The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District (District), is soliciting comments on the draft Dredged Material Management Plan with Integrated Environmental Assessment (DMMP-IEA) titled “Illinois Waterway Federal Navigation Channel, River Miles 78.9 to 290.7”. The District is interested in receiving comments from Federal, state, local agencies and officials, and other interested parties. The purpose of this public comment period is to gather feedback on the potential impacts documented in DMMP-IEA. The District will consider all comments received when determining whether to modify the draft DMMP-IEA in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
The draft DMMP-IEA is available for public review from 27 May 2025 to 27 June 2025. Comments may be submitted by emailing the District’s Environmental Planning Branch at PublicInvolvement@usace.army.mil, or by write to the address below with the title of the project. For requesting hard copies, call 309-794-5231, write to the address below, or use the above email.
Address:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District
Attn: Meden (PD-P)
Clock Tower Building
P.O. Box 2004
Rock Island, IL 61204-2004
Project Information
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) oversees the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the Illinois Waterway (IWW) 9-foot navigation channel, a 336-mile system connecting Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River at Grafton, Illinois.
The “Study area” for the DMMP-IEA encompasses 212 mile-stretch of the Illinois Waterway (IWW) managed by the District. This area extends from just downstream of Lockport Lock and Dam (L&D) to below LaGrange L&D, including the operation of six (6) L&D sites (see Figure 1). Specifically, the Study area spans River Miles 78.9 to 290.7. It is important to note that the IWW extends beyond the Study area:
- Upstream: The Lockport L&D is overseen by the Chicago District.
- Downstream: The unimpounded southern reach of the IWW falls under the jurisdiction of the St. Louis District.
Within the DMMP-IEA, references to the IWW pertain specifically to the District’s Area of Responsibility (AOR) as defined by the Study area boundaries.
This DMMP-IEA establishes a comprehensive, long-term strategy for the sustainable management of dredged material within the District’s AOR on the IWW. The primary purpose of the Study is to identify and evaluate strategies for increasing cost-effective and beneficial disposal of dredged materials, ensuring minimal disruption to navigation and ongoing O&M dredging activities.
The project delivery team evaluated four (4) sediment management strategies applicable across the District’s AOR. The District recommends these strategies as being effective, compliant with current best practices, and adaptable to legislative and regulatory changes, as well as advancements in regional sediment management (further detailed in Section 6.3 of the DMMP-IEA):
- Evaluation of the Federal Standard – The Federal Standard is the least costly dredged material disposal or placement alternative that is consistent with sound engineering practices and meets Federal environmental requirements. This strategy would look at evaluation of current placement practices, assessment of site acquisition versus transportation costs, and the flexibility in material distribution when looking at the Federal Standard.
- Optimization of existing placement sites - This strategy focuses on bringing all existing upland placement sites within the IWW online within the 20-year planning horizon. It involves evaluating, possibly improving, and expanding existing sites to enhance their operational efficiency, increase storage capacity, and extend their service life.
- Improved internal coordination and external outreach - This strategy focuses on enhancing the beneficial use of dredged material through two primary actions: internal coordination and external outreach. These actions aim to align project needs with available resources, foster collaboration, and maximize environmental and community benefits.
- Integration of regional sediment management guidance and sediment management tools – To improve coordination and outreach and optimize sediment management, this strategy incorporates tools and methodologies, including regional sediment management, the Beneficial Use Comprehensive Tool, and sediment modeling.
Table 1 outlines the tentative schedule for implementing recommendations put forth in this Study. The Mississippi Valley Division (MVD) approved of the recommendations in February 2025.
Click the links below to access the project figures and documents.