Coastal Inlet Navigation Channel Shoaling with Deepening and Widening

response of six inlet navigation channel projects to deepening and widening. In all cases, deepening and/or widening of these channels increased the dredging rate. The postdredging rate has a good correlation with the deficit of sediment in the channel (defined as the difference between the natural and dredged channel volumes), as compared to the natural (nondredged) channel. BACKGROUND: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) navigation mission is to maintain the Nation’s waterborne transportation systems for movement of commerce, national security needs, and recreation. These systems include harbors, waterways, and channels. Channels are located in and along our coasts, bays, estuaries and rivers, and are dredged to maintain depths needed for reliable passage of vessels. This CHETN concerns coastal inlet entrance channels, and the dredging required to maintain navigable conditions after the channels ’ dimensions have been increased. As waterborne commerce and the need for national security continue to grow, vessels are becoming larger due to economies of scale, increased cargo capacity, and increased number of vessels. Larger ships require deeper and wider inlet entrance channels, requiring increased dredging. This CHETN examines the change in dredging rates for six inlets that have had entrance channels deepened and/or widened. It is anticipated that the trend for increasing the size of coastal inlet navigation channel