Maintaining Ohio's Lake Erie federal navigation channels for commerce is vital to local and regional economies. To maintain these navigation channels, regular dredging of accumulated sediment is necessary. Managing the beneficial use of the sediment removed from the navigation channels is a priority for Ohio to protect the long-term health of Lake Erie. Ohio is working closely with local public and private partners and USACE on sustainable, innovative beneficial uses of dredge sediment. Partners are turning sediment into a true commodity that recognizes sediment as a valuable resource for marketable soils, agriculture, wetlands and habitat creation, and other innovative uses. Ohio EPA and the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority will provide an overview of the Ohio Dredge Material Program and will share about projects underway in each of Ohio's harbors, sediment management needs, and ongoing efforts to beneficially use dredge sediment.
