Publication Abstract

Beneficial use of fine dredged material in England and Wales - a success story

R. Waldock, S.G. Bolam and E.Paipai

In 1994 the CEDA Dredging Days paper on "Progress in England and Wales on the development of beneficial uses of dredged material" by Dr Lindsay Murray concluded that the future development of beneficial uses of dredged material in the UK should focus on the use of fine particulate materials in addition to the more established use of granular materials. Since that date, the beneficial use of fine dredged material in the UK has been receiving increasing attention by the regulators and nature conservation parties, and approximately 12 such schemes have been set up even though sea disposal continues to be requested for most dredged material

The success of beneficial use schemes in the last 8-10 years has significantly contributed to an increasing willingness to identify methods of placing fine dredged material other than the traditional foreshore replacement. One of the main drivers was the assurance of the regulators and nature conservation bodies that the retaining of fine dredged material within an estuarine system is one of the more appropriate applications for beneficial use.

This paper will present two case studies where fine dredged material was used beneficially, using both traditional and new methods of placement. It will discuss the roles that factors such as human perception, project timescale, and apt and visible results have played in the implementation of the schemes.

Reference:

R. Waldock, S.G. Bolam and E.Paipai. 2002. Beneficial use of fine dredged material in England and Wales - a success story. CEDA Dredging Days Conference, Casablanca, 2002