Dredging

Dredging removes sediment or other material from the bottom of a body of water, usually to deepen or maintain waterways, recover resources, or remediate contamination.

Suction dredging: A dredging method that uses a pump to draw sediment and water through a suction pipe. Hydraulic suction is a common way to remove loose sediment from waterways.
Channel maintenance: The periodic removal of sediment from a navigable channel to preserve its usable depth and width. Dredging counters natural deposition that would otherwise restrict vessel passage.
Sediment plume: A cloud of suspended particles carried through water from a disturbed or discharged sediment source. Dredging can create plumes that spread beyond the excavation site.
Sediment bypassing: The artificial transfer of sediment around a barrier that interrupts its natural movement along a coast or river. Bypassing can restore sediment movement without excavating a navigation channel.
Sediment quality guidelines: Criteria used to interpret contaminant concentrations in sediments and assess potential ecological risks. Guidelines inform whether dredged material is suitable for placement or needs special management.
Mechanical dredging: Dredging that excavates underwater material with buckets, grabs, or other mechanical tools. Mechanical equipment can excavate compacted sediment and debris that pumps handle poorly.
Land reclamation: The creation or expansion of usable land by filling shallow water or wetlands. Dredged sediment can supply fill for new land, subject to environmental and engineering constraints.
Turbidity: The cloudiness of water caused by suspended particles that scatter light. Dredging-related resuspension can reduce underwater visibility and light penetration.
River training: Engineering works that guide river flow to improve navigation, control erosion, or stabilize a channel. Structures can influence channel depth and alignment as an alternative or complement to dredging.
Dredging-induced contaminant release: The mobilization of pollutants from sediment into water during dredging and sediment handling. Predicting contaminant release remains difficult when sediments are disturbed.

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