Alternative Technology for Sediment Remediation
2000-11-02
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Alternative Technology for Sediment Remediation
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2000-11-02
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University of Minnesota Duluth
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Technical Report
Abstract
Duluth-Superior is a major port of the Great Lakes located at the extreme southwest
end of Lake Superior in the cities of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. The
harbor area occupies roughly 32 square miles and has 100 miles of waterfront. The
harbor and lower St. Louis River have a history of water quality problems resulting
primarily from municipal and industrial discharges in and upstream of the harbor. As a
result, the harbor has been listed by the International Joint Commission as an Area of
Concern (AOC) within the Great Lakes ecosystem. The 1995 progress report on the
Remedial Action Plan (RAP) for the area identified sediment contamination as the
major cause of many impaired uses in the St. Louis Estuary. Contaminants of concern
include ammonia nitrogen, phosphorus, metals, oil and grease, PCBs, and PAHs.
Contaminated sediments are thought to have detrimental effects on water quality, the
diversity and abundance of aquatic and benthic organisms, human health, and disposal
options for material dredged during harbor maintenance.
The dredged material is stored in the Confined Disposal Facility (CDF) at the Erie Pier
in Duluth. The CDF is nearing its capacity, and additional space is required for storage
of dredged materials either by construction of a new facility or by extending the life for
the one currently used. The Coleraine Minerals Research Laboratory (CMRL) of the
Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) has, in the past, conducted several
research programs to evaluate the construction of a sediment treatment plant at the
Erie Pier CDF as an effective way of extending its life. CMRL is currently contracted by
the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) to develop and engineer a plant to treat the
sediment contained in the CDF. This study is being conducted in response to Section
541 of the Water Resource Development Act of 1996, initiated by Congressman Jim
Oberstar, which states: "The Secretary shall develop and implement methods for
decontamination and disposal of contaminated dredged material at the Port of Duluth,
Minnesota".
Various agencies including USEPA, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MNPCA), and
NRRI conducted numerous research and survey projects. The sediments in the
federal channels were analyzed as part of Dredged Material Management Plant
(DMMP), and analyses revealed that metal concentrations in the sediments of all
management units were comparable to those found in the regional soils, and that
PCBs, pesticides, and PAHs were generally non-detectable. No PCBs and only low
levels of PAHs were found in a survey study in Erie Pier CDF conducted by NRRI in
1997. Due to its relatively low contamination level, it is safe to study a number of
variables before implementation of the technology to the other highly contaminated
areas. The treatment plant should generate data on the effectiveness of using mineral
processing technology for separation and decontamination of the sediments. In some
cases, the separation products could be cleaned and used for other purposes such as
brick manufacturing, landfill cover, beach nourishment, construction fill, and/or habitat
enhancement.
Description
Final Report for Detroit District of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers; Project #5699402; Contract DACW35-99-P-0158
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University of Minnesota - Duluth, Natural Resources Research Institute, 5013 Miller Trunk Highway, Duluth, Minnesota 55811; Coleraine Minerals Research Laboratory, PO Box 188, One Gayley Avenue, Coleraine, Minnesota 55722
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Wu, Chuying. (2000). Alternative Technology for Sediment Remediation. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/188543.
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