Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much total storage capacity is available at all Great Lakes CDFs?
25,337,810 cubic yards

2. How much storage capacity is available at a CDF in a given state?
IL: 300,000 cubic yards
IN: 4,500,000 cubic yards
MI: 13,244,810 cubic yards
MN: 260,000 cubic yards
NY: 2,421,000 cubic yards
OH: 3,360,000 cubic yards
PA: 378,000 cubic yards
WI: 874,000 cubic yards

3. How much CDF storage capacity is available in a given Great Lake basin?
Lake Superior: 410,920 cubic yards
Lake Michigan: 5,674,000 cubic yards
Lake Huron: 412,090 cubic yards
Lake St. Clair: 941,200 cubic yards
Lake Erie: 17,899,600 cubic yards
Lake Ontario: 0 cubic yards

Information on storage capacity for individual CDFs can be obtained by clicking on the map or use of the sediment recycling query tool.

4. How much sediment material is dredged on average annually from all federally maintained Great Lakes harbors?
5,385,021 cubic yards

5. How much sediment material is dredged on average annually from federally maintained harbors in each lake basin?
Lake Superior: 315,316 cubic yards
Lake Michigan: 2,007,014 cubic yards
Lake Huron: 404,873 cubic yards
Lake St. Clair: 48,116 cubic yards
Lake Erie: 2,609,702 cubic yards
Lake Ontario: 349,000 cubic yards

6. How much sediment material is dredged on average annually from federally maintained harbors in each state?
IL: 365,000 cubic yards
IN: 290,000 cubic yards
MI: 1,715,350 cubic yards
MN: 88,801 cubic yards
NY: 540,000 cubic yards
OH: 1,976,000 cubic yards
PA: 85,000 cubic yards
WI: 324,870 cubic yards

Information on average annual dredging amounts for individual federally maintained harbors can be obtained by clicking on the map or use of the sediment recycling query tool.

7. How much dredged material goes into all Great Lakes CDFs annually?
2,363,288 cubic yards

8. How much dredged material goes into CDFs in each lake basin annually?
Lake Superior: 112,538
Lake Michigan: 973,090
Lake Huron: 217,474
Lake St. Clair: 21,308
Lake Erie: 1,038,878
Lake Ontario: 0

9. How much dredged material goes into CDFs in each state annually?
IL: 325,000 cubic yards
IN: 257,000 cubic yards
MI: 778,951 cubic yards
MN: 40,695 cubic yards
NY: 80,000 cubic yards
OH: 585,000 cubic yards
PA: 85,000 cubic yards
WI: 211,642 cubic yards

Information annual amounts of dredged material for individual CDFs can be obtained by clicking on the map or use of the sediment recycling query tool.

10. How much total dredged material annually goes to open lake disposal in the Great Lakes?
1,896,908 cubic yards

11. How much dredged material annually goes to open lake disposal in each lake basin?
Lake Superior: 0 cubic yards
Lake Michigan: 22,178 cubic yards
Lake Huron: 58,730 cubic yards
Lake St. Clair: 0 cubic yards
Lake Erie: 1,467,000 cubic yards
Lake Ontario: 349,000 cubic yards

12. How much dredged material annually goes to open lake disposal in each state?
IL: 0 cubic yards
IN: 5,000 cubic yards
MI: 75,908 cubic yards
MN: 0 cubic yards
NY: 460,000 cubic yards
OH: 1,356,000 cubic yards
PA: 0 cubic yards
WI: 0 cubic yards

Information on annual amounts of dredged material going to open lake disposal for individual federally maintained harbors can be obtained by clicking on the map or use of the sediment recycling query tool.

13. How much dredged material is used beneficially for near shore placement/beach nourishment in the total basin?
715,629 cubic yards

14. How much dredged material is used beneficially for near shore placement/beach nourishment in each lake basin?
Lake Superior: 148,230 cubic yards
Lake Michigan: 439,626 cubic yards
Lake Huron: 92,773 cubic yards
Lake St. Clair: 0 cubic yards
Lake Erie: 35,000 cubic yards
Lake Ontario: 0 cubic yards

15. How much dredged material is used beneficially for near shore placement/beach nourishment in each state?
IL: 40,000 cubic yards
IN: 28,000 cubic yards
MI: 521,338 cubic yards
MN: 22,996 cubic yards
NY: 0 cubic yards
OH: 35,000 cubic yards
PA: 0 cubic yards
WI: 68,325 cubic yards

Information on dredged material used beneficially for near shore placement/beach nourishment for individual federally maintained harbors can be obtained by clicking on the map or use of the sediment recycling query tool.

16. How long will we be able to place material in Great Lakes CDFs at present rates if no material is removed for beneficial uses?
Given the average amount of material dredged per year in the total basin of 5,385,021 cubic yards and the current storage capacity remaining of all CDF locations in the basin of 25,337,810 cubic yards, it would take approximately 4.7 years to fill current capacity without further withdrawals.

17. How much dredged material stored in CDFs is clean material that is ready for beneficial use in the total basin?
At least 14,061,000 cubic yards total in the basin is available for beneficial use. Of the total of 42 CDF sites in the basin, 5 reported clean material that is ready for beneficial use. Information on the amounts of dredged material ready for beneficial use for individual CDFs can be obtained by clicking on the map or use of the sediment recycling query tool.