Is high quality sediment monitoring worth its weight in gold?

Dredging activities often result in the suspension of sediment into the water column in the vicinity of the activity. Sediment release to the aquatic environment and the effects of this release are often the prime environmental concern associated with dredging.

Adaptive or feedback monitoring

Adaptive or feedback monitoring is used for a few predictable variables forecasted by modelling, which are then monitored continuously during the work.

Surveillance or BACI monitoring

Surveillance or BACI monitoring (Before-After-Control Impact) assesses temporal and spatial changes to parameters before and during the dredging works.

Environmental Monitoring and Management Plans

Environmental management of marine reclamation works helps manage impacts of dredging and ensures that a project’s quality objectives are met.

Monitoring Equipment

Monitoring equipment provides ongoing data about the quality of soils, quantities of soil and depths being dredged and environmental issues.

Environmental Monitoring Programmes

Environmental monitoring programmes are targeted towards variables identified as important for the specific local ecological system being dredged.

Contractual Monitoring

Contractual monitoring during the project is monitoring as stipulated in the dredging contract and may even be included in the conditions of permitting.

Compliance Monitoring

Compliance monitoring is used to ensure that all legally or contractually stipulated restrictions are being met during the dredging process. This is the primary objective in planning a compliance monitoring programme.