Environmental Effects of Dredging Technical Notes

Abstract

The stress placed on the environment by modern technological processes since the end of World War II signifies a clear need for an investigation of the role dredging plays in placing stress on the environment. This paper summarizes the present state-of-the-art of the effects of dredging on the environment. There are several possible advantageous effects of dredging on the environment including: removal of polluted bottom sediments for storage or treatment; advantageous change in flow patterns; reoxygenation of sediments and the water columns; and resuspension of nutrients. The possible deleterious effects include: removal or burial of habitats; change in the flow pattern; resuspension of polluted bottom sediments; and may present a barrier to movement of marine life. The needs for further research are delineated and the need to judge each proposed dredging operation on its own merits is pointed out.