In the previous post, we discussed how D.A.S.H. (Diver-Assisted Suction Harvesting) performs some minor dredging during the process of weed removal, but sometimes full-scale dredging is unavoidable. Dredging reverses that natural process of erosion. In the area served by EcoWaterway, many of the lakes and ponds were carved out by glacial processes, but over thousands of years of natural erosion, waterways, lakes and ponds tend to accumulate sediment and organic materials. These processes are also accelerated by peoples’ fashioning of their environments, clearing fields for agriculture, building roads, houses, lawns, parking lots, commercial buildings with large, sloping roofs, drainage ditches and all the rest. The upshot is that waterways become clogged with the detritus that we create in our fashioning the environment to our use.
On top of that, our use of fertilizers for commercial and non-commercial applications and our accidental introduction of invasive species can accelerate environmentally harmful processes. Boat wakes can accelerate erosion as well. Dredging can actually be restorative in these situations. It can remove accumulations of organic and inorganic materials that choke off healthy aquatic environments, restoring water depths that preceded human development, and allowing desirable native species to repopulate, even as it restores recreational and commercial use of waterways and water bodies. Additionally, dredging can remove accumulated junk and even help remove built-up toxins. If you have a property in a bay that’s gradually becoming silted in, for example, you might want to investigate dredging.
In past times, dredging was often accomplished by bringing steam shovels or backhoes to the water’s edge and digging. Obviously, that’s pretty intrusive, not only to the body of water being cleared, but to the shoreline and its plants and animals. This heavy machinery would inevitably damage the land that supported it, often accelerating the erosive processes that it was meant to counter. Nowadays, the technology has advanced considerably.
EcoWaterway can help you clean up your lake or pond, your marina property, your river, channel, or canal, making it healthier and more accessible for your enjoyment at the same time. Give us a call to discuss what you need. We’re happy to help.
Before we can help, though, you’re going to need a permit, if your property faces a public waterway. Check out the requirements here, or call for more details.