When it comes to dredging, there are a lot of misconceptions. Often pond or waterway owners are not aware of how to properly maintain their pond or how to dredge it correctly. But with each ugly truth about pond maintenance, there is also a beautiful solution.
Misconception #1: Ponds don’t need cleaning
If you’re reading this article, chances are that you know that your ponds are in dire need of maintenance. More is required than just digging a waterway and letting it be. It may last your lifetime, but it will become shallow, congested and mucky. Over time, water quality, vegetation, and sediment become harder to manage.
The beautiful solution: Hydraulic dredging
Using specialized equipment (think pumps and cutterheads), hydraulic dredging uses hydraulic forces to remove sediments and debris from waterways. Compared to mechanical dredging, which is much more disruptive and leaves a heavy environmental footprint, hydraulic dredging is environmentally responsible and leaves very little footprint on the surrounding landscape. However, dredging is not just a one-and-done procedure. The process should be treated as regular maintenance that is scheduled according to the needs of the waterway.
Misconception #2: To properly dredge, you have to drain all the water
Draining all of the water during the dredging process isn’t always desired or feasible. Where does all this water go when drained? Refilling the waterway can also pose some challenges, especially when there are easier ways to go about maintaining your pond.
The beautiful solution: Geotextile watering
Geotextile fabrics are special tools that are so fine-spun that they allow water to easily flow through while still being sturdy enough for drainage and dredging purposes. By acting as large-scale filters, geotextile tubes filter the water out for reuse while completely containing the sediment inside. Geotextile dewatering easily assists in the dredging process without requiring all of the water to be drained from the waterway.
Misconception #3: You lose all your fish
A big concern for pond owners, especially those with trophy fishing lakes, is the loss of the pond’s fish and other wildlife. Wildlife, especially fish, is often a large part of a pond’s attraction. The fear of losing fish and other wildlife prevents many pond owners from dredging.
The beautiful solution: Zero wildlife relocation
If losing wildlife is the owner’s concern, there are plenty of ways to dredge and clean up a pond without having to relocate or destroy wildlife. In fact, dredging is actually good for fish and other animals because it clears the pond of muck, pollutants and plant overgrowth - all of which can be harmful to an ecosystem.
Misconception #4: The surrounding landscape is destroyed
One common dredging myth is that the heavy machinery used to dredge destroys the landscape, resulting in disruptions to community routines and regular life. However, dredging can be an easy process.
The beautiful solution: No heavy equipment = no disruptions
Although dredging definitely requires a lot of planning, a place to dispose of sediment and (sometimes) permits, the Envirodredge process leaves no heavy equipment moving through backyards, streets or other private or public areas. With hydraulic dredging, the work is conducted from the water, not by land. Therefore, there are no traffic changes, no heavy equipment moving about, and little noise. By being easy on the environment and not leaving any equipment behind, this process prevents community life and routines from being disrupted.
Misconception #5: Dredging destroys the shoreline
The final misconception about dredging is that it destroys the shoreline of a pond and that it takes a while for the original water levels and shoreline condition to be restored.
The beautiful solution: Offshore dredging
Most dredging operations are done from the water instead of the shore, leaving a pond owner with nothing to worry about in terms of the shoreline’s appearance. Additionally, restoring a pond from the water aids in retaining water levels at a normal amount, making the restoration process seamless.
