Modernizing procedures and documentation for aquatic placement of dredged sediment : processes and supportive tools

The US Army Corps of Engineers’ mission to dredge sediment and maintain navigation channels requires a physical, chemical, and toxicological evaluation of the sediment to meet statutory requirements. The existing national guidance manuals were jointly published by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1991 (Ocean Testing Manual) and 1998 (Inland Testing Manual). These manuals provide useful guidance to end users but are over 25 years old. Since the publication of these guidance manuals, considerable research and development to modernize testing occurred, including workshops to incorporate modern developments into future guidance. To date, efforts to publish updated procedures have been unsuccessful. This report, published solely by the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, summarizes technical advancements that could be considered in future jointly published guidance manuals. It provides value by suggesting modernized testing methods and interpretative approaches for dredging evaluations, in part through improved decision and data documentation using software executables and a structured, evidence-based and communicative approach. The Ocean Testing Manual remains the policy guidance to address Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act testing requirements and the Inland Testing Manual remains the policy guidance to address Clean Water Act testing requirements.

NOTE: The attached PDF is a revised version of ERDC TR-23-6, and was released in March of 2025. The original PDF, released in May of 2023, has been superseded