Planning for the Upper Mobile Bay Beneficial Use Wetland Creation Site

The Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) currently has high annual dredge maintenance costs due to limited dredge management options. The ASPA 2018 master plan identified that an improved dredged material management program could result in millions of dollars of annual savings. The Upper Mobile Bay Beneficial Use Wetland Creation Site project represents a positive paradigm shift in ASPA’s dredge material management approach that results in environmental stewardship and economic benefits for the port. ASPA was directly impacted economically by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. Resulting civil penalties are funding the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE Act), which established the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Council) to implement a comprehensive plan for economic and environmental recovery. Wetland creation through the beneficial use of dredged sediments simultaneously restores ecosystems while bolstering the Gulf Coast’s economy.