The Mobile District US Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for maintaining the Mobile Harbor Federal navigation channel to the authorized and constructed depths. The cost to maintain the Mobile Harbor federal navigation channel to the federal standard (pursuant to 33 CFR 335.7) is currently at 100% federal expense. The Port of Mobile is a critical economic engine, and maintaining the shipping channel through dredging and dredge material management is essential. The federal standard for the Mobile Harbor Federal navigation channel includes placement of dredged material in upland sites, thin layer placement, Sand Island Beneficial Use Area (SIBUA) and the Mobile Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site (ODMDS).

The Mobile District US Army Corps of Engineers manages a large volume of sediment to maintain the Mobile Harbor Federal navigation channel. An overview of the scale of sediment and alternatives for placement are explained in the fact sheets below.

Alabama Department of Environmental Management. (n.d.). Water quality certification (Section 401). Available from: Alabama Department of Environmental Management – Water Programs. URL: https://adem.alabama.gov/programs/water/wquality.cnt

Berkowitz, J., VanZomeren, C., & Piercy, C. (2017). Thin-layer placement for habitat enhancement. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. Available from: ERDC Library (search by title or author). URL: https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil

Berkowitz, J., et al. (2019). Thin-layer placement of dredged material: Technical framework. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. Available from: ERDC Library (search “Thin-layer placement of dredged material: Technical framework”). URL: https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil

Byrnes, M. R., et al. (2013). Sediment budget for Mobile Bay, Alabama. Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. Available from: CIRP / ERDC Library (search “Sediment budget Mobile Bay Byrnes 2013”). URL: https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil

DeLaune, R. D., et al. (1990). Response of coastal marshes to thin-layer sediment additions. Estuaries. Access via DOI. DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.2307/1352351

Gailani, J. Z., et al. (2014). Hydrodynamic and sediment transport modeling for Mobile Bay, Alabama. ERDC/CHL Technical Report. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. Available from: ERDC Library (search report title). URL: https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil

Mendelssohn, I. A., & Kuhn, N. L. (2003). Sediment additions and wetland stability. Ecological Economics. Access via DOI. DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8009(02)00265-4

Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. (2014). Sediment Profile Imaging (SPI) Study for Mobile Bay. Available from: Mobile Bay NEP – Publications/Library (search “SPI Mobile Bay 2014”). URL: https://www.mobilebaynep.com

Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. (n.d.). Sediments issue page. URL: https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/sediments

Mohan, R. K., et al. (2016). Thin-layer placement in wetlands: Applications and outcomes. Ecological Engineering. Access via DOI. DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.05.018

NASA Earth Observatory. (n.d.). Landsat and Skylab imagery archive. URL: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images

Smith, J., & Niles, M. (2016). Sediment augmentation and wetland resilience. Available from: ResearchGate or journal site (search by title and authors). URL: https://www.researchgate.net

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District. (n.d.). Environmental documents. Available from: USACE Mobile District – Planning and Environmental. URL: https://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning-Environmental

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District. (n.d.). Mobile Harbor General Reevaluation Report and NEPA documents. URL: https://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning-Environmental/Mobile-Harbor-GRR

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District. (n.d.). Planning and environmental documents, including geotechnical data. URL: https://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning-Environmental

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District. (n.d.). Sand Island Beneficial Use Area (SIBUA). URL: https://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Navigation

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. (2011). Sediment management and thin-layer placement guidance. ERDC/CHL CHETN‑XIV‑41. Available from: ERDC Library (search “CHETN-XIV-41”). URL: https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. (2012). Thin-layer placement of dredged material: Literature review and case studies. ERDC TN‑DOER‑E37. Available from: ERDC Library (search “TN-DOER-E37”). URL: https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. (2014). Brookley Hole Monitoring Study. ERDC/TR‑14‑10. Available from: ERDC Library (search “TR-14-10 Brookley Hole”). URL: https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. (2017). Regional Sediment Management: Thin-layer placement techniques. ERDC/TN RSM‑17‑4. Available from: ERDC Library (search “RSM-17-4”). URL: https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Mobile Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site (ODMDS). URL: https://www.epa.gov/ocean-dumping/mobile-ocean-dredged-material-disposal-site

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. (2019). Thin-layer placement overview video. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiPdU87lwl8

Wilber, D. H., Clarke, D. G., & Rees, S. I. (2007). Ecological effects of thin-layer placement of dredged material. Marine Pollution Bulletin. Access via DOI. DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.01.030