FLOOD08883

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Federal Register EPA Guidelines for Specification of Disposal Sites for Dredged or Fill Material
• Date: 12/24/1980
• Prepared By: EPA
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

85356 Federal Register 1 Vol. 45. No. 249 / Wednesday. December 24. 1980 1 Rules and Regulations

(p) S~!ecting the disposal site, the
discharge point. and the method of
discharge 10 minimize the extent of any
plume: .
(f) Designing the discharge of dredged
or fill material to minimize or prevent
the creation of standing bodies of water
in areas of normally fluctuating waler
levels. and minimize or prevent the
dri-l.iJlilge of areas subject to such
fluctuations.

~ 230.71 Actions concerning the material
to be discharged.
The eff~ds of a discharge can be
mil1imiz~d b:,' treatment of. or
limitations on the material itself. such

as:

(a) Disposal of Jr€dged material in
such a ffid:mer that vhysiochemical
cO:1ditiClns are maintained and the
potency and availability of pollutants
are reduced.
Ib) Limiting the solid. liquid. and
g:lseous components of material to be
discharged at a particular site:
(c) Adding treatment substances to
!he discharge materia!:
(d) Utilizing chemical flocculants 10
enham:e the deposition of suspended
particulates in diked disposal areas.
~ 230.72 Actions controlling the material
afte, diSCharge.
The effects of the dredged or fill
nldteriHI elfler discharge may be
controlled bv:
(0) Selccti~g dischi:lrge methods and
tltsposal sites where the potential for
Nosion, slumping or leaching of
materials into the surrounding aquatic
ewsystem will be reduced, These sites
or methods include. but are not limited
ll)'
Il) Using containment levees, sediment
hdsins. <lnd cover r:rops to reduce
t'roslon:
[2} Using lined containment areas to
J educe leachIng where leaching of
chemical constituents from the
discharged mdterial is expected to be a
problem:
(bJ CappIng in-pldce contammated
mdteridl with clean mJ:ltprial or
sf'ler:llvel!' dischargmg the mas I
contHmmaled matenal first to be capped
with the remaining material:
tel Milintillning and containing
dIscharged matenal properly to prevent
pOInt and nonpoint sources of pollution:
(dJ Timing the discharge to minimize
Impact. for Instance during periods of
unusual high water flows. wind. wave.
dnd tidal actions.
S 230.73 Actions affecting the method of
dispersion.
The effects of a discharge can be
minimized by the manner in which it is
dispersed. such as:

la) Where environmentally desirable,
distributing the dredged material widely
in a thin layer at the disposal site to
maintain natural substrate contours and
elevation:
(b) Orienting a dredged or fill material
mound to minimize undesirable
obstntction to the wafer current or
circulation pattern. and utilizing natural
hollom contours to minimize the size of
the mound;
(c) Using silt screens or olher
appropriate methods to confine
suspended particulate/tu:bidity to a
small area where settling or remo\'al can
occur;
(d) Making use of currents !:Ind
circul~tion pa~tems to mix, d.isperse and
dilute the discharge:
Ie] Minimizing watpr column turbidity
hy using a submerged diffuser system. A
similar effect can be accomplished by
submet'ging pipeline discharges or
otherwise releasing materials near the
bottom:
(f) Selecting sites or managing
discharges to confine and minimize the
rel~ose of suspended particulates to give
decreased turbidity levels and to
mHintain light penetration for organisms:
[g) Setting limitations on the amount.
of material 10 be discharged per unit of
time or volume of receiving water.

~ 230.74 Actions related to technology.

Discharge technology flhould be
adapt('d to the needs of ei:H,h sile. In
determining whether lte discharge
operation sufficiently minimizes adverse
environmental impacts. the applicant
should consider:
(a) Using appropriate equipment or
machinery, including protective devices.
and the use of such equipment or
machinery in activities related to the
discharge of dredged or fill material:
(b) Employing appropriate
maintenance and operation on
equipment or machinery, including
adequate training. staffing, and working
procedures:
(c) L:sing machinery and techniques
that are especially designed to reduce
damage to wetlands. This may ind'tlde
machines equipped with devices that
scatter rather than mound excavated
materials. machines with specially
de~igned wheels or tracks. and the use
of mats under heavy machines to reduce
wetland surface compaction and rutting;
(dJ Designing access roads and
channel spanning structures using
culverts. open channels. and diversions
that will pass both low and high water
flows, accommodate fluctuating wdter
levels, and maintain circulation and
faunal movement;

"
>

(eJ Employing dppropriate machinery
df!d methods of tnlOsport of the ma teria I
for discharge.

~ :!30.75 Actions affeCting plant and
ar,imal populations,
Minimization of adverse effects on
population:> of plants and animals can
b<~ achie\;ed b\':
(H! Avoiding changes in water current
dnd circulation patterns which would
interfere with the movement of animals:
{b I Selecting sites or managing
discharges to prevent or avoid creating
habitat conducive to the development of
undesirable predators or species which
have a competitive edge ecologically
over indigenous plants or animals:
(c) Avoiding sites having unique
habitat or other value, including habitat
of threatened or endangered species:
{dJ Using planning and construction
practices to iilstitute habitat
d,~velopment and restoration to produce
a new or modified environmental state
0': hiJ;lher ecological value by
displar.ement of some or all of the
e"dsting environmental characteristics.
f1abitat development and restoration
tE~chniques can be used 10 minimize
ajverse impacts and to compensate for
destroyed habitat. Use techniques that
have been demonstrated to be effective
in circumstances ~imilar to those under
c,)n5ideration wherever possible. Where
proposed development and restordtion
techniques have not yet advanced to the
pilot demonstration stage, initiate their
use on a small scale to allow corrective
action if unanticipated adverse impHcts
occur.
(e) Timing discharge to avoid
spawning or migration seasons and
other biologically critical time periods:
if} Avoiding the destruction of
r'~mnant natural sites within area'i
already affected by development.

~ 230.76 Actions affecting human us..
Minimization of adverse effects on
human use potential may be achieved
cy:
(a) Selecting discharge sites and
fJllowing discharge procedures to
~revent or minimize any potential
c.amage to lhe aesthetically pleasing
features of the aquatic site (e,g,
\iewscapes), particularly with respect 10
water quality:
(b) Selecting disposal sites which are
flat valuable as nalural aquatic areas:
(c) Timing the discharge to avoid the
seasons or periods when human
recreational activity associated with the
i.lquatic site is most important:
(d) Following discharge procedures
which avoid or minimize the disturbance
of aesthetic features of an aquatic site or
E~cosystem.