REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 



Form approved 

 OMB No. 0704-0188 



Public reporting concern for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per persons inculding the time for reviewing 

 instructions, searching exsisting data sources gathering and measuring data needed and correcting and reviewing the collection of 

 information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information including 

 suggestions for reducing this burden to Washington Headquaters Services, Directoriate for Information Observations and Records, 

 1216 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington VA 22202-4302 and to the Office of Management and Support. 



1. AGENCY USE ONLY (LEAVE BLANK) 



2. REPORT DATE 



August 1996 



3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES 



Final Report 



4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 



MONITORING CRUISE AT THE BOSTON LIGHTSHIP DISPOSAL SITE, AUGUST 1994 



6. AUTHORS 



Ed DeAngelo 



6. FUNDING NUMBERS 



7. PERFROMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 



Science Applications Intenational Corporation 

 22 lThrid Street 

 Newport, RI 02840 



8. PERFORMING 

 ORGANIZATION REPORT 



SAIC No. 328 



9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAMES(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 



US Army Corps of Engineers-New England Division 

 424 Trapelo Road 

 Waltham, MA 02254-9 149 



10. SPONSORING/ 

 MONITORING AGENCY 



DAMOS Contribution 

 Number 1 1 3 



Avaiable from : DAMOS PROGRAM MANAGER Regulatory Division, USACE-NED 



424 Trapelo Road 

 Waltham, MA 02254-9149 



11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 



12a. DISTRIBUTION/A VAIABILTY STATEMENT 



Approved for public release; distribution unlimited 



12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE 



13. ABSTRACT 



Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) conducted a reconnaissance REMOTS® sediment- 

 profile and plan view photographic survey of the Boston Lightship Disposal Site (BLDS) from 9 to 1 1 August 1 994. From the 

 1940's to 1976, when disposal stopped at BLDS, a majority of the Boston area's dredged material and other debris had been 

 released at this site. The last recorded disposal at this site was in 1 976 when about 8,000m3 were disposed. The REMOTS® 

 sediment-profile and plan view photographic stations were located to examine possible historic dredged material that had been 

 identified in a 1991 side-scan sonar survey of the area. The 1 994 surveys were conducted as part of a long-term effort to examine 

 historical disposal areas to determine whether remediation activity is recommended. The assessment of the REMOTS® and plan 

 view data, in conjunction with the 1991 side-scan results, determined that remediation at the site was not necessary. 

 Recolonization of old dredged material has been extensive. The benthos in the areas sampled was populated by a diverse 

 community composed of Stage II and Stage III organisms representing a healthy benfhic habitat with OSI values 3 6. No difference 

 was observed between the historic dredged material and the ambient sediment. In light of the healthy benthic habitat, only 

 periodic monitoring is recommended. Sediment samples were collected at BLDS in 1994. They were archived and are available 

 for analysis. 



The REMOTS® sediment-profile and plan view photographic surveys were also conducted to gather information 

 on the area's sedimentary environment. This information would determine if the BLDS was suitable to potentially receive dredged 

 material from the Boston Harbor Navigation Improvement Project and Berth Dredging Project. The 1991 side-scan sonar survey 

 had mapped areas of circular or track-like dredged material patterns at the site. The use of the area for dredged material disposal 

 was consistent with its characterization as depositional or nonerosive (Knebel 1993). By focusing on the areas of dredged material 

 disposal with the REMOTS® sediment-profile and plan view photographic survey, the reconnaissance effort produced no evidence 

 to preclude the future use of BLDS for dredged material disposal. The major modal grain size was the silt/clay size class (>4 phi) 

 with very fine sands found in the surface sediments. Evidence of sediment resuspension was limited primarily to winnowing of 

 silts/clays from surface sediments. 



The assessment of BLDS was efficiently accomplished by basing the REMOTS® sediment-profile and plan 

 view photographic survey on the results of the previous side-scan survey. The combined data sources provided a broad picture of 

 the status of the historical dredged material which has been at the disposal site for more than 20 years. Based on the 1994 survey 

 results, remediation is not necessary for BLDS, and the depositional environment does not preclude its use as a disposal area. 



14. SUBECT TERMS 



Boston Lightship Disposal Site (BLDS) , Boston Harbor Improvement Project , benthic habitat, 



Remote Monitoring of the Seafloor (REMOTS) , dredged material, nonerosive or depositional 



15.NUMBER OF PAGES 



31 



16. PRICE CODE 



17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF REPORT 



UNCLASSIFIED 



18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 

 OF THIS PAGE 



19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 

 OF ABSTRACT 



20.LIMITATION OF 

 ABSTRACT 



