Dredge spoil spray may restore Delaware wetland

Delaware’s first wetland restoration attempt employing an airborne slurry of dredge spoils was a successful one, according to a Delaware state government press release.

A dredging crew sprayed a mixture of sediment and water from their vessel through a special network of pipes and nozzles onto a wetland along Delaware’s Pepper Creek. It was the first attempt to do so in the state.

The spoils will add sediment to the wetland, which is receding and may become open water without restoration.  About 6 inches of sediment was added during the process.  State officials expect that tides will disperse it evenly across the wetland.

Now that the slurry is on the wetland, scientists will monitor plant cover, surface elevation and root volume to determine how well the added layer maintains the wetland.

Image: Dredge spoil slurry spray application (Credit: State of Delaware)