Environmental monitoring and numerical modeling applied to coastal dredging activities

The present work shows how the joint use of monitoring data and numerical models can be a significant support to dredging activities that can cause environmental impacts due to the increase of the Suspended Solid Concentration (SSC) and their subsequent dispersion and deposition far from the dredging point. A statistical analysis of the simulated parameter SSC has been carried out to numerically estimate its spatial (vertical and horizontal) variability, thereby allowing an evaluation of the potential environmental effects on the coastal area. This study is applied to a hypothetical dredging project in the Mar Piccolo Basin located in Southern Italy. This site is considered highly vulnerable, being exposed to heavy urban, industrial activities causing an increased diffused pollution and reducing the environmental quality of the Taranto Sea. The results presented in the paper can contribute to an identification and assessment of the potential environmental effects of the proposed dredging project.