area (Figure 1-2) located 469 dredged material targets in addition to 43 potential waste 

 barrel fields, and 136 debris fields. Dredged material targets generally appeared on the 

 side-scan records as circular or track-like patterns of sediment with a marked contrast to 

 the surrounding natural sediments. While the dredged material targets were scattered 

 throughout the disposal area, high concentrations were located in a ring around the former 

 DG buoy location and to the south of the buoy beyond the 50 m depth contour. In the 

 1994 reconnaissance survey, the REMOTS® and plan view photography station locations 

 corresponded to areas of dense dredged material targets. This sampling scheme supported 

 the primary objective of the survey by maximizing the probability of collecting data from 

 relic dredged material where the potential need for remediation would be the greatest. 



A secondary objective of the present survey was to characterize the dominant 

 processes controlling the sedimentary environment and to determine the suitability of the 

 area for potential future disposal. The area greater than 50 m depth at BLDS has been 

 suggested as a potential site for future disposal, such as 0.9 million m of silty maintenance 

 material from the proposed Boston Harbor Navigation Improvement Project and Berth 

 Dredging Project (Normandeau Associates 1994). This material would be capped with 

 approximately one meter of parent material that lies under the silts of Boston Harbor. 

 Approximately half of BLDS lies below the 50 m depth contour on the slope of Stellwagen 

 Basin. Based on the sedimentary fabric observed in the REMOTS® and plan view 

 photographs, it was determined that below the 50 m contour BLDS is primarily a 

 depositional environment and that there is no evidence to preclude its use for the deposition 

 of silty dredged material. 



Monitoring Cruise at the Historic Boston Lightship Disposal Site, August 1994 



