Increasing waterway depth: As sediment builds up on the bottom of the waterway, it reduces the depth of the water.Dredging ensures cargo vessels of all sizes can dock and do not run aground. Creating new waterways: Many ports are building new waterways with dredging to reach new trade centers and improve the efficiency of transporting goods.Dredging also removes dead vegetation, pollutants and trash that have gathered in these areas.

By removing the accumulated debris, dredging can restore the waterway to its original depth and condition.

Maintaining existing waterways: Dredging is an important step in waterway maintenance.

Watch a Dredge in Action:ĭredging has several unique purposes that apply to many industries, including: When dredging is complete, you can relocate sediment for several purposes.

A dredge is either partially or completely submerged in water and allows the operator to easily gather the sediment and transport it to a different location. The sediment removal process uses a dredge to excavate the accumulated sediment and debris. It often becomes necessary to find a way to remove a large accumulation of sediment to preserve the health of the waterway and enable commercial applications. The dredging process can provide a fast, efficient sediment removal solution, and various types of dredges can complete the sediment removal process. Over time, these waterways can become filled with sediment that makes them difficult to navigate and sometimes pose an environmental hazard. We depend on various waterways for several daily functions, ranging from transporting goods to commercial fishing and recreation. In coastal areas, sediment accumulation can cause beaches to erode. It can also lead to contamination that poses a threat to aquatic plant and wildlife. For instance, it can reduce the depth of the waterway and prevent the passage of ships. Sedimentation is a naturally occurring process where silt, sand and other debris accumulate on the bottom of rivers, lakes, canals or streams over time. An excessive build-up of sediment can cause a series of issues. Dredges are specialized pieces of equipment that create a vacuum to suck up and pump out the unwanted sediment and debris. Table Of Contents – Easily Jump To What You’re Looking For:ĭredging means the process of removing accumulated sediment from the bottom or banks of bodies of water, including rivers, lakes or streams.

How does a dredge work with a scow