Posted on October 12, 2022
The Western Dredging Association (WEDA) publishes the Journal of Dredging to disseminate technical and project information on dredging engineering topics. The peer-reviewed papers in this practice-oriented journal present engineering solutions to dredging and placement problems, which are not normally available in traditional journals. Topics of interest include but are not limited to dredging techniques, hydrographic surveys, dredge automation, dredge safety, instrumentation, design of dredging projects, dredged material placement, transport of sediment through pipes, design of dredging equipment, dredging software, physical modeling of equipment and processes, cost estimating, environmental dredging, beneficial uses, Engineering with Nature®, contaminated sediments, litigation, economic aspects, and case studies.
I dedicate this issue to my late friend and colleague, Mr. Tim Welp. Tim passed away unexpectedly in June 2021. Tim’s technical contributions to the dredging community are numerous and will withstand the test of time. His gregarious nature and genuine interest in others were his trademarks; he will not soon be forgotten. Several papers in this issue are from his colleagues, who share their own memories. Additional papers from colleagues will likely appear over the next few issues. The breadth and importance of these articles are a testament to the many tenacles of Tim’s contributions to our industry.
This issue of WEDA’s Journal of Dredging includes five manuscripts covering a wide range of technical topics related to dredging and sediment management. Two manuscripts describe results from field studies conducted at the Seven Mile Island Innovation Laboratory (SMIIL) in southern New Jersey. SMIIL is a unique collaboration between Federal, State, academic, and private partners with similar interests in protecting and restoring New Jersey’s important marshes. Their bold, forward-looking approach sets an outstanding example of leadership through partnership. Hopefully, many others follow this blueprint.
The first SMIIL paper, from colleagues of Tim Welp, describes a mathematical model of a sediment distribution pipe. Those who knew Tim, know that sediment distribution pipes were his latest passion. He read about the concept in John Huston’s 1971 book “Hydraulic Dredging” and thought it deserved further study. It is great to see his efforts come to fruition. The second SMIIL paper (third manuscript in this issue) describes water quality impacts associated with unconfined placement of hydraulically dredged sediment on Sturgeon and Gull Islands in southern New Jersey. Using unconfined placement to nourish subsiding upland and mudflat habitat could be an economical approach for many coastal areas.
The second manuscript describes ground-breaking research on energy loss associated with slurry flow in pipes. This is an important topic for dredging companies, both in terms of dredging system design and identifying potential areas to improve efficiency. This is also an outstanding and well-written paper that you will certainly enjoy.
The last two manuscripts revisit several beneficial use sites that received dredged sediment over 40 years ago. They evaluate how well these projects meet the objectives set forth at the time of construction. I worked on similar projects as a young engineer (yes, about 40 years ago!) and was flabbergasted when a biologist colleague told me that we would not know if the projects were successful for at least 20 years. Thanks to Dr. Berkowitz and his team, we now know that these projects were quite successful. There are also some important lessons for ensuring success of future projects.
I hope that you enjoy this issue as much as I have pulling it together. Many thanks to our dedicated authors for their excellent manuscripts. I hope that you will consider submitting one yourself! Please contact me if you have any questions about the submission and review process for the Journal of Dredging.
Volume 20, No.1 edition of the Journal of Dredging can be read online by clicking here.
