RESERVE — Local business DSC Dredge LLC has sponsored the Western Dredging Association (WEDA) Best Paper Award at its annual conference for the past five years, and business leaders said this year’s winner was a prime example of how dredging benefits communities.

“Why Dredging is Good” was the theme of this year’s conference, held last month in Chicago, Illinois. Representatives from DSC Dredge were in attendance.

In 2014, DSC Dredge president and CEO Bob Wetta received the WEDA Dredger of the Year Award. Wetta was part of the WEDA Board of Directors for more than 10 years, serving as president and chairman during his tenure.

He was happy to see a selection committee name Isaac Hamtez and Brian Davis the 2019 Best Paper winners at this year’s conference.

In the White Paper entitled “Geospatial Modeling and Suitability Analysis for Beneficial Use: An Integrated Approach,” Hamtez and Davis outlined that with the increased global awareness of plastic debris in bodies of water, it’s important consider microplastic presence should be anticipated in dredging sediments.

Hamtez and Davis provided additional insight into the consequences of microplastic exposure during dredging. At the end of their study, it was concluded that microplastics were present in all sites tested, including the Mississippi River, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, Great Lakes and Long Island Sound. The complete paper is available for download on the WEDA website.

Hamtez is the Research Director with Mahan Rykiel Associates Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland, and Davis is a Professor of Cornell University.

Wetta stated, “The selection of Hamtez and Davis’ paper supports WEDA’s goals emphasizing of developing solutions related to the protection and enhancement of the marine environment.  This paper is an excellent example of ‘Why Dredging is Good’. DSC Dredge is a proud supporter of the outstanding work and research WEDA generates, such as this paper written by Hamtez and Davis.”

WEDA is a non-profit technical association devoted to the exchange of knowledge in fields related to dredging, navigation, marine engineering and construction.

DSC Dredge LLC is a global leader in the dredge manufacturing industry, engineering superior customized dredging solutions to meet specific application needs, while continuing to exceed customer expectations. DSC designs and manufactures high quality, durable cutter suction and underwater pump mining dredges. Quality, Innovation, Service, Commitment and Customization are key DSC attributes. DSC operates from three manufacturing facilities located in Reserve; Poplarville, Mississippi; and Greenbush, Michigan.  For more information about the company and its products, services and customized solutions, please visit dscdredge.com.