NATIONAL OCEAN DISPOSAL GUIDELINES FOR DREDGED MATERIAL

1,10

MB

182

stron

1139

ID

Environment Australia

2003

rok

CONTENTS

PREFACE iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS v

CONTENTS vi

LIST OF TABLES x

LIST OF FIGURES x

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background 1

1.2 Aims of the Guidelines 1

1.3 Overview 2

1.3.1 International Conventions 2

1.3.2 Commonwealth Responsibilities 2

1.3.3 State Responsibilities 6

1.3.4 Recent Developments 7

1.4 Dredging and Dumping Impacts 9

1.5 Permits and Processes for Assessing Applications 10

1.5.1 Requirement for a Permit 10

1.5.2 Procedure for Assessing and Processing Permit Applications 12

1.5.3 Long Term Permits 15

2.0 OVERVIEW OF THE INVESTIGATION AND ASSESSMENT

PROCESS 19

2.1 Investigation and Assessment of Dredged Material 19

2.1.1 Phase I Investigation 19

NATIONAL OCEAN DISPOSAL GUIDELINES FOR DREDGED MATERIAL

vii

2.1.2 Phase II Investigation 20

2.1.3 Phase III Investigation 22

2.1.4 Phase IV Investigation 22

2.1.5 Contaminated Sediments 22

2.2 Offshore Disposal Site Selection, Management, Environment

Assessment, Management and Monitoring 25

3.0 DETAILED GUIDELINES FOR INVESTIGATION AND

ASSESSMENT OF DREDGED MATERIAL 28

3.1 Compilation and Review of Existing Information 28

3.2 Preparation of a Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) 30

3.3 Sampling 32

3.3.1 Design of the Sampling Program 32

3.3.2 Sediment Sampling 34

3.3.3 Subsampling of Grab Samples and Cores 36

3.3.4 Volume of Sample Required 37

3.3.5 Frequency of Sampling 38

3.3.6 Sample Collection, Handling, Storage, Preservation and

Labelling 38

3.3.7 Quality Assurance and Quality Control 39

3.4 Analytical Parameters 40

3.4.1 List of Contaminants for Analysis 40

3.4.2 Practical Quantitation Limits (PQLs) 44

3.4.3 Physical Tests 44

3.5 Laboratories and Chemical Analysis 44

3.5.1 Laboratory Experience 44

3.5.2 Sample Pretreatment 45

3.5.3 Analysis Methods 45

3.6 Laboratory Quality Assurance and Quality Control 48

3.6.1 Laboratory Quality Assurance/Quality Control 48

3.6.2 Data Validation 49

3.7 Data Analysis and Reporting 50

3.8 Toxicity and Bioaccumulation Testing 50

3.8.1 Introduction 50

3.8.2 Guidelines 52

NATIONAL OCEAN DISPOSAL GUIDELINES FOR DREDGED MATERIAL

3.9 Biological Testing for Introduced Species 54

3.10 Sediment Quality Assessment 57

3.10.1 Sediment Quality Guidelines 58

3.10.2 Assessment of Sediment Quality 60

3.10.3 Elutriate Test Data 63

3.10.4 Bioavailibility Investigations 64

3.10.5 Comparison of Sediment Data to Guideline Values 66

3.10.6 Procedures for Dealing with 'Hot Spots' 66

3.11 Exemptions from some Testing Requirements 67

3.11.1 .Clean. Material 67

3.11.2 Large Capital Dredging Projects in Remote Areas 67

3.11.3 Very Small Dredging Programs 67

4.0 DETAILED GUIDELINES ON DISPOSAL SITE SELECTION,

MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT AND

MONITORING 69

4.1 Introduction 69

4.2 Site Selection 70

4.2.1 Physical and Chemical Characteristics of the Alternative

Disposal Sites and Surrounding Areas 70

4.2.2 Marine Communities at the Alternative Disposal Sites and

Surrounding Areas 72

4.2.3 Bioaccumulation at the Disposal Site 78

4.2.4 Other Uses of the Area 79

4.2.5 Assessing the Acceptability of the Selected Site for Ocean

Disposal 80

4.3 Evaluation of Management Actions and Controls for Ocean Disposal 81

4.4 Impact Assessment 83

4.5 Monitoring and Management 83

4.5.1 Monitoring 83

4.5.2 Management 87

BIBLIOGRAPHY 88