Regional Sediment Regional Sediment ManagementManagement (RSM)(RSM)

Great Lakes Dredging Team June 2005

Lynn R. MartinUSACE, Institute for Water Resources

703-428-8065lynn.r.martin@usace.army.mil

RSM ApproachRSM Approach

Integrates management of Integrates management of projects/activities projects/activities involving sand & other sediments within the involving sand & other sediments within the context of coastal, river & estuarine systemscontext of coastal, river & estuarine systems

Regional sediment system Regional sediment system --Sources, sinks, timing, direction, Sources, sinks, timing, direction, quantity, quality, influencing factors quantity, quality, influencing factors ……

Recognizes Sediment as a ResourceRecognizes Sediment as a ResourceIntegral to economic and environmental vitalityIntegral to economic and environmental vitalityConsider the multiple interConsider the multiple inter--related resource needs and related resource needs and opportunitiesopportunities

UsesUsesKnowledge about the sediment system as context for Knowledge about the sediment system as context for local project decisions and consideration of long range local project decisions and consideration of long range implicationsimplicationsPartnerships across government levels and w/ private Partnerships across government levels and w/ private sector sector −−

to balance objectives and leverage resourcesto balance objectives and leverage resources

“Sediment-shed” Approach

Larger scale context for project scale decisions

Actions that affect the Actions that affect the transporttransport, , erosion, erosion, removalremoval, and , and depositiondeposition of sediment in a of sediment in a regionregion

--

e.g.e.g.

Dredging and placementDredging and placementBuilding structures that divert or trap sedimentBuilding structures that divert or trap sedimentErosion protection structures or methods for Erosion protection structures or methods for

riverbanks, shorelines, sea beds, and channel riverbanks, shorelines, sea beds, and channel bottomsbottomsHabitat stabilization and restorationHabitat stabilization and restorationSand and gravel mining for construction or other Sand and gravel mining for construction or other

purposespurposes

Sediment Management Activities

Integration ofIntegration of

Corps projects & programs related to Corps projects & programs related to sedimentsedimentCorps with Other public and private Corps with Other public and private projects/programs related by sediment projects/programs related by sediment systemsystemSediment needs and opportunities as Sediment needs and opportunities as expressed by Federal and nonexpressed by Federal and non--federal federal stakeholdersstakeholders

What is the What is the ““RegionRegion””??

FirstFirst defined in terms of sediment regimedefined in terms of sediment regimeEncompassed by the sediment cell or systemEncompassed by the sediment cell or systemIncludes the sediment sources, sinks and influencing Includes the sediment sources, sinks and influencing featuresfeatures

Consider the area over which management Consider the area over which management actions will have impactactions will have impact

Within the time frame of interestWithin the time frame of interestWith regard to plan objectives or management issuesWith regard to plan objectives or management issues

Then, overlay geopolitical, regulatory and Then, overlay geopolitical, regulatory and management jurisdictionsmanagement jurisdictions..

Management Domains: Regions - Sediment, Political

Management Domains: Regions - Sediment, Political

= Cell Balance= Cell Gain= Cell Loss= Confidence M/L= Quantifying= Unknown

Regional Sediment BudgetRegional Sediment BudgetRegional Sediment Budget

RSM Demonstration ProjectsRSM Demonstration Projects

Southern California(SPL, SPD) Northern

Gulf (SAM)

NE, SW Florida (SAJ)

New York (NAN)New Jersey (NAP)

Southeast Lake Michigan (LRE)Pacific Northwest

(NWD, NWP, NWS)

• To examine, apply and evaluate RSM opportunities, practices, tools, benefits and impediments

• 8 Districts, 10 states

• Different scopes, scales and focus.– Originally coastal focus, now some include related river systems

• Components in each: Technical, Programmatic/Procedural, Institutional

Texas Coast (SWG)POH

Ventura HarborVentura Harbor

CarpinteriaCarpinteria

Emma Wood Emma Wood State BeachState Beach

McGrath State McGrath State BeachBeach

Ormond BeachOrmond Beach

Los Angeles District

Regional Sediment Placement Regional Sediment Placement Optimization ModelOptimization Model

Beneficial Regional Reuse.Beneficial Regional Reuse.Maximize Net Benefits.Maximize Net Benefits.GIS Interactive Management.GIS Interactive Management.Considerations:Considerations:

Dredge PlatformsDredge PlatformsPlacement MethodPlacement MethodSediment QualitySediment QualityNourishment NeedsNourishment NeedsEnvironmental ConstraintsEnvironmental ConstraintsTransport DistanceTransport DistanceAvailable VolumeAvailable VolumeShoreline ConfigurationShoreline ConfigurationLocal Benefits vs. Incremental CostLocal Benefits vs. Incremental Cost

Implementation of RSM Philosophy Implementation of RSM Philosophy into DMMP Development (LRE)into DMMP Development (LRE)

Expand Focus of DMMP from Expand Focus of DMMP from ProjectProject--BasedBasedDecisions to Decisions to RegionalRegional--BasedBased Decisions.Decisions.Include All Include All StakeholdersStakeholders in Decision making Process. in Decision making Process. Address Address Sediment ManagementSediment Management Effects rather than Effects rather than Dredging andDredging and Disposal NeedsDisposal Needs..

