Posted on October 8, 2025
A secret to restoring the Chesapeake Bay is just waiting to be unearthed.
In the maritime state of Maryland, dredging is done routinely to keep waterways navigable by removing shoals and making sure channels are deep enough for boats to pass. But the materials removed from the waterways — sediment, sand, mud — have to be placed somewhere.
“Beneficial use” is the practice of putting dredged material to work — restoring marshes, stabilizing shorelines, and creating storm-resilient landscapes. The practice isn’t new, but the urgency is growing. Upland disposal sites are filling, shorelines are eroding, and coastal communities are facing the twin challenges of sea level rise and stronger storms.
That’s why beneficial use, known in the restoration community as “BU”, is becoming increasingly important — and also why the field continues to evolve. Today, thin-layer placement and marsh restoration techniques are being refined, monitoring approaches are improving, and design standards are advancing to meet both ecological and community needs to protect our waterfront communities.
This summer the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy hosted a workshop for local planners and practitioners to learn more about the beneficial use of dredged materials.
On July 24, nearly 70 planners, engineers, regulators, and nonprofit partners gathered at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center for a first-of-its-kind training: “Is BU4U?.” The event was designed to demystify beneficial use, share real-world examples, and give local leaders the tools they need to make beneficial use part of their own community resilience efforts.
“Maryland is leading the way in turning dredged material into a resource, rather than disposing of it as a waste,” said Kate Charbonneau, DNR’s Assistant Secretary for Aquatic Resources. “This workshop was a powerful example of how partnerships and practical tools can move innovative ideas forward.”
Participants heard from subject matter experts at DNR, TNC, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Department of the Environment, and local planners and engineers with real-world experience designing and delivering beneficial use.
Setting the Stage: BU Fundamentals
Activities at the July workshop learned from activities designed to highlight climate change effects and solutions. Photo by Maggie Cavey, Maryland DNR
The workshop began with a foundational session, “Dredging and Beneficial Use 101.” Presenters walked through the basics: why dredging happens, what beneficial use looks like, and how sediment can be treated as an asset rather than a liability.
This session also highlighted the co-benefits of BU — reducing flood risk, creating habitat, improving water quality, and saving money when dredging and restoration projects are planned together.
Participants then took to the field for a guided tour of the CBEC thin-layer placement project. There, dredged material has been placed across the marsh to raise elevation and extend its lifespan in the face of sea level rise. At three learning stations, experts from Sustainable Science, DNR, and MDE shared insights on project design, regulatory pathways, and the adaptive management needed when nature behaves differently than the models predict.
The visit underscored both the promise and challenges of beneficial use. CBEC’s project is protecting marsh habitat and public trails, but monitoring has shown the importance of refining placement techniques and adjusting over time to ensure the dredged material remains in place.
One additional benefit for community leaders is that beneficial use can dramatically reduce the financial costs of dredged material disposal and coastal restoration projects.
At the July workshop, engineers and practitioners shared project case studies — from living shorelines to marsh restoration to channel dredging projects. Participants learned how shoreline stabilization projects have saved over $1 million by pairing dredging with shoreline protection, while providing habitat and flood protection benefits.
Participants left with both knowledge and practical resources. The “Is BU4U? Workshop was held at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center in Grasonville and” attracted 68 attendees, 10 consulting firms for networking, and representatives from 11 of Maryland’s 17 coastal counties and cities.
“It’s encouraging to see this level of excitement, collaboration, and creativity around sediment management,” said Kahlil Kettering, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in Maryland. “BU is about more than mud — it’s about resilience, restoration, and responsible reuse.”
The partners also shared planning worksheets, process flow diagrams, and a BU Playbook to guide local communities through the steps of planning a project. These materials, along with resources from TNC and MDE, are helping to build consistency and confidence in BU planning across the state.
For DNR’s beneficial use coordinator Maggie Cavey, one of the biggest successes of the workshop was watching diverse voices come together. “Beneficial use is still evolving, but this workshop showed that Maryland is ready to lead,” Cavey said. “The more we can connect communities with practical tools and partners, the more we can turn dredged material into solutions.”
More information about the beneficial use of dredged material, access planning worksheets, or upcoming workshops is available on the DNR website Beneficial Use page.
Anyone interested in partnership opportunities should contact maggie.cavey1@maryland.gov.
