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Conceptual Design and Environmental Assessment of the Whiting Creek Dredging and Beneficial Use Shoreline Restoration Project
Kowal, Julianna C. Green, Cameron W. Wilcox, Christine A. Hardaway Jr, C. Scott Ziegler, Gabrielle M.
Kowal, Julianna C.
Green, Cameron W.
Wilcox, Christine A.
Hardaway Jr, C. Scott
Ziegler, Gabrielle M.
Abstract
Whiting Creek is a federally authorized shallow-draft navigation channel in Middlesex County, Virginia, that provides public access to the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay. Authorized in 1945, the channel has experienced recurring shoaling, necessitating periodic maintenance dredging to restore safe navigation. The objective of this study was to develop a conceptual dredging and beneficial use design to restore the authorized channel dimensions of 70 ft in width and -4 ft Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW), with 1 ft of allowable overdepth (-5 ft MLLW total dredge depth). Updated bathymetric surveys, digital elevation modeling, volumetric analyses, and sediment characterization were completed to quantify dredging requirements and evaluate the suitability of dredged material for beneficial use. Approximately 18,700 cubic yards of sediment were identified above the authorized dredge template. Grain size and chemical analyses indicated the dredged material consists of approximately 94% sand and contains no contaminants above regulatory detection limits, making it suitable for shoreline placement. A beneficial use placement was designed along an eroding shoreline immediately east of the channel to stabilize the shoreline, reduce erosion, and beneficially reuse dredged material. By integrating navigation maintenance with shoreline restoration, the proposed design improves public access while enhancing long-term coastal resilience and maximizing the value of dredged material as a natural resource.
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Date
2026-03
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Publisher
Shoreline Studies Program, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
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