Donation of Dredged Material
The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is offering free dredged material (dirt) to residents. Approximately 30,000 cubic metres of material is available for pick-up in Hay River in July 2025.
What is dredged material?
The dredged material is essentially dried river sediment, a mix of sand, silt, and clay, and small bits of debris that was removed from the Hay River Harbour navigational channel during dredging in the summer of 2024, and has been drying since. It has been extensively tested and is approved for residential and agricultural use.
What can I use the dredged material for?
The dredged material has various uses. It has been assessed for its geotechnical properties. In general, it is silty and clayey soil, with low permeability and high frost susceptibility – this is similar to native soils of Hay River. Some potential uses are listed below.
|
Potential Use |
Suitability |
Remarks |
|
General Site Fill |
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|
Landscaping |
Yes |
|
|
Filling low areas on a site |
Yes |
Potential to mitigate flood risk |
|
Raising the elevation of a site |
Yes |
|
|
Sloping a site to improve drainage |
Yes |
|
|
General Engineered Fill* |
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|
Landfill Cover |
Good |
May need to comply with permeability and erodibility requirements |
|
Dykes for flood protection |
Good |
Would need erosion protection |
|
Pad for a building |
Fair |
Will require attention to proper moisture-conditioning, placement and compaction; also some granular cover |
|
Embankment for driveway or parking area |
Good to fair |
Will require attention to proper moisture-conditioning, placement and compaction; also moderate granular cover. |
|
Embankment for road or runway |
Fair to poor |
Will require attention to proper moisture-conditioning, placement and compaction; also substantial granular cover. |
|
Structural Fill |
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|
Any application (e.g. cover for general engineered fill) |
No |
Structural fill requires clean, well-graded granular soils or inorganic low plastic clay soils, which the dredgeate is not |
|
Agriculture |
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Agricultural or horticultural amendments |
Possible |
Not considered to be topsoil, but vegetation will not have difficulty establishing naturally in the dredgeate. |
*All applications may require further testing to confirm suitability and to support any design.
How much does it cost?
The dredged material is being offered at no cost.
Where is it located?
It is located on Vale Island, in Hay River.
When is it available?
It will be available between July 7 and July 26, 2025 (weekdays and Saturdays only – closed Sundays) between 08:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Do you assist with loading and transportation?
An excavator will be on-site to assist with large loads (e.g. dump trucks); individuals will be required to shovel personal sized loads (bring your own shovel). Recipients are responsible for transporting the material to their chosen location. Recipients acknowledge the dredged material becomes their property and responsibility upon loading.
How do I apply to get dredged material?
Interested parties are asked to fill out this form and send it to DTS_Infrastructure@gov.nt.ca by June 17, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
The conditions of acquisition are available here.