Every year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston, TX District dredges 30 to 40 million cubic yards of sediment from federally maintained navigation channels in Texas. USACE has teamed up with coastal design firm Anchor QEA, conservation leader Ducks Unlimited, and the Texas Department of Transportation to create a Beneficial Use of Dredged Material Master Plan for the Texas coast.
Recently, the team launched their online beta Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program for Beneficial Use Advisory groups from all four regions of the Texas coast to submit projects for consideration. The tool can also be used to explore existing project sites and data.
Beneficial use is the positive and productive use of dredged materials for habitat creation and restoration, recreation, and/or commercial uses. Examples listed on the team’s website include beach nourishment, oyster habitat creation, shoreline stabilization and wetland restoration. Dredging is a critical piece in the management of navigable channels, allowing safe passage for vessels through both natural and manmade waterways. In Texas, this dredged material is a rich mix of clays, silts and sand, often mixed with rock or debris. Learn more about beneficial use projects by Anchor QEA here: https://www.anchorqea.com/news/beneficial-use-of-dredged-material-a-win-win-for-coastal-restoration-projects/
Explore the website as it grows here: https://hubs.la/Q02M3LCg0
Image by Tom Fisk via Pexels.com.
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