Risk-Based Spatial Decision Support System for Maintenance Dredging of Navigation Channels

The uncertainties and variability in natural, engineering, and economic conditions make planning for the maintenance and improvement of water navigation infrastructure in the United States (U.S.) a difficult task. The Risk Analysis for Water Resources Investments Research Program of the Institute for Water Resources of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been developing techniques to address this issue by incorporating risk analysis and management directly into the Corp's planning and decision making processes. The authors of this paper present a risk-based spatial decision support system intended to aid in the planning of maintenance dredging activities for navigation channels. The spatial decision support system is based upon a mixed-integer mathematical programming model, the Reliability Based Dynamic Dredging Decision model, which explains the trade-offs in project costs and channel reliability for annual budgeting and dredge scheduling. A sample application is presented that simulates the type of input required and models the type of output and analysis offered by the system.