Run a test.......scoop some up, enough for a small pot , throw some grass seed on it, and see if it grows well.

I would think that stuff would be contaminated with PCBs. Look at the Ohio fish eating advisory for the Ohio River. That should give you a clue the silt is unfit for your yard or worse, your garden.

I'm guessing that if the silt is contaminated that the Corps doesn't let the public have it, and this is why it's sitting in a huge pile. Can't imagine them intentionally creating brown sites all over town. But I'm curious if anyone knows for certain what the Corps does with the stuff they dredge up from around the locks.

Adding a bunch of silt to a clay soil wouldn't be an efficient way to improve the texture anyway.

Are you having problems growing a lawn?

What kind of grass do you have?

What is your watering schedule? How often and for how long do you water?

How high/low do you mow?

When were the last two times you fertilized and what did you use?

Have you used insecticide, fungicide, or herbicide this year? If so, what and when did you use it?

Thanks dchall, but I'm a seasoned and past-professional turf-grass guy. I know what questions to ask first, but thank you.

Embothrium, I'm looking for an inexpensive, free is best, source of soil or soil amendment that doesn't add to my problems. A couple of firms around here sell "topsoil" but it's mostly clay with some poorly finished compost or sand mixed into it. Worthless. Same with their compost, never seen so much trash mixed into something that is called compost.

I appreciate all of the questions and suggestions but I really am just curious to know if anyone knows what the Corps does with river silt.

Dude, why be such a tool! When I posted this I was asked to check what areas my post might cover. Whatever algorithm put it here was not of my design, feel free to complain to the management.

The reason I need the soil is to level some uneven spots and as I said in a previous post the topsoil for sale around here is garbage. Of all the bulk soils available around here, the river silt seemed like the best option.

I don't use fungicides or pesticides. I use organic fertilizers, soybean meal is my fave and given that the soil tests said I need more nitrogen, just what I need.

My yard needs to be completely redone but I don't have the funds to do it right now. It was, and is, a mix of cool and warm weather grasses. I tried to encourage the Bermuda for the first three years by mowing low and core aeration, and it was working but winter die-off is becoming an issue. Most of the Bermuda areas are now just low-cut weeds. So, I'll probably stop trying to encourage the Bermuda and slowly, area by area, try and establish a cool weather grass, probably a blend of rye, bluegrass and fescue.

Now, if you have any suggestions for acquiring an inexpensive growing medium for cool weather grasses in the Louisville area, I'd love to hear what you have to say. Otherwise, keep your smart aleck comments to yourself please.

I'm afraid you started the toolishness with your dismissal of my questions with a comment about knowing what questions to ask. But I'm willing to let bygones be bygones.

Can you be more specific about what is wrong with the topsoil in the area? Scott's sells topsoil in bags from unknown locations. My southern lawn preference is for plain sand, but that's not good for the bunch grasses in the north.

I wouldn’t want river bottom sediments in my yard because of industrial contamininants as others have suggested. Until the Clean Water Act was passed in the early 70’s, pretty much all industrial waste was just dumped, into rivers, on the ground, buried. etc. I have read of several rivers that have high PCP content in the sediments. I don’t know specifically what the Corps does with their contaminated sediment, but around here high temperature incineration is one way that soils from contaminated sites are dealt with. It may depend on the type of contamination, however, since something like heavy metals (used in tanning and dyes among other processes) wouldn’t be eliminated by combustion. Some of it may be disposed of in sealed disposal sites designed for industrial waste.

For other sources of soil, look at the cost of a load of compost and a load what is sold as topsoil since when combined they will make a good mix.

I did say "thank you" which doesn't count as toolishness in my neck of the woods. You threw out those questions like I was a newbie with no idea what he was doing. I was simply saying that I was past that point, and THANKED YOU. Bygones? Sure.

The topsoil I can buy is full of trash, nuggets of clay so hard I need a hammer to break them, and if amended with "compost" there are large bits of sticks and rocks. It's not worth buying. I'm sure there is better topsoil available somewhere around here, but I'm having trouble finding it.

I'm in a subdivision where the topsoil was scraped away during development, but I can build that back. My soil needs are to fill in low and uneven spots.

NHBabs, those were exactly my concerns as the Ohio River is particularly nasty and has been for at least a century. I'm starting to think you're correct though and I'll need to find a better source of compost for sale and mix it with soil I dig up for various projects in my yard. Buying the local "topsoil" and "mixes" has not proven to be a good choice so far.

Years back I needed to even out a low spot in the yard from the prior owners swing set area... and I would find plenty of people on craigslist who just did a yard project and have some decent "topsoil" available. I would just go and take the best portion of the pile. If you mix that with some store bought compost... it would make some decent material.

As has been alluded to (but not very well flushed out with detail) is that clay soils are best improved with additions of coarse organic matter. So silt, whatever its origins - contaminated or free of any residual chemicals - is not a recommended amendment. The particle size is just too fine and it will not help to loosen or break up the heavy clay. It will just serve to bind it tighter. Compost - and not fully 'finished' compost - is typically the go-to suggestion as it is usually readily available, relatively inexpensive, has a larger texture/particle size and will create the necessary aeration and porosity that will improve drainage and lighten or break up a clay-based soil

Many municipalities have commercial composting operations that utilize the recycled yard waste consumers create. While it may not be 100% clean (often has bits of plastic or glass included), the debris can be easily screened out and the resulting product will adequately do the trick. If you only need a small amount to fill in low spots or even things out, the bagged stuff available at any home improvement or big box store or virtually any garden center will work equally as well.

And despite comments to the contrary, clays soils are extremely common.......in fact, a clay or mostly clay soil tends to be by far the overwhelming soil type across most of the country. Unless your property is located on what was once agricultural land :-) Virtually every soil will have some component of clay in the mix!!

And some responders seem to be unaware that the cross-posting to numerous forums that is now a default option with Houzz will present the thread in several forums....some more appropriate than others. Thus the generation of often snarky comments. Which seem to be the norm for many of the Lawn Care forum regulars, all self-described "experts"!!

Again, I'm not trying to amend my soil with the river silt, I was just thinking of topsoil options for some uneven spots some of which are over my septic system. Gardengal, I understand what you're saying about the generic definition of "clay", but the kind of clay I'm talking about is robust enough to throw pots from. I agree with your comments about snarky posters though.

Nevermore, I like that idea, hadn't thought about checking with Craig.