Erosion of dredged - material islands due to waves and currents.

The physical processes causing the erosion of dredged material mounds or islands do not appear to be taken into consideration in planning or in executing dredging projects. As a result, numerous dredged channels experience higher infilling rates with a corresponding increase in maintenance cost, decrease in marine safety, and deterioration of the general environmental quality of the area. The field work at selected disposal sites on the Texas coast has been carried out to determine the important environmental factors causing the erosion of these islands. Hydraulic model studies of selected disposal sites on the Texas coast has been carried out to determine the important environmental factors causing the erosion of these islands. Hydraulic model studies of selected cohesionless dredged-material islands have been conducted to predict the long-term fate of these islands under wave action. Influence of additional factors such as higher water depths, steeper waves, island spacing, island orientation, small magnitude current were also considered in the study. Recommendations are being made to improve disposal practices of dredged material which will result in reduced silting of navigational channels.