Practical trials at three locations in the Rijnmond area, Rotterdam, should provide insight into the possibilities for reusing dredged sand and sludge elsewhere in the area.
Currently, a lot of sediment from the Rhine-Maas Entrance disappears into the sea or depots, whereas it is desperately needed further upstream in areas such as for nature reserves.
The aim of the ‘Rijnmond Sediment Field Trial’ project is to hold onto the dredged sand and silt in the natural system of the Rhine-Maas Entrance for as long as possible.
The Deltares research institute and the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management, which are among the project’s initiators, believe this will benefit the environment and the safety of the delta.
It roughly involves the area west of Dordrecht, bounded by the Nieuwe Waterweg to the north and the Haringvliet to the south, explains project leader Kees Sloff of Deltares.
Areas no longer naturally silt up, partly due to the system of barriers, resulting in a lack of tidal movement. At other places, for example in the ports, there is actually too much silt and dredging is required
For example, 15 to 20 million cubic metres a year are dredged from the Rotterdam port area and access channels alone. In addition, projects such as the construction of the Blankenburg Tunnel under the Nieuwe Waterweg produce a lot of sediment.
In the Rijnmond Sediment Field Trial, practical research will take place into which applications work well and what is required. The trial will be conducted at three different locations that are yet to be decided upon, but where maintenance and development projects are already planned.
The project is expected to last four years.
