22 Apr 2020

PUBLICATION NOTICE: Analysis of Nearshore Placement of Sediments at Ogden Dunes, Indiana

ABSTRACT: The harbor structures/shoreline armoring on the southern Lake Michigan shoreline interrupt sand migration. Ogden Dunes, Indiana, and the nearby Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore observed shoreline erosion due to engineered structures associated with Burns Waterway Harbor (east of Ogden Dunes) impeding natural east-to-west sediment migration. To remedy this, USACE placed over 450,000 cubic meters (m3) of dredged material post-2006 in the nearshore of Ogden Dunes. However, the effectiveness of nearshore placements for shoreline protection and littoral nourishment is not fully established. To improve nearshore placement effectiveness, USACE monitored the June/July 2016 placement and subsequent movement of 107,000 m3 of dredged material in the nearshore region at Ogden Dunes. This involved an extensive monitoring scheme (three bathymetry surveys, and two acoustic Doppler current profiler deployments), a Coastal Modeling System (CMS) numerical model of the changes following placement, and a prediction of sediment transport direction using the Sediment Mobility Tool (SMT). The SMT-predicted sediment migration direction was compared to observations. Observations indicated that between 10/11/2016 and 11/15/2016 the centroid of the sediment above the pre-placement survey moved 17 m onshore. These observations agreed with SMT predictions — onshore migration under storm and typical wave conditions. CMS accurately reproduced the hydrodynamic features.

20 Apr 2020

PUBLICATION NOTICE: Design considerations for beneficial use sites along the Channel to Victoria, Calhoun County, Texas

Purpose: This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Regional Sediment Management (RSM) investigation considered implementation of new or historically underutilized beneficial use (BU) sites for the Channel to Victoria (CTV) in Calhoun County, Texas. The utilization of alternative  placement areas is justified on two main grounds: (1) there is cost savings associated with the shorter pump distance compared to the existing upland confined placement areas and (2) shoaling reduction relative to a without project condition. Additional benefits realized by utilizing the proposed sites include (1) increased safety for vessels navigating CTV due to the reduction/elimination of open fetch and currents, (2) additional placement options available in times of emergency dredging, and (3) increased bird habitat, particularly for the endangered whooping crane. These sites have received National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) clearance in previous project documents, and it is anticipated minimal or no additional NEPA coordination will be required to construct/restore these sites.

14 Apr 2020

PUBLICATION NOTICE: Numerical Sedimentation Investigation Mississippi River Cairo to Pilots Station

Report Number: MRG&P Report No. 30 Title: Numerical Sedimentation Investigation Mississippi River Cairo to Pilots Station By Ronald R. Copeland, Leslie Lombard, Roger A. Gaines Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited February 2020 Abstract:  A HEC-6T numerical model of the entire Lower Mississippi River between the end of Southwest Pass and the confluence of the Ohio River was developed. The model, which included over 1000 river miles, was calibrated to 1991-2002 measured data. The purpose of the numerical sedimentation model was to provide a tool to evaluate the long-term and system –wide effects of specific Mississippi River and Tributaries Project features. Model applications related to the effects of sediment diversions and the effects of dredging in the New Orleans District were demonstrated. The model demonstrated the effects of new constrictive works on the long-term and short-term river morphology. The model was used to test the effects of changes in upstream sediment inflow. The model’s ability to assess the effects of natural geomorphic changes, such as erosion of hard points, was demonstrated. Future application of this model to specific project sites should include the addition of more detailed geometry in the area of interest. 230 pages / 7.8 Mb

9 Apr 2020

USACE Galveston District awards second Corpus Christi Ship Channel dredging contract

GALVESTON, Texas – Yesterday the Galveston District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a second multi-million dollar contract for the Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project. Callan Marine, LTD, of Galveston, Texas, will receive $97.9 million, including the base contract and seven options, to dredge Lower Bay Reach as part of Corps efforts to deepen and widen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Five more options are contained in the contract and could be activated at a later date.