10-Year Dredging Program

Client: Port of Vancouver
Environmental lead for maintenance dredging with work including preparing environmental permitting applications and engaging agencies in pre-application and post-submittal negotiations.

Overview of Floyd|Snider Contributions

Project management and environmental lead
Comprehensive permit applications
Regulatory negotiations
Permit updates following receipt of final authorizations

Project Summary

The Port of Vancouver (Port) is a fully operational public port, including four marine terminals and 13 established vessel berths, that handles more than 6 million tons of cargo each year.

Periodic maintenance dredging is performed at the established vessel berths to remove material that is deposited by ongoing sediment transport in the Columbia River. The purpose of the maintenance dredging is to maintain adequate depths to support safe moorage for deep-draft shifts. Deep-draft moorage is a fundamental requirement for domestic and foreign trade opportunities and is a water-dependent use supported by a range of environmental policies.

The Port of Vancouver (Port) is a fully operational public port, including four marine terminals and 13 established vessel berths, that handles more than 6 million tons of cargo each year. Periodic maintenance dredging is performed at the established vessel berths to remove material that is deposited by ongoing sediment transport in the Columbia River. The purpose of the maintenance dredging is to maintain adequate depths to support safe moorage for deep-draft shifts. Deep-draft moorage is a fundamental requirement for domestic and foreign trade opportunities and is a water-dependent use supported by a range of environmental policies.

Our Approach

Floyd|Snider approached this work with recognition that maintenance dredging and deepening has been a subject of planning, design, and environmental review for decades and that it would continue into the future.

To realize efficiencies for the Port, Floyd|Snider negotiated with the regulatory agencies for a 10-year authorization, rather than the 5-year authorizations that had been sought before. The comprehensive permit applications prepared by Floyd|Snider highlighted consistencies with past applications to focus and expedite the regulatory review. These documents also introduced new elements into the Dredging Program, including in-water placement of suitable dredge material. Before this time, sediment removed during maintenance dredging was stockpiled at a Port-owned property, which must be maintained to avoid potential effects to endangered bird species.

Floyd|Snider provided close review of the documentation prepared for Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultation and demonstrated that redepositing material downstream in the river was most beneficial to the dynamic river system (while also reducing costs for the Port). After application submittal, Floyd|Snider led the successful regulatory negotiations, which also included a significant expansion to the in-water work window for dredging activities.

Beyond serving as the environmental lead, Floyd|Snider also led the sediment characterization, dredge design, contract, and technical specifications for maintenance dredging, compliance plans, and review of contractor submittals.

Project Milestones:

2018. Permits obtained
2019. First annual maintenance dredge under existing authorizations
2020. Permit updates prepared and processed to allow new project components

Floyd|Snider approached this work with recognition that maintenance dredging and deepening has been a subject of planning, design, and environmental review for decades and that it would continue into the future. To realize efficiencies for the Port, Floyd|Snider negotiated with the regulatory agencies for a 10-year authorization, rather than the 5-year authorizations that had been sought before. The comprehensive permit applications prepared by Floyd|Snider highlighted consistencies with past applications to focus and expedite the regulatory review. These documents also introduced new elements into the Dredging Program, including in-water placement of suitable dredge material. Before this time, sediment removed during maintenance dredging was stockpiled at a Port-owned property, which must be maintained to avoid potential effects to endangered bird species.

Floyd|Snider provided close review of the documentation prepared for Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultation and demonstrated that redepositing material downstream in the river was most beneficial to the dynamic river system (while also reducing costs for the Port). After application submittal, Floyd|Snider led the successful regulatory negotiations, which also included a significant expansion to the in-water work window for dredging activities.

Beyond serving as the environmental lead, Floyd|Snider also led the sediment characterization, dredge design, contract, and technical specifications for maintenance dredging, compliance plans, and review of contractor submittals.

Project Milestones:

2018. Permits obtained
2019. First annual maintenance dredge under existing authorizations
2020. Permit updates prepared and processed to allow new project components

Project Team

Floyd|Snider
KPFF Consulting Engineers
Ecological Land Services
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I really appreciate how the Floyd|Snider team works – you are all smart, efficient, nimble, responsive, creative problem-solvers that are fun to work with.

Matt Harding, Environmental Project Manager, Port of Vancouver