News Release
| Release Number: | 01-153 |
| Dated: | 11/23/2001 |
| Contact: | Heidi Y. Helwig, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore.-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' resolve to commit extra resources to balance competing needs at ocean dredged material disposal (ODMD) sites stays strong even in light of the findings of a recently released U.S. Coast Guard report.
The U.S. Coast Guard's final independent investigative report into the loss of three vessels near Peacock Spit at the Columbia River mouth last August and September validates the Corps' earlier opinion that the ODMD site, known as Site E, had no bearing on the unfortunate tragedies that occurred in rough, surf-zone conditions.
The Corps and the Environmental Protection Agency jointly manage ODMD site E to balance competing objectives, such as efficient dredging to maintain the navigable channel for all vessels, minimizing potential wave impacts, and retaining sand in the near-shore littoral system to slow coastal erosion.
To better meet these multiple demands, the Corps is making some changes to its management processes for ODMD sites while it continues to evaluate and consider additional recommendations made following an independent federal review team assessment and thorough internal evaluation.
The initial changes include:
- * The Corps will work with the EPA to update the management and monitoring plan for the MCR ocean disposal sites. There will be an opportunity for public comment.
- * The Corps will increase the frequency of bathymetric surveys at MCR sites during the dredging season to obtain real-time information to manage the sites. The acquisition of an additional survey boat will allow the Corps to meet increased survey needs for the MCR while still meeting surveying needs at other project sites.
- * The Corps will reevaluate its staffing requirements to ensure key tasks, as well as internal and external coordination efforts, are accomplished quickly and efficiently.
Site E, near the mouth of the Columbia River, is important to effectively maintaining the MCR navigation channel and is an environmentally valuable option because it keeps sand in the near shore-system, feeding nearby Benson Beach and northerly up the Long Beach peninsula. Since the area also is a historically used site where sand is constantly shifting due to naturally caused high wave and current energy, impacts on aquatic organisms are minimized. To further minimize potential impacts, the Corps stops using the western portion of the site after Aug. 15 each year when soft-shell crabs may begin moving into the area.