Surveying and monitoring are two separate processes, both of which have an essential role in dredging operations.
Surveying
Surveys are conducted as a part of a project to define the characteristics of soils and subsoils at the dredging site and/or borrow area. Surveys will determine characteristics of the marine surroundings, such as water depth, currents, waves, temperature, salinity, wind, turbidity, TSS and types of sediment.
Monitoring
Monitoring of a project is an exercise in quality and quantity control to determine if a dredging operation is meeting the performance requirements that have been stipulated. Monitoring will determine in land reclamation projects, if the quality of fill is suitable for the purpose of the project; in deepening channels, if the correct depths have been dredged; and in all cases, if a project fulfils the environmental requirements.
Subjects
Surveying and Monitoring
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Adaptive or feedback monitoring
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Compliance Monitoring
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Contractual Monitoring
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Environmental Monitoring Programmes
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Geological and Geotechnical Data
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Hydraulic Data
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Monitoring
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Monitoring Equipment
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Morphological and Environmental data
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Navigable Depth
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Site Investigation
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Surveillance or BACI monitoring
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Surveying
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Articles
Study of greenhouse gas emissions during ripening of dredged marine sediment
As increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions contribute to global warming, it is becoming more important to consider the carbon footprint of hydraulic engineering projects. This carbon footprint is more complex than previously thought however, as it can also include the carbon dynamics of the sediments from which projects are built. The purpose of this study was to provide a first approximation from sediment-related GHG emissions of dredged sediments. Using the case study of the clay ripening pilot project (‘Kleirijperij’) in Groningen, the Netherlands, one phase of sediment processing was examined: the ripening of dredged sediments for use as a clay material in dyke construction.
Balancing project progress and limited system knowledge in Amatique Bay
The development of a new marine project demands a system approach in which all aspects, including technical, economic, environmental and social, are considered and integrated equally and at an early stage. While insufficient information may be available to make informed decisions, choices need to be made to progress a project, assess impacts and risks, and engage stakeholders. This article explores the case of a new port terminal in Amatique Bay, Guatemala. A method was developed to assess, at an early stage, the potential negative impacts on seagrass habitats from the disposal of dredged material at different locations, while having limited real-time and location-specific information at hand.
LIFE MARINAPLAN PLUS Project: Sustainable marine and coastal seabed management
In June 2019, the research team of the LIFE MARINAPLAN PLUS project began operating the first-of-a-kind demonstration plant installation at the harbour entrance of Marina di Cervia (Italy). Fulfilling the project’s objective to apply at industrial scale a reliable technology for the sustainable management of sediment in marine infrastructures, this technology prevents harbour silting through the use of submerged devices called ‘ejectors’ installed on the seabed.
The Smartsediment tool: a QGIS plug-in for evaluating ecosystems services
Managing sediments, especially from dredging, is important for the management of estuaries and coastal areas. When implemented in the right way, a sediment management strategy can be qualified as a nature-based solution as it uses the physical processes of erosion and sedimentation to create added value. There is a need for an evaluation of sediment strategies and the habitats that are created for a wider range of objectives than only biodiversity and nature conservation. The concept of ecosystem services provides this broader framework.
Monitoring of settling and consolidation of mud after water injection dredging in the Calandkanaal
As regular maintenance and relocation of sediment deposits are highly expensive, Port authorities seek more efficient solutions for reducing the costs and CO2 emissions of maintenance dredging. One solution, water injection dredging (WID), is carried out for maintaining the sediment deposits which predominantly consist of clay and silt. WID has been proven to be a cheaper solution by leaving the sediment in place, eliminating substantial costs for relocation of the dredged sediment.
Mapping water quality with drones: test case in Texel
Winning co-author Liesbeth De Keukelaere the Young Author Award, an article about the pilot test case organised at the Prins Hendrik Zanddijk project in Texel, The Netherlands, demonstrating drone technology for water quality monitoring.
Can Workability be Enhanced by Operational Wave Modelling?
IADC’s Young Author Award winner François De Keuleneer and co-authors Joris de Vroom and Arjan Mol discuss the Workability Tool which ensures captains of specialised vessels can make informed decisions to dredge during favourable wave conditions.
Is high quality sediment monitoring worth its weight in gold?
Dredging activities often result in the suspension of sediment into the water column in the vicinity of the activity. Sediment release to the aquatic environment and the effects of this release are often the prime environmental concern associated with dredging.
An Improved Integrated Approach for Optimising Shipping Channel Capacity for Australian Ports
The continuing surge in vessel sizes is putting increased pressure on port authorities worldwide. Experts recount the implementation of innovative modelling for maintaining channel depths at the ports of Brisbane and Geelong, Australia.
Some Proven Benefits of Polymer Use in the Treatment of Sediments in Recent Dredging Projects
To show the success of polymer use in highly contaminated areas, two recent projects are presented: at Port-La-Forêt harbour in La Forêt-Fouesnant, France and at the Kishon River seven kilometres downstream from Haifa, Israel.
Randle Reef Sediment Remediation: Current Status of Construction and Next Steps
Randle Reef at Hamilton Harbour, an Area of Concern (AOC), is the largest site in Canada contaminated with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). A collaboration of municipal and federal entities is working on remediation measures.
Aerial Survey Techniques Applied for Stockpile Progress Measurements
Multicopters, unmanned aerial surveyors, can fly and take pictures in difficult-to-reach or potentially dangerous areas, improving the speed and safety of acquiring data.
Monitoring Programme for the Maasvlakte 2, Part III – The Effects of Underwater Sound
TNO’s acoustic surveys of dredgers during all phases of the dredging cycle showed that permanent hearing threshold shift was not exceeded in any cases studied or in any species in question.
Dredging Phase I of the Non-Time Critical Removal Action in the Lower Passaic River
Removing sediments with high dioxin concentrations requires extra care, with modern surveying and tracking techniques from beginning to end, from dredging to a high-tech dewatering process to the final disposal.
Application of Modern Survey Techniques in Today’s Dredging Practice
A review of survey and monitoring techniques as well as specialised environmental systems are realised in an "ideal" vessel.
Facts About
Beneficial Use of Dredged Material
The Fact Sheet "Beneficial Use of Dredged Material" describes methods and answers questions about how to deal with large quantities of sediments in relation to dredging projects and ecological developments
Underwater Surveys
“Facts About Underwater Surveys” describes why surveys are crucial to a well-executed dredging project and the technologies and instruments being used.
Environmental Monitoring
The Fact Sheet "Environmental Monitoring” describes the methods used to alert dredging contractors to environmental impacts so they can be addressed quickly.
Publications
Dredging for Sustainable Infrastructure
The book Dredging for Sustainable Infrastructure gives state-of-the-art guidance on how to design, implement and manage a water infrastructure project with a dredging component to project owners, regulators, consultants, designers and contractors.
Webinars
The importance of survey and site investigation of project sites and sand borrow areas
In this session, Alkwin Landewee of Boskalis will inform you why it is important for a successful dredging project to do a good survey and site investigation, based on his own experiences in Manila in the Philippines.
Meet the Expert webinar series
IADC presents a series of interactive free live webinars with experts from the dredging sector. Topics discussed are all based on high-profile projects.