USA: Corps Invites Public Input on Columbia River Dredging

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking comments on the draft environmental assessment for the Columbia River Federal Navigation Channel Operations and Maintenance Dredging and Dredged Material Placement Network Update, River Mile 3 to 106.5.

The Corps is proposing to continue operation and maintenance of the Columbia River Federal Navigation Channel and update the dredged material placement network in the mentioned area.

In 2003, the Corps identified 29 sites suitable for 20 years of dredged material placement use after construction of the 43-foot deep-draft navigation channel.

Since the completion of the deepened channel in 2010, some sites in the network have reached capacity or are nearing site capacity beyond what was evaluated by the Corps in 2003. Additionally, several upland dredged material placement sites have been removed from the list of available dredged material placement sites.

Reconfiguring the existing network with updated volume capacity, the use of a new in-water sump, and the addition of shoreline placement to an existing upland dredged material placement site will allow the Corps to improve strategic management of dredged material placement.

The updated network will allow for greater flexibility for maintaining the navigation channel.

[mappress]

Press Release, April 6, 2014