Dredged Material Disposal Modeling in Puget Sound

Abstract

Results from a series of numerical model runs predicting the shortterm physical fate of dredged material disposed in the open water of Puget Sound are presented along with a discussion of the numerical model applied. The first set of results is from a generic study covering a wide range of water depths and ambient currents. The range of conditions tested is intended to represent typical ambient conditions and material to be disposed in Puget Sound. The second set of results is from a study concerning the modeling of the fate of material to be dredged at the proposed U.S. Navy Home Port in Everett, Washington. Current plans call for disposal of the material at a site located in 81 m of water in Puget Sound. The approach under study is to dispose of the contaminated material from a bottomdumping barge to be capped by the following disposal of uncontaminated material from a surface pipeline with an attached splash plate to minimize the bottom impact of the capping material.