SEDS: setting environmental decisions for sediment, a decision making tool for sediment management

Abstract The need for guidance on the management of contaminated sediment has been articulated by the International Joint Commission, scientists and resource managers in many jurisdictions. There is a growing convergence on what constitutes a valid comprehensive sediment assessment but active debate on how to synthesize multiple pieces of information on sediment chemistry, biological information from field monitoring and laboratory sediment bioassessment. Recognizing the current state of knowledge, we provide a recommended approach to bioassessment sediment management strategies. The intent is to facilitate the formulation of data interpretation tools needed for a decision making process that is flexible to enable site-specific determination regarding the need to take action beyond the control of sources of contamination. While the concepts contained herein have been employed implicitly in Canada and Ontario, the details on data collection, evaluation, and reaching a management decision are explicitly laid out in this paper. It is expected that field application of this approach could lead to modifications of this framework.