The influence of flocculation in turbid plumes from mechanical and hydraulic dredging

The process of flocculation in dredge plumes was investigated by field measurements using Laser In-Situ Scattering and Transmissometry (LISST), Optical Back Scatter (OBS) sensors and an Acoustic Current Doppler Profiler (ADCP) during dredging campaigns in Port Curtis, Queensland (Australia). Suspended sediment characteristics differed significantly between natural ambient suspended sediment and sediment suspended by dredging as well as between sediment suspended by mechanical and hydraulic dredgers. LISST measurements enabled distinction of the suspended sediment by origin and showed that the majority of sediment particles naturally in suspension were aggregated flocs made up of multiple smaller particles. Primary particles in natural suspended sediment had a median particle size (d₅₀) of 8 to 14 μm, while in-situ flocs had a d₅₀ of 52 to 99 μm. There were both microflocs and macroflocs present in the natural suspended sediment, with the microflocs being dominant (representing 67%–80% of the flocs). Mechanical dredging resulted in the release of individual particles, microflocs and macroflocs, with the potential for a comparable percentage of macroflocs as in natural suspended sediment (11%–27% compared to 20%–33% in natural suspended sediment). Macroflocs released by mechanical dredging were likely to have originated from the seabed. During overflow from the hopper, the suspended sediment released from the hydraulic dredger had smaller flocs compared to the natural suspended sediment, with a reduction in the d₅₀ of in-situ flocs from 91 to 67 μm and a reduction in the proportion of macroflocs from 32% to 24%. These results indicate that larger macroflocs present on the seabed had been broken up by the hydraulic dredging, with most of the suspended sediment remaining in the form of smaller microflocs, suggesting that the flocs were not completely disaggregated by the shear-stress generated during hydraulic dredging. Ongoing aggregation of suspended sediment was shown to occur in the sediment suspended by both dredging methods within 20–25 min of the plumes being generated. This study demonstrates the importance of considering flocculation in predictive dredge plume modelling studies to prevent significantly underestimating the settling velocity and substantially over-estimating the extent and intensity of dredge plumes if flocculation is not accounted for.