This watercraft is fitted with a large roto-tiller like
attachment that directs pond sediment through pumps to a separate holding
pond approximately 1 ½ miles away at this
site.
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Here the vessel begins a pass dredging approximately four
feet of sediment. It will require at least two more passes to complete
the row with each pass going four feet deeper. Depending on the condition
of the pond each pass can take anywhere from twenty minutes to twelve hours.
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The boat is driven across the pond by a winch and
pulley system on a cable anchored at opposite ends of the pond. The
tubes trailing the boat act as floats for the pipe carrying the sediment
out of the pond. |
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As the vessel nears the end of the pass, crew members
move the pipe out of the path so the boat can “dock” while the cable is
repositioned on both sides of the pond for another pass.
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This is the primary pumping station that moves the
dredged sediment and water to the holding pond. The pump throughput
is approximately 1,000 gallons per minute through a six inch line. |
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A look at the other end shows the objective of this work.
The pipe on the right shows the sediment being pumped, with the pipe on
the left carrying pond water only.
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