of dredged material has already occurred in the Bayshore Region and includes beach replenishment, landfill cover, onsite utilization of material, and roadway material.  Segregating beneficial use material from disposal material represents a more realistic picture of the amount of material available for progressive management.

Notice that the table also separates sand from non-sand.  Sandy material has greater value and demand for beneficial uses than non-sandy material.  For example, sandy material is desirable for beach replenishment, construction activities, roadway construction, structural products, landfill cover, etc.  Silt requires more manipulation to prepare it for beneficial uses such as desalinization, dehydration and blending.

SECTION X. OPTIONS ANALYSIS FOR BENEFICIAL USE

Dredged material will require varying degrees of processing depending upon its ultimate use.  For example, beneficial uses that require extensive processing of dredged material are terrestrial habitat development, structural and non-structural fill material, topsoil creation and soil amendment for agricultural applications.  These uses have higher costs associated with them because of the expense of preparing the material for the specified use.  Options that require minimal processing such as beach replenishment, aquatic and wetland habitat development and open water disposal cost less.

Essentially, the fate of the processed material will determine the ultimate cost.  For example, costs associated with preparing material for use as fill or topsoil will be covered by the sale of the material.  A truck load of topsoil costs developers $16/CY and a truck load of fill material $10/CY.  (Atak Trucking 917-912-2900, prices fluctuate based on availability).

A. Costs and Feasibility of Beneficial Uses

Dredging needs in the Bayshore consist solely of maintenance dredging in existing channels and harbors.  Since dredging for new channels and harbors is not an issue, maintenance dredging provides predictability in dredging needs.  Historic dredging quantities have been extrapolated to help predict future dredging needs.  Furthermore, dredging sites are fixed and placement locations are limited.

Placement locations provide opportunities but also limit beneficial use options.  For example, when evaluating the feasible sites in the Bayshore, they present the following opportunities and limitations:

1.  Aberdeen Site – water access provides opportunities for barge transport which is more economical than trucking; the facility is currently used as a compost facility with heavy equipment moving in and out of the location; the site is a historic dredged material placement site so the neighboring community is familiar with its use as such.  Limitations include operating heavy machinery near a residential community with transportation of heavy equipment on residential streets.

2.  Aeromarine – water access and historic dredged material placement location. Site is privately owned and future use of site unknown. There has been some official talk about using the Brownfields Program to improve conditions on the site for development opportunities; however, no official decision has been made regarding the fate of this facility.  At this point and time, this site does not offer predictability.

3.   Keansburg – temporary storage area & beach replenishment opportunities.  Site has been used by the NJDEP for temporary storage and beach replenishment.  Opportunities may exist in the future for additional beach nourishment activities.

4. Raritan and Sandy Hook Bay Flood Control Project – the planned Raritan Bay-Sandy Hook Bay Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Plan presents an opportunity for the use of dredged material.  Beach nourishment plans for Old Bridge and Keansburg will require substantial volumes of sand.  Levee protection in Keansburg may present opportunities for geotextile use.  Geotextile tubes can be filled with dredged material and used as foundation material for levee walls.  While beach nourishment will require the use of sand, geotextile tubes can utilize fine grain materials such as silt and clay.  The Storm Damage Reduction Plan includes the study of flood prevention in Leonardo, Port Monmouth, Keyport and the Highlands.  The project is stalled due to inadequate funding but is nevertheless slated to be completed by 2010-2015.

5. Belford Landfill – active facility, other opportunities should be explored.  The landfill currently accepts appropriate material for landfill cover.  A landfill closure plan is under development.  The landfill will not likely provide any long-term solutions for the placement of dredged material.  Existing infrastructure at the facility may make it an appropriate site for material blending/processing.

6. Leonardo Marina – temporary storage area & beach replenishment opportunities.  The Leonardo section of Middletown has expressed concern about beach erosion for years.  This area may present opportunities for beach nourishment activities.

7.   Sandy Hook National Park Bayside Beach Replenishment – The National Park Service has identified a need for 80,000 cubic yards of dredged material for beach replenishment on the bayside of the island.  Required material would consist of sand suitable for beach nourishment.

8.   Construction Site Uses –

Some dredged material can be used as construction material.  In many cases, dredged material consists of a mixture of sand and clay fractions, which requires some type of separation process. Dewatering may also be required because of high water content.

Depending on the sediment type and processing requirements, dredged material may be used as: concrete aggregates (sand and gravel); blending material for septic system leach fields (sand and gravel); backfill material or in the production of bituminous mixtures and mortar (sand); raw material for brick manufacturing (clay with less than 30 percent sand); ceramics, such as tile (clay) pellets for insulation or lightweight backfill or aggregate (clay); raw material for the production of riprap or blocks for the protection of dikes and slopes against erosion (rock, mixture); and raw material for the production of compressed blocks for security walls at military installations and for gated communities and home subdivisions.

Bayshore Recycling Corporation – The Bayshore Recycling Corporation has been working with the NJDEP to obtain authorization to received dredged material for use as a roadway aggregate.  Discussions are still ongoing.  There is potential for the use of large volumes of material.  Additionally, the facility is located on the Raritan where barges of material would have easy access thereby reducing the cost of transporting material in the Bayshore area. 

Mining quarries in the region present opportunities for the beneficial use of dredged material.  Once a quarry has finished extracting mining material, closing plans may seek rehabilitation of the land.  Some rehabilitation plans call for redevelopment of the property by filling and re-grading the landscape.  In some cases, dredged material may be used as fill.  When this occurs, substantial volumes of material can be brought in to improve property topography.  Bernards, New Jersey has undertaken this type of rehabilitation with the Millington Quarry.  Officials estimate that more than 2 million cubic yards of material will be needed to rehabilitate the quarry before development may begin.

B.  Identification of Most Economically Viable Option

The limiting factor in using dredged material beneficially lies with material movement and processing costs.  Loading and Transporting dredged material often accounts for more than half of the costs associated with dredged material management. 

Hydraulic dredging involves the pumping of material into a CDF or onto the beach and can eliminate the need for loading and trucking.  Material is either placed in its permanent location (i.e., the beach) or in a temporary storage area (i.e., a CDF).

Thus, eliminating loading and transportation elements will result in a more economical option.  Beach replenishment along Sandy Hook and Raritan Bays are therefore the most economical option for the Bayshore Region. 

The list below identifies options in order of most difficult to least difficult based on the feasibility of management options, costs and state policy.

•         Habitat Creation & Restoration

•         Open Water Capping

•         Structural Products (e.g., bricks, pavers, etc.)

•         Agricultural Use

•         Topsoil Creation

•         Flood Control Projects

•         Construction Site Use

•         Landfill Cover

•         Beach Replenishment

SECTION XI.  FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS

A decision-making continuum has been developed based on the viable options for the Bayshore community.  Considering a priority continuum marina managers, township officials and state regulators should seek opportunities for:

1. beach replenishment and flood control
2. construction site use, and;
3. material processing for landfill cover, topsoil creation, agricultural soil amendments, and structural products.

 print