During my time at the DNREC Shoreline and Waterway Management Section, I developed data-based method to prioritize statewide dredging projects in Delaware’s Inland Bays and along the Delaware Bay coast.

Management Need:

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Shoreline and Waterway Management Section (DNREC SWMS) conducts waterway management operations statewide in Delaware. Among these operations is channel dredging. State-owned dredges are ideally sized for maintenance of select channel portions and state-operated boat ramps and marinas, but large or complex dredging jobs (often those with >20,000 cubic yards of material to dredge) are contracted out and overseen by DNREC SWMS staff. For these projects, a contracted consulting engineering firm usually manages the planning, permitting, and construction management, and a contracted dredge company performs the dredging.

Project Goal:

The goal of this project was to ensure public funds are spent effectively using a data-driven prioritization process to plan for contractual dredging projects.

Project Outcome:

This project integrates the results of a stakeholder survey and additional stakeholder engagement led by NOAA Coastal Management Fellow Sierra Davis.

I led the development of a simple, data-driven tool that evaluates: 1) surveyed water depths; 2) channels connecting major waterbodies; 3) on-the-water fuel access; 4) number of boat slips; 5) number of boat ramps; and 6) emergency vessel docking or launching. Each factor is weighted based on stakeholder preference, and each channel is assigned a total score and overall rank using these factors.

Annually, top channels are selected for further evaluation by DNREC staff and potential contractual project implementation including all necessary planning, permitting, construction, and monitoring.

In my role at the DNREC Shoreline and Waterway Management Section, I assisted with planning and permitting for beneficial use of dredged material projects.

Management Need:

Retaining sediment within coastal systems is a preferred alternative to upland disposal of materials dredged from navigation channels. Additionally, upland disposal sites are limited in areas such as coastal Delaware, where suburban growth has increased land values.

Beneficial use of dredged sediment requires careful planning to match sediment from the channel with areas of potential ecosystem restoration or other beneficial uses, such as placement of sandy material on beaches.

In the Delaware Inland Bays, detailed geologic mapping of estuarine was last completed over 40 years ago (early 1980s) and data from navigation channels is limited only to recent (last 10-20 years) projects.

Project Goal:

The goal of this project was to address data gaps and characterize grain size and sediment composition in recreational.

Project Outcome:

During my time at DNREC, I secured external funds from the Delaware Coastal Programs (NOAA) to collect vibracores (shallow sediment cores) from select navigation channels. These data will allow DNREC scientists, planners, and engineers to match potential dredged sediment with sediment placements needs for restoration of local beaches and marshes

Examples of ongoing beneficial use of dredged material in Delaware include:

White Creek - Beneficial use of mixed mud and sand material for marsh restoration

Assawoman Canal - Beneficial use of sandy material in a local dune crossover

Murderkill River Entrance Channel and Inlet - Beneficial use of sandy material on an adjacent sandy beach