The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Support Center Elizabeth City is an 800-acre complex located along the Pasquotank River in Pasquotank County, North Carolina. Missions of the support center include safeguarding navigational interests, protecting coastline from pollution and marine accidents, and enforcing the Homeland Security Act of 2002. Maintenance and new work dredging around several structures, including a fire pump house, and the boat ramp was needed to fully restore station functions necessary to accomplish its missions.
ANAMAR was contracted by USACE Wilmington District to evaluate the suitability of an estimated 812.2 cubic yards of dredged material from the station basin for upland disposal in designated areas within the complex. The purpose of this project was to assist USACE in determining the suitability of material to be dredged for compliance with Section 401 and 404 of the Clean Water Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. §§1251 et seq.) and applicable North Carolina water quality standards.
The dredging prism was split into four dredging units based on expected characteristics. A field effort was conducted in December 2012 involving sediment sampling using a polycarbonate push core and a Petite Ponar® grab sampler and collection of site water using a pneumatic pump. ANAMAR worked closely with USACE to design a sampling and analysis scheme, perform sample collection, subcontract laboratory analyses, and prepare final report deliverables. Field operations were conducted using a 24-foot sampling vessel and some shore-based work inside the fire pump house. To ensure that all samples were obtained from within the dredging prism, a survey rod was used in conjunction with real-time water elevation data from a nearby tide station. Sampled locations were recorded on redundant GPS units and were compared to original target coordinates to ensure accuracy. ANAMAR reviewed all data and produced a report summarizing the results of the physical and chemical analysis of sediment, elutriate, and water, samples of the material proposed for dredging and upland disposal. The sediment evaluation report was finalized by ANAMAR in March 2013 for use by USACE and USCG to determine the suitability of the dredged material for upland disposal.