Dredging is essential for maintaining navigable waterways — but the material removed has historically been treated as waste, requiring costly upland disposal. Geotextile tube technology has created a different pathway: putting that dredged material to work restoring and creating coastal habitat.
What Beneficial Use Means
Beneficial use of dredged material means using the sediment removed from a navigation channel or waterway for a constructive purpose rather than simply disposing of it. In many beneficial use applications, the dredged material fills the tubes directly — the “waste” from one operation becomes the fill that builds a protective structure at another.
Habitat Island and Wetland Restoration
TITANTube® geotextile tubes form the perimeter dikes of hurricane protection islands, habitat islands, and restored marshlands. The Bird Island Cove Marsh Restoration project used TITANTube® breakwaters to protect 114 acres of coastal wetlands, with restoration of 70 acres of estuarine marsh complex. The Ft. Pierce City Marina project created acres of habitat for mangroves, shorebirds, and oysters alongside its primary storm protection function.
The Technical Foundation
Successful beneficial use projects require careful design — tube sizing, fabric selection, fill sequencing, and site-specific regulatory coordination all play a role. Flint’s team works directly with project owners, contractors, and project teams to develop project-specific solutions that meet both construction and environmental objectives.
