Publication Abstract

Intertidal Placement of Dredged Material: A Biological Perspective

S. Bolam, H. Rees, L. Murray and R. Waldock

In the UK, the use of fine-grained dredged material for intertidal habitat creation, or beneficial use, is currently being viewed as an environmentally beneficial method of disposing what has been traditionally regarded as waste. At present, uncertainties over the biological recovery of this activity partly limits its placement to small-scale field trials. This paper presents the research approach being undertaken at CEFAS to improve our understanding of the invertebrate recovery mechanisms and to what extent they are affected by dredged material properties (organic content, particle size). This is being achieved via a combination of site-specific and none site-specific research. The site-specific approach involves investigating the recovery of a number of representative beneficial use schemes on the Essex and Suffolk coasts, UK. These schemes vary in a number of variables making assessments as to the effect of dredged material properties equivocal; field manipulation experiments comprising the none site-specific approach addresses this. The preliminary conclusions from these approaches are presented.

Reference:

S. Bolam, H. Rees, L. Murray and R. Waldock. 2002. Intertidal Placement of Dredged Material: A Biological Perspective. pp. 3606-3614 In: Solving Coastal Conundrums, International Conference of the Institute of Coastal Engineers, Cardiff 2002