UCI Associate Director Thomas Herrington and Texas A&M University Center for Dredging Studies Director Ram Mohan collaborated on an article in the fall issue of the Journal of Marine Environmental Engineering titled “Coastal Resiliency Considerations for America’s Four Coasts: Preparing for 2100.” In the article, the authors make the case for more widespread reuse of sediments dredged from waterways and ports to counter the effects of sea level rise and climate change along America’s coasts.
Although Herrington and Mohan cite examples of how these materials have been successfully used to replenish eroded wetlands, they note that, “Permitting of these projects can be challenging as projects are typically reviewed by regulatory agencies as ‘disposal’ or ‘placement’ projects, as opposed to ecosystem restoration projects, which provide a distinct ecological uplift benefit.” The article calls for policy reforms to encourage the reuse of dredged materials and research that can help quantify the practice’s economic benefits.
Herrington serves as the journal’s editor in chief.