In 2006, engineers reused 250,000 cubic yards of dredged sand to restore Elders Point East in Jamaica Bay. 10 years later, the approach had restored 40 acres of wetlands and helped reverse marsh-island erosion

A project in Jamaica Bay demonstrated how material removed from a significant shipping channel could be redirected toward environmental restoration. Beginning in 2006, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) used dredged sand from the New York Harbor deepening project to rebuild the eroding Elders Point East marsh island.

The work was part of a broader change in how dredged material was handled. Instead of treating sediment only as material requiring disposal, USACE developed approaches for putting suitable dredged material to beneficial use. In Jamaica Bay, that approach helped restore wetlands while supporting the expansion of navigation infrastructure in New York Harbor.

Research behind the approach

The shift started with federal attempts to better understand the environmental and engineering challenges connected with dredged material.

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