M6 PM Fate and Transport of Pollutants from Dredging and Placement
Monday, 14 November 2005: 1:50 PM - 5:30 PM in 324-326

(KEI-1117-741152) Confined Disposal Facility Evaluations using Uplands Testing Manual.

Keil, K¹, ¹ US Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, Buffalo, NY, USA

ABSTRACT- Contaminant monitoring assessments are underway in order to determine whether or not further management actions need to be taken at the Federal dredged material confined disposal facilities (CDFs) within the Buffalo District, US Army Corps of Engineers, in order to ensure protection of human health and the environment. Management actions would be recommended if it is determined that contaminants are migrating from dredged material within the CDF into the environment outside the facility at levels that would pose a risk to human health or the environment. These evaluations follow guidance contained in the Evaluation of Dredged Material Proposed for Disposal at Island, Nearshore, or Upland Confined Dsposal Facilities Testing Manual (UTM) (USACE 2003), and involve successive tiers of assessment. The UTM uses a risk-based approach in which potential contaminant migration pathways are identified. The migration pathways are routes by which contaminants or constituents of potential concern associated with dredged material within the CDF may move from the dredged material into the environment outside the facility. Secondly, environmental or human receptors are identified. These receptors have the potential to be exposed to contaminants associated with the dredged material inside the CDF, once these contaminants migrate outside the facility. Thirdly, risk-based screening levels are identified that are protective of the identified receptors that could be exposed via the identified migration pathways. In the first tier of the evaluation, concentrations of constituents in the dredged material are compared to the risk-based criteria. If screening levels are exceeded, then additional tiers of analysis may be warranted. The additional tiered evaluations include further modeling, or laboratory or field based testing. If further modeling and testing still indicates a potential ffor risk, then the final tier in this evaluation is a site-specific risk assessment.

Key words: dredged, sediment, confined, risk