Wildwood channel restoration achieved with GEOTUBE dewatering containers

Overview

The City of Wildwood, NJ sits at the center of four island communities collectively known as The Wildwoods. It is a resort city that sees its population grow from 5,300 in the off season to 250,000 at peak tourism in the summer. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) launched a large dredging initiative to restore Wildwood’s channels to safe navigable depths and revitalize its scenic waterways.

Challenge

The project included dredging fine sand and silt from various channels and transporting it using pipelines into geotextile tubes at several permitted sites. A solution was needed to efficiently dewater a significant amount of dredged material at these sites.

The project timeline was rigorous, aiming to minimize disruption to residents and businesses. Additionally, the compact space available in the urban dewatering locations added complexity to the project.

Solution

GEOTUBE® GT500 dewatering containers were selected for their proven performance in marine sediment dewatering and its ability to adapt to complex site conditions. During the project, more than 110,000 y³ of dredged marine sediment was pumped into 75 ft (23 m) circumference GEOTUBE GT500 units. To enhance dewatering performance and prevent blinding at the base of the GEOTUBE units, especially when placed directly on impermeable liners, the project incorporated filtration fabric beneath the dewatering units. This allowed liquids to escape from the bottom portion of the tubes more efficiently. To optimize space, the GEOTUBE GT500 units were stacked in multiple layers across the laydown areas. Solmax developed a design tailored to the three dewatering sites using various tube lengths. This approach not only enhanced operational efficiency but also reduced the need for extensive excavation and minimized the footprint of the dewatering operation. The Wildwood Channel Complex project was initiated by NJDOT, Dewberry provided engineering support, and Mobile Dredging & Video Pipe Inc. provided the contracting services.

Performance

GEOTUBE GT500 enabled efficient containment and dewatering of over 110,000 y³ of dredged material, which was critical to maintaining the project’s aggressive timeline and minimizing environmental disruption. The use of sand separators and the GEOTUBE dewatering technology played a critical role in the North Wildwood Emergency Beach Nourishment Program. The dewatered and screened sediments were transported to beneficial site locations to ensure environmentally responsible disposal practices.

GEOTUBE technology was selected for its ability to deliver quick and safe dewatering with cost-effective mobilization, making it an ideal solution for the project’s environmental and logistical demands.

Despite the challenges, the project achieved several notable milestones: water discharged from the GEOTUBE units met NJDEP standards, and the project earned the 2025 America’s Transportation Award for Best Use of Technology & Innovation in the Medium Project category. The use of specialty equipment such as sand separators and hydro cyclones further enhanced the project’s effectiveness, contributing to the successful restoration of seven Wildwood Channels.