Sedimentation and Dredging (DM-26.3), Section 3: Dredging

This section covers dredging for naval harbors. It describes how the work is accomplished, whether with Navy-owned equipment, Corps of Engineers equipment, or contracts with private firms, and summarizes current dredging practice at naval harbors, where the average annual maintenance dredging runs from about 0.1 million cubic yards at some bases to more than 2 million at others, and where much of the work is removing shoaled material from under berthing piers.

It then explains the economic factors, including the amount of material to be dredged, since mobilization and demobilization costs weigh heavily on small projects; the distance to the disposal site; environmental considerations; new work versus maintenance dredging; and other factors.

The section closes with planning, which covers jurisdiction and permits, site investigations, quantities, disposal areas, and use of dredged material, and with dredging equipment, comparing mechanical dredges, hydraulic dredges, and special equipment and offering guidance on how to select among them.

In this chapter

• General
• Accomplishment of Work
  • Navy-owned equipment
  • Corps of Engineers equipment
  • Contracts with private firms
• Current Dredging Practice
• Economic Factors
  • Amount of material to be dredged
  • Distance to the disposal site
  • Environmental considerations
  • New work versus maintenance dredging
• Planning
  • Jurisdiction and permits
  • Dredging-site investigation
  • Dredging quantities
  • Disposal areas
  • Use of dredged material
• Dredging Equipment
  • Mechanical dredges
  • Hydraulic dredges
  • Special equipment
  • Selection of dredging equipment