Dredging projects, large and small, help maintain the nation’s waterways

PHILADELPHIA – Across the country, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains what our nation’s leaders describe as America’s “underwater infrastructure,” a network of thousands of miles of federal navigation channels that keep maritime commerce flowing and people and cargo moving.

From coastal inlets to deep-draft shipping channels, maintaining this infrastructure relies on a mix of private and federally owned hopper, cutterhead and pipeline dredges, supported by a fleet of survey vessels that continually monitor channel conditions.

Together, these assets and the dedicated people who operate them help ensure safe and reliable navigation and keep the nation’s waterways open for commercial shipping and global trade.

“None of that can happen on an economically competitive basis unless we can load ships full and have deep channels,” said Adam Telle, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works during a policy discussion earlier this year. “And so, all this underwater infrastructure that nobody can see is actually the secret weapon of the United States of America. It's the envy of the world.”

Regionally, the USACE Philadelphia District is known for overseeing these infrastructure projects along the Delaware River and Bay, Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway, and coastal inlets and canals in a four-state area, including a multi-year project that deepened the main channel of the Delaware River to 45 feet.

While several large-scale navigation projects remain central to the district’s mission, the Philadelphia team continues to reshape the execution of smaller maintenance dredging projects, many of which include the beneficial use of dredged material and are tailored to the capabilities of small businesses.

Over the past year, the Philadelphia District’s small business, contracting and project management teams have rolled out a “Small Business First” acquisition strategy that has deliberately sought to open more of its maintenance dredging portfolio to these small businesses.

That approach has lowered barriers to entry and already produced more than $18 million in total small business set-asides across three maintenance dredging projects, with additional opportunities in planning.

“I’m proud of the work we are doing to innovate and partner with industry to help us deliver on our navigation projects,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Baum, Philadelphia District commander. “Our extensive network of channels and annual dredging needs require an ‘all hands-on deck’ approach and we’re always looking for ways to improve upon our approach with private industry.”

A key element of the district’s strategy is “right-sizing” equipment requirements.

Recent market research conducted by district project delivery teams showed that in many cases, smaller, modular and portable dredges are often better suited for wildlife refuges, narrow channels and marsh restoration areas rather than high-capacity dredging equipment.

“Instead of starting with the largest plant available, project delivery teams defined the minimum effective equipment profile for each site and then confirmed that capable small businesses exist in the regional market,” said James Wood, Philadelphia District small business programs deputy director. “This approach has allowed the district to award contracts to small businesses on selected projects while maintaining safety, quality and environmental performance.”

Many of these new small-business set-aside projects are built around shallow-draft channel dredging, with beneficial use placement helping solve placement challenges, build natural infrastructure, and support USACE’s “70/30 goal” of using 70 percent of dredged material nationwide for beneficial purposes.

In the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia District project managers and engineers work closely with resource agencies and local partners to identify sites where dredged material can be used to restore marshes, enhance wildlife habitat, and build coastal resilience rather than disposing sediment at designated confined dredged material placement sites, which are often more costly and not readily available.

Current beneficial use efforts underway include maintenance dredging projects along the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway, Maurice River, Salem River, Clam Creek and in coastal inlets. Beneficial use placements range from using sediment to build elevation at degraded marsh to nearshore placement to support beaches and other back bay areas.

“Over the past decade, we’ve worked hard to challenge old practices, advance innovative beneficial use placements, and learn from each project,” said Monica Chasten, Philadelphia District operations division project manager. “As we evolve our sediment management approach, we’re helping keep material in the system, restore marshes and beaches, and build more resilient coastal communities.”

The district’s Small Business First strategy also supports Telle’s “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” initiative, which includes streamlining contracting so that USACE and industry partners can spend more time building and less time navigating bureaucratic processes.

By simplifying processes and empowering project delivery and contracting teams to execute creative acquisition strategies, the district aims to make it easier for qualified small businesses to understand requirements, plan capital investments, and compete.

This means clearer specifications, more predictable maintenance cycles, and faster turnaround from contract award to project execution and delivery.

“The U.S. Army’s civil works program has been an invaluable cornerstone for more than 200 years,” said Telle in a statement earlier this year. “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork will return USACE to focus on its core missions and ensure the enterprise continues to be the most trusted national resource delivering water resources solutions.”

Dredging projects large and small are central to maintaining the nation’s water resources, and small businesses are essential partners in that mission.

Just as roads and bridges require regular maintenance, so do the channels and waterways that support open, safe and reliable navigation. As the Philadelphia District continues to execute on its more than 200-year-old navigation mission, a healthy industrial base with both large and small businesses that are ready to respond to America’s underwater infrastructure requirements will remain essential.

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