News Release
| Release Number: | 97-081 |
| Dated: | 7/31/1997 |
| Contact: | Heidi Y. Helwig, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore. -- In August, the Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will continue its unique marine data collection at the mouth of the Columbia River. The information gathered will help the Corps more effectively use its ocean dredged material disposal sites.
During mid to late August, the Corps will place instruments, mounted on 6-foot-tall tripods on the seabed near the mouth of the Columbia River to measure waves, currents and sediment movement for one year. The Corps conducted similar tests last year, but for a shorter period of time. The longer measurement period for the present data collection is needed to capture the seasonal variability of the environment at the highly diverse area.
The Corps will use the measured data to calibrate computer models which simulate the placement and long-term movement of dredged material. The data collection effort is part of a larger, 5-year monitoring study being conducted by the Corps and its Waterways Experiment Station, a large research and development complex in Vicksburg, Miss.
The Corps will use the study results to improve its management of ocean dredged material disposal sites, where it places the sandy shoal material removed during routine maintenance dredging. Since 1977, the Corps has placed about 104 million cubic yards of dredged material at the mouth of the Columbia River disposal sites.
The measuring instruments will be retrieved and re-deployed periodically to collect the data and to verify that the instruments are functioning properly. Oregon State University is conducting the data collection efforts for this part of the study.