Impact Of Fluid Mud Dredged Material On Benthic Communities Of The Tidal James River, Virginia

: The unconfined open-water disposal resulting from the maintenance dredging of the Jordan Point - Windmill Point channel had an acute impact on the macrobenthic community. The fluid mud produced from the disposal operation probably had both physical and physiological effects on the fauna. Responses varied by species. Insects were the most sensitive and oligochaetes the least affected. Due to the resilience and opportunistic nature of the fauna the detectable impacts lasted less than 3 months. Fluid mud produced from disposal of fine-grained dredged material has properties and effects different than natural sediments. Its low density, instability and low oxygen concentration present severe problems of support, respiration and feeding of benthic organisms. (Author)