Patent ID: 7887259

Claim:
A method for investigating a site for possible selective removal of sediment containing a contaminant, comprising: conducting a sediment survey for one or more sediment zones containing sediment in a site containing a water course, wherein conducting the sediment survey comprises 1) applying energy to the one or more sediment zones and monitoring energy reflected by the sediment; 2) monitoring fluctuations in ambient electromagnetic energy of sediment in the one or more sediment zones; 3) monitoring radioactivity of sediment in the one or more sediment zones; 4) monitoring temperature of sediment in the one or more sediment zones; and 5) combinations thereof; calculating an adjusted contaminant concentration for each of the one or more sediment zones in the site, by multiplying a known or estimated contaminant concentration by an erosion factor and by a risk attenuation factor; and investigating the site for possible selective removal of sediment containing a contaminant based on said conducting step and said calculating step.