A secret to restoring the Chesapeake Bay is just waiting to be unearthed. In the maritime state of Maryland, dredging is done routinely to keep waterways navigable by removing shoals and making sure channels are deep enough for boats to pass. But the materials removed from the waterways — sediment, sand, mud — have to be placed somewhere. “Beneficial use” is the practice of putting dredged material to work — restoring marshes, stabilizing shorelines, and creating storm-resilient landscapes. The practice isn’t new, but the urgency is growing. Upland disposal sites are filling, shorelines are eroding, and coastal communities are facing the twin challenges of sea level rise and stronger storms. That’s why beneficial use, known in the restoration community as “BU”, is becoming increasingly important — and also why the field continues to evolve. Today, thin-layer placement and marsh restoration techniques are being refined, monitoring approaches are improving, and design standards are advancing to meet both ecological and community needs to protect our waterfront communities. This summer the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy hosted a workshop for local planners and practitioners to learn more about the beneficial use of dredged materials. On July 24, nearly 70 […]
The post Beneficial Use of Dredged Material: Maryland Clarifies Potential from a Muddy Term appeared first on Southern Maryland News Net.
Source: https://smnewsnet.comNew feed