JAXPORT Bartram Island Cell C Restoration and Capacity Improvement

Bartram Island, on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, consists of several dredged material management areas (DMMAs). The DMMAs provide storage of maintenance dredged materials from the navigation channel and Jacksonville Port Authority’s (JAXPORT’s) berths. These DMMAs are nearly full, and JAXPORT faces a critical need for increased capacity. A 2021 study assessed the dredged material management needs and proposed alternatives to create capacity. One alternative—JAXPORT’s Bartram Island Cell C Restoration and Capacity Improvement project—would create 1,224,000 cu yd (935,815 m3) of capacity. Work began with a geotechnical evaluation of site foundation conditions and stored dredged materials. The design required offloading unsuitable dredged materials and mining suitable materials to raise the containment dikes. The design addressed challenging seepage and slope stability conditions using a stability berm, internal drains, and geotextile reinforcement. One year after design and permitting began, construction commenced in February 2022 and concluded in mid-2024.