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Sediment Management Plan

Proposal for a Barnegat Bay Regional Dredge Sediment Management Plan

What is a Regional Dredge Sediment Management Plan?

A Regional Dredge Sediment Management Plan (RDSMP) combines science, engineering, and collaborative planning to sustainably manage sediment across an entire region. By keeping sediment within watersheds, estuaries, and coastal systems, this approach increases the efficiency of dredging and coastline management, while balancing sediment needs for navigation, ecosystem restoration, flood risk reduction, and coastal resilience.

An RDSMP serves a range of critical missions:

  • Navigation and dredging
  • Coastal and flood risk management
  • Ecosystem restoration
  • Emergency management operations

Additionally, it creates a collaborative forum for stakeholders to explore innovative solutions and engage the public on dredging and sediment management.

Why Barnegat Bay Needs a Regional Sediment Management Plan

Barnegat Bay, a sediment-starved lagoonal estuary, is losing marshes due to insufficient sediment replenishment. Each municipality and organization along the bay faces unique challenges—from preventing lagoon silting, which reduces water quality, to managing erosion, restoring habitats, and building flood resilience. A Barnegat Bay-specific RDSMP would enable municipalities and organizations to collaborate, sharing sediment resources to support erosion control, habitat restoration, and other critical needs. Such a plan would provide benefits for local, state, and federal interests alike.

Longstanding Issues at Dock Road

Save Barnegat Bay (SBB) has been engaged in a 15+ year battle over an illegal Confined Disposal Facility (CDF) at the end of Dock Road in West Creek, Eagleswood. Rather than applying for an Individual Permit and evaluating alternative uses for dredge materials—such as restoring nearby marshes—the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) established an industrial dump site for dredge materials, burying seven acres of valuable marsh habitat. This type of confined disposal disregards the ecological needs of Barnegat Bay, highlighting the urgent need for a sustainable, science-driven RDSMP.

The Current Problem

The NJDOT is currently developing a sediment management plan for New Jersey’s Coastal Zone. While this initiative is important, it largely serves NJDOT’s transportation-focused needs and fails to address the unique environmental and community challenges facing Barnegat Bay. This broader plan lacks active local engagement and does not incorporate decades of research focused on protecting Barnegat Bay’s ecology.

NJDOT’s approach prioritizes navigable channels, essential for transportation but insufficient for addressing comprehensive sediment management, erosion control, habitat restoration, and flood mitigation needs within Barnegat Bay.

Proposed Solution for a Barnegat Bay-Specific Sediment Management Plan

To address Barnegat Bay’s specific needs, we propose:

  1. Active Local Engagement
    Engage local governments, environmental organizations, and community members to ensure their priorities are reflected in the planning process.
  2. Use of Scientific Research
    Leverage decades of environmental research focused on Barnegat Bay to make informed, science-based decisions.
  3. Development of a Barnegat Bay-Specific Dredge Sediment Management Plan (DSMP)
    Create a DSMP tailored to Barnegat Bay’s unique challenges—addressing issues like silting, erosion, habitat restoration, and flood mitigation in a coordinated, sustainable manner.
  4. Alignment with NJ Back Bay Flooding Plans
    Coordinate the Barnegat Bay DSMP with broader state initiatives, like the NJ Back Bay Flooding Plans, for a unified approach to coastal resilience.

Proposed Solution for a Barnegat Bay-Specific Sediment Management Plan

Legislation should ensure that Barnegat Bay receives the focused attention it requires by mandating:

  • The establishment of a dedicated Barnegat Bay Sediment Management Plan to address local sediment needs effectively.
  • Prioritization of grant funding from state and federal sources to support the planning and implementation phases.
  • Inclusion of local representatives, environmental experts, marine industry professionals, NJDEP, NJDOT, US Army Corps of Engineers, and other key stakeholders on the planning committee.
  • Incorporation of the Barnegat Bay DSMP as an appendix in NJDOT’s larger coastal sediment management plan.

By fostering local involvement and a science-based approach, a Barnegat Bay RDSMP can address critical sediment and resilience needs, enhancing the environmental health and safety of surrounding communities.

Alexandra Sellitsch

Alex is 27 years old and is an aspiring marine biologist who is finishing up her junior year at Stockton University. Growing up by the beach has made a significant impact on Alex’s life, which has influenced her passion for the ocean. She is an advocate for elasmobranch conservation, and enjoys getting her hands dirty in research. Alex is currently an intern with Barnegat Bay, researching pathogen influences in the bay’s water. She is also an active intern partnering with one of her professors, who is researching dual seagrass habitats in the Mullica River-Great Bay Estuary. In her spare time, Alex enjoys spending time at the beach and teaching herserself new hobbies. Hobbies that include roller skating, and surfing. Alex is also volunteering with the Berkeley Township Underwater Search and Rescue Team, and is in the process of obtaining her SCUBA certification.