Long-Term Monitoring Strategies for Contaminated Sediment Management

This contaminated sediment monitoring guidance document will provide an optimized, cost-effective framework to bridge the gap between detailed monitoring tool descriptions and general guidelines that identify monitoring needs, the Navy developed this contaminated sediment monitoring guidance document for sediment sites that undergo remediation under the Environmental Sustainability Development to Integration (NESDI) program (also known as the 0817 program). The guidance includes remedy-specific validation and monitoring matrices that relate monitoring tools to specific monitoring needs for dredging, capping, and monitored natural recovery (MNR), to help remedial project managers (RPMs) focus on key issues associated with site-specific monitoring needs and tools and to facilitate the design of cost effective and meaningful monitoring plans (see also: Demonstration & Validation of Enhanced Monitored Natural Recovery at DoD Sediment Sites).

It is envisioned that this guidance will be useful to RPMs at a variety of stages in the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) process, but will be particularly useful in understanding and planning for monitoring needs following remedy implementation at contaminated sediment sites.

Timeline depicting the temporal arrangement of monitoring phases relative to capping remedy events and baseline (pre-remedy) monitoring.

Interactive Sediment Remedy Assessment Portal (ISRAP)

The guidance also serves as a detailed reference companion for the Interactive Sediment Remedy Assessment Portal (ISRAP). A key component of the ISRAP is an online, interactive matrix that will help remedial project managers (RPMs) focus on key issues associated with site-specific monitoring needs and facilitate a comparison of effective monitoring tools. It is envisioned that the ISRAP will be useful to RPMs at a variety of stages in the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) process, but will be particularly useful in understanding and planning for monitoring needs following remedy implementation at contaminated sediment sites.

In addition to the matrix, the site contains the full guidance document providing an overview on remediation techniques as well as their associated monitoring tools, plus links to related documents and web sites. The web-based nature of the tool will enable the matrix content to be adapted and updated to keep pace with the evolving nature of sediment remediation practices and sediment monitoring approaches, and will enable a technical peer-review by members of the sediment monitoring community.

Capabilities:

• Allow RPMs to optimize match between remedies and monitoring tools/strategies

Applications:

• CERCLA and non-CERCLA sediment remedial actions

More Information:

• "Clean-Up Isn’t the End in Sediment Remediation - New NESDI Web Site Provides Assistance with Long-Term Monitoring". Currents, Fall 2010. [3.72 MB PDF file]