Posted on June 15, 2026
Dredging Synchronicity
I attended the best National Dredging Meeting in decades in Norfolk, Virginia this week. This annual event brings to together leadership from across the Corps and industry. On the order of $2 billion is invested annually in the U.S. to dredge and manage 250 million cubic yards of sediment. It was a great NDM, in my experience, because I saw genuine commitment by leadership, from the Corps and industry, to substantive change.
To be frank, in the past this meeting too often provided a venue to rail against longstanding problems and to complain about people and organizations that weren’t in the room. This time I heard commitments being made to change, solutions, and actions. This is some of what I heard:
From Major General Jason E. Kelly, USACE Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations:
“We are going to establish a national dredging program that challenges outdated business practices and increases dredging capacity.”
“We are going to challenge ourselves and our partners.”
“My goal is to figure out a better way to do it.”
From Steve Hill, USACE Director of Operations and Regulatory Programs:
“We are entering a period of major change. I’ve never seen more interest and desire to make change. Tell us your thoughts on how we can do this together. What’s the action?”
From Tiffany Burroughs, USACE Chief of Navigation:
“Deliver today. Innovate for tomorrow.”
The critical ingredient for meaningful progress is alignment between the Corps and its partners in industry and across government. I saw the beginnings of aligned intention, along with some synchronicity, that could produce impactful solutions that overcome persistent challenges.
Here’s to overcoming some invincible problems to create national value and good!
