T1 AM Contaminat Cycling Assessment and Prevention in the NY/NJ Harbor (Part 1)
Tuesday, 15 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 11:40 AM in Ballroom 1

(WAK-1117-665363) Dredging and Sediment Management at the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Wakeman, Thomas¹, ¹ General Manager, Waterways Development, Port Authority of NY and NJ, Port Commerce Department, New York, NY, USA

ABSTRACT- The accumulation of anthropogenic contamination in New York Harbor sediments has occurred for several centuries, primarily from land based municipal and industrial sources. Contaminants introduced into surface waters rapidly become scavenged by suspended particles, which then tend to settle to the bottom in quiet areas including berths and navigation channels. Unfortunately these contaminated sediments are causing environmental problems and economic hardships for the Port of NY and NJ. Sediments must be routinely dredged to clear navigation channels to maintain navigational safety. In the mid–1990s, the ocean disposal site for dredged material from the Harbor was closed because of concerns over sediment contamination. Since then there has been increasing estuarine research by the States of New York and New Jersey to assess pollutant inputs, clean up requirements and timeframes needed to regain clean sediments, as defined by the capability for unrestricted ocean placement. Contaminated sediments are the source for toxicant bioaccumulation in the Harborãs marine resources. Because of the potential for uptake and biomagnification of these chemicals, port managers must find expensive confined dredged material disposal alternatives. Sediment management, contaminants sources, and the level and degree of clean-up needed to return the Harbor ecosystem to vibrant health are inter-related issues. One approach for addressing this issue is the development of sediment management strategy for the Newark Bay region. The strategy will help guide port decision-makers in their efforts to dredge regional waterways and to ameliorate the contaminated sediment disposal problem. The backbone of the strategy is an assessment of the quantity and quality of sediments accumulating in the Bayãs channels over the next 20 years. This presentation describes the work undertaken to integrate the ongoing research studies, field investigations and modeling activities to provide the navigation and port industries with a sediment management strategy for the Newark Bay navigation facilities.

Key words: NY/NJ Harbor, sediments, contamination, dredging