Lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and marine environments, especially those in urban waterfront and coastal areas, often have contaminated sediment and surface water and stressed biota from decades of industrial and commercial activities.

Sediment contamination can include metals, crude oil and refined petroleum compounds, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Because contaminated sediment sites present complex challenges, site evaluation and cleanup are expensive and can take several years to implement, and the metrics for remedy effectiveness are not often well defined.

Sediment Assessment and Management

Source control, quantification of background concentrations, assessment of ecological and human health risks, future land use, and stakeholder values are important factors in understanding “how clean is clean.” Effective sediment management plans for water-dependent businesses, institutions, and cities depend on good science; risk assessment and planning; identification and implementation of solutions; stakeholder engagement; actionable and achievable remedy metrics; and monitoring that allows for adaptation as site conditions change.

Geosyntec’s Sediment Management Expertise

Our engineering and scientific staff provide clients with the expertise and resources to resolve a variety of project challenges at many kinds of sites, including small intermittent-flow streams, large artificial and natural lakes, and complex river, estuary, and harbor systems.

Geosyntec has extensive experience with many aspects of site evaluation and sediment management:

• Sediment investigations
• Risk evaluations
• Treatability and pilot testing
• Feasibility studies
• Forensic studies
• Regulatory negotiations
• Permitting
• Environmental monitoring
• Remedial design
• Construction sediment management
• Construction quality control
• Erosion and sediment control

Geosyntec works to develop best-value remedies that reduce risk with minimal disruptions.

To address the complex issues associated with sediment management, our multidisciplinary approach brings together specialists in the following:

• Sediment dredging, capping, and natural recovery
• Ecological and biological sciences
• Risk assessment and applied toxicology
• Earth sciences

A Collaborative Approach to Sediment Remediation

Unique to Geosyntec, we harmonize the site assessment process with our engineering expertise (coastal, hydraulic, hydrologic, and geotechnical), as well as with our experience in water-resources management, climate-change resilience, and ecology to help our clients address the challenges associated with sediment management in waterfront and coastal settings.

We provide a holistic approach to sediment projects. We excel at developing efficient remedial design solutions that support berth maintenance, dredging, sediment capping, carbon amendments, and natural recovery projects, such as an enhanced monitored natural recovery (EMNR). We also specialize in reliable and innovative tools to help our clients implement erosion and sediment control best management practices and manage their financial risks and cost recovery efforts.