Hydraulic dredges are the go-to method to for dredging lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams. Dredges can run continuously and pump large volumes of sediment through a pipeline, eliminating the need to transport sediment in less efficient methods. The slurry discharged from the end of the pipeline is usually dewatered, a process that separates the sediment from the water. Ponds, belt presses, dewatering screens, and geosynthetic dewatering tubes are common dewatering methods. Once the slurry is dewatered clean water can be returned to the source to maintain the water level if necessary - hydraulic dredging . A hydraulic dredge is placed into the water and floats. It generally has a cable traverse system that it can move along, a winch/cable system with spuds, walking spuds, or a type of paddle wheel propulsion. A dredge consists of a cutterhead, ladder, pontoons, operator station, engine (diesel or electric), and a pump. Once in place the dre...
