Approved by the Energy, Environment, and Water Policy Committee on February 17, 2026  
Approved by the Public Policy and Practice Committee on May 27, 2026
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 21, 2026

Policy

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports the beneficial management of dredged sediments as a sustainable, cost-effective, and resilient practice that provides positive benefits such as improved navigation, ecosystem restoration, and coastal storm risk reduction. Specifically, ASCE encourages:

  • Management of dredged sediment by Federal, state, and local agencies as a strategic natural resource and to prioritize its placement in ways that maximize environmental, economic, and social benefits.
  • Increasing the amount of dredged sediment directed to beneficial use projects.
  • The purposeful alignment of dredging projects with beneficial use projects by Federal, state, local, and private entities.
  • The use of contaminated sediment where possible in safe and environmentally responsible manners that avoid impacts on human health and the environment.
  • Continued research into new technologies and techniques which reuse dredged sediment in sustainable manners, reduce required dredging frequency of navigation channels, and reduce the loss of sediment to the open ocean or upland disposal sites.
  • Monitoring of dredging and beneficial use projects to continue building on the body knowledge associated with beneficial use projects.

Issue

Each year, hundreds of millions of cubic yards of sediment are dredged from navigation channels, ports, and waterways to maintain safe and efficient maritime transportation. Historically, a significant portion of this material has been disposed of in open water or confined disposal facilities, despite the fact that most dredged sediment is suitable for beneficial use. At the same time, many U.S. coastal and inland systems face sediment deficits, wetland loss, shoreline erosion, and increasing vulnerability to flooding and sea-level rise. A great majority of dredged sediment can be used in beneficial ways to address those issues.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) defines beneficial use of dredged sediment as the productive and positive uses of dredged material covering broad use categories including fish and wildlife habitat development, human recreation, and industrial/commercial uses (USACE 1987). In 2024, USACE established a goal to increase beneficial use of dredged sediment to 70% by 2030. USACE currently estimates that 30 to 35% of dredged sediment is used beneficially. There is a great opportunity to continue expansion of beneficial use of sediment. A challenge to beneficial use of dredged sediment is the required coordination between numerous government agencies and project teams on both the dredge project side and the beneficial use project side.

Monitoring of dredged material placement sites is critical to the success of a project. Site requirements and the particular beneficial use must be considered in determining the most efficient and effective monitoring plan. A comprehensive monitoring plan should include properly selected monitoring tools and study design; pre-placement and post-placement data collection; and clearly defined success criteria. The sophistication of the monitoring program depends on the beneficial use and the environmental impact.

Rationale

Civil engineers are responsible for planning, designing, constructing, and managing navigation infrastructure, coastal systems, flood risk management projects, and ecosystem restoration efforts. Decisions regarding sediment placement influence project feasibility, lifecycle cost, regulatory compliance, infrastructure resilience, and long-term system performance. Expanding beneficial use creates opportunities for engineers to deliver multi-objective solutions that integrate navigation, risk reduction, and environmental restoration while optimizing public investment.

ASCE Policy Statement 349
First Approved in 1989