UXO Site selected: Miami River Dredging Project, FL
General Area: Miami, FL

Site Type/Program: Dredging & Beach Replenishment Sites

Location: Miami River - 5.7-mile stretch of the Miami River from Biscayne Bay northeast to the Salinity Dam.

Brief History: During maintenance dredging operations conducted by the USACE Jacksonville District, involving the dredging, materials handling, transport, and disposal of sediments from the 5.7-mile stretch of the Miami River from Biscayne Bay northeast to the Salinity Dam, munitions items were recovered. The munitions items are believed to have originated from an old shipyard in the area that worked on Navy ships. The munitions were believed to have been discarded into the river as a means of disposal.
Range / Site Description: During maintenance dredging operations of the Miami River, munitions were discovered by the USACE Jacksonville District. The Jacksonville District solicited the help of the Baltimore District for technical support. The Baltimore District developed the ESS and obtained a waiver to conduct screening operations in the heavily congested area of the Miami River. The following was reportedly recovered from the screening operations:

Munitions Debris Recovered: 3 inch expended brass cartridge casings, .50 caliber expended brass cartridge casings, 40mm expended brass cartridge cases.

MEC Recovered: Assorted small arms, 3 inch 50 AP MK 29 Navy projectile, one 20mm HE projectile.

Associated Munitions: 20 mm HE projectiles and 3 inch 50 AP MK 29 Navy projectiles.

Activities Completed: Time Critical Removal Action involving the screening of spoil piles dredged from the Miami River.

Issues: Very busy congested area with minimal room to work. A risk waiver had to be obtained to conduct work in the area. The waiver was based upon a change to the 6055.9 standard (March 2009) which classified activities as a "high input" and "low input" activity. The removal actions at the Miami River Dredge site were deemed low-input which provided a much greater level of flexibility in terms of what safety precautions were required.

Other Information: Action considered complete - future dredging operations should consider the potential for munitions so that the proper screening tools and procedures can be put in place to minimize the potential for dredging munitions.
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