Applying RSM Philosophy Applying RSM Philosophy At Michigan CityAt Michigan City Outer Harbor Outer Harbor –– BenefitsBenefits..

Clean / Beach Suitable Clean / Beach Suitable Sediment.Sediment.Sediment Management Sediment Management Plans.Plans.

Trail Creek Trail Creek -- ReductionReduction..Both Contaminated and Both Contaminated and NonNon--Contaminated Contaminated Sediment.Sediment.Requires Upland Requires Upland Disposal.Disposal.Sediment Management Sediment Management Plans to Limit Future Plans to Limit Future Dredging of Dredging of Contaminated Contaminated Sediment.Sediment.Utilize Utilize Section 516(e) Section 516(e) ––Great Lakes Tributary Great Lakes Tributary ModelingModeling to Control to Control Sediments from Sediments from UpstreamUpstream..

Section 516(e) Section 516(e) ––

Great Lakes Great Lakes Tributary ModelingTributary Modeling

WRDA 1996WRDA 1996Develop sediment Develop sediment transport models for transport models for tributaries to the Great tributaries to the Great Lakes that discharge into Lakes that discharge into Federal Navigation Federal Navigation Channels.Channels.Model may Contain Model may Contain Hydrologic, Hydraulic, Hydrologic, Hydraulic, Sediment Delivery, and Sediment Delivery, and Sediment Transport Sediment Transport components.components.Models given to local Models given to local Sponsor for Watershed Sponsor for Watershed Management.Management.

RSM BenefitsRSM Benefits

Cost savings Cost savings –– reduced rehandling of material, leveraging across projects reduced rehandling of material, leveraging across projects (e.g. joint disposal sites, off loading/stockpiling for future u(e.g. joint disposal sites, off loading/stockpiling for future use, combining se, combining mobmob--demobilization demobilization Reintroduction of sand to starved littoral systems Reintroduction of sand to starved littoral systems –– habitat, reduced habitat, reduced erosionerosionReduce ShoalingReduce ShoalingEnhanced Environmental protection, restorationEnhanced Environmental protection, restorationMaterial availability for reuse Material availability for reuse

Inventory and prioritize sand sources and needsInventory and prioritize sand sources and needsSediment budget & processesSediment budget & processes

Future problem solving readiness Future problem solving readiness -- Data, models, info for future uses in Data, models, info for future uses in region region –– reduced duplicationreduced duplicationImproved agency and institutional relationships Improved agency and institutional relationships –– quicker processes, quicker processes, leveraging potentialleveraging potentialImproved decisions; greater consistency in analytical resultsImproved decisions; greater consistency in analytical resultsEnterprise GIS w/stakeholder data links, integrated data and moEnterprise GIS w/stakeholder data links, integrated data and monitoring, nitoring, regional system modelsregional system models

Support for RSM Approach Support for RSM Approach

Director of Civil WorksDirector of Civil Works endorsed endorsed --((CERBCERB))CW Strategic Plan CW Strategic Plan endorses endorses ““watershedwatershed”” and and ““integrated approachesintegrated approaches””–– RSM is an example RSM is an example NDT Action agenda NDT Action agenda –– strengthen and strengthen and accelerate RSMaccelerate RSM

RSM and RSM and RDTsRDTs

Avenues for stakeholder involvement and Avenues for stakeholder involvement and collaborationcollaboration

Federal, State and other perspectives on system Federal, State and other perspectives on system or regional approaches and implications for or regional approaches and implications for sediment managementsediment managementIdeas, concerns, capabilities, needs, Ideas, concerns, capabilities, needs, opportunitiesopportunities

Regional sediment management strategyRegional sediment management strategyDevelopmentDevelopment

DMMPsDMMPs key key –– regional contextregional contextImplementation Implementation –– regional, localregional, local

Refine approach, policies; ID issuesRefine approach, policies; ID issuesRSM defined differently, but complimentaryRSM defined differently, but complimentary

DiscussionDiscussion

Regarding sediment related actions in regionRegarding sediment related actions in regione.g., dredging channels, beach nourishment, habitat e.g., dredging channels, beach nourishment, habitat restoration/protection, sand and gravel mining, bluff restoration/protection, sand and gravel mining, bluff protection erosion control, otherprotection erosion control, other

Do you see potential benefit in regional Do you see potential benefit in regional approaches to these?approaches to these?

If RSM is good idea, why donIf RSM is good idea, why don’’t we do more of it?t we do more of it?What are impediments to making local decisions in the What are impediments to making local decisions in the context of regional system processes ?context of regional system processes ?

What should policy makers consider or include?What should policy makers consider or include?Roles for GLDT? Roles for GLDT?

Regional Sediment Management info:

http://www.wes.army.mil/rsm/

RSM Primer:

http://www.wes.army.mil/rsm/pubs/pdfs/ rsmprimer.pdf

For More Information: