Strengths

- Reduces the amount of nutrients in sediments that are beneficial to plant development.

- Prevents infilling of the stream

- Slows the eutrophication dynamics of the stream.

- Improves airworthiness in the river.

- Positive impacts in long terms (6 to 24 months after dredging) for heavy metals reduction.

Weaknesses

- Excessive cost of operation.

- Short term negative impacts (turbidity, Resuspension of sediment, saturation of water with toxic metal).

Threats

- Potential effects of dredging on living organisms.

- Problems of treatment and disposal of extracted sediments.

Opportunities

- Environmental assessments of the removed sediments

- Need to develop process environmentally friendly:

- Dredging techniques are often costly; however precise dredging can lower the dredging cost by determination of dredging depth based on the pollution level prior dredging. This method can also provide a favorable environment for the benthos,

- Re-use or remediation of contaminated dredged sediments.