But those immediately impacted by the continued accumulation of sediment within American waterways have long been petitioning their representatives as well as the Army Corps of Engineers for relief. There remains relatively little political action around the issue of dredging as it doesn’t occupy the top of Congress’s list of priorities. The United States Army Corps of Engineers ( USACE ) takes the lead on dredging efforts throughout the ports and waterways administered by the federal government, maintaining waterways and ports throughout the United States.ĭespite the general trend of higher annual spending on dredging, by some measurements efficiency and productivity have lagged expenditures. New vigor must be applied to dredging policy, while outdated laws and restrictions should be reexamined to enable renewal and growth for America’s harbors, ports, and riverways. Continued failure to address the building problem of restricted waterways will drive up costs for businesses and consumers, harming economic growth. This dredging process is time-consuming and expensive, but without it, many waterways and harbors will become unusable, with costly implications for trade, supply chains, and economic growth. Harbors, shipyards, and other critical commercial waterways must be regularly dredged to mitigate the steady accumulation of silt. As ships exit from ports, the earth and sand moved by the displacement of water remain, building up sediment into large embankments that make navigating harbors and waterways increasingly difficult. The vessels enter the port from the ocean, bringing with them large displacements of water leading to accumulation of sediment in the base of the harbor. This process is an ongoing, natural phenomenon exacerbated by the increased usage of shipping lanes by large cargo vessels. Over time, navigating through harbors and waterways tend to become increasingly difficult due to the natural accumulation of sediment and earth washed up from the ocean over time.

How does dredging work graphic