Dredges for Lakes

What Is Lake Dredging and Why It’s Done

A clean, healthy lake is a wonderful place for both the aquatic and plant life it supports, as well as for the recreational and commercial boating and water-related activities that occur there. But since rivers and streams often feed lakes, the process of sand, debris and silt washing downstream — known as sedimentation — can easily fill a lake with pollutants, as well as excessive levels of minerals and nutrients that can cause an explosion in algae, reeds and other plant life.

If no action is taken to counteract sedimentation, the process of eutrophication can occur. During this process, the water is starved of oxygen, plant growth accelerates and, over time, the ongoing accumulation of silt can turn a lake into a swamp. That’s why it’s good to know that an appropriate lake dredge can remove unwanted pollutants and materials from the lakebed and its water, resulting in a better-protected shoreline and aquatic life.

Dino6 Dredge: The Perfect Lake Dredge

Dredging takes on many forms. Sometimes lake dredging is preventative in nature and performed to keep areas free of debris so boat traffic can continue unimpeded. In other instances, a lake and its shoreline may already be damaged by pollution and sedimentation. In these cases, a form of restorative dredging needs to occur. Also, there’s the choice of either mechanical dredging — which uses an excavator with a bucket for sediment removal — or hydraulic dredging, which uses a suction pump like a vacuum to remove materials.

Watch the Dino6 Lake Dredge in Action:

View the Dino6

Dino6 Specs To Know For Lake Dredging Applications:

In almost all cases, however, lake dredging involves environmental concerns. This is why the Dino6 Sediment Removal System is the preferred choice to safely remove sediment and weeds without harming a lake’s shoreline or wildlife or negatively impacting the water quality. Unlike large mechanical dredges that can cause damage and erosion to a delicate shoreline, the compact Dino6 hydraulic system is ideal for lake dredging where maximum performance with minimal disturbance is key.

The Dino6 works better than dredges twice its size. Plus, it comes packed with the following features and benefits:

• Portability: Requiring only 14 inches of water to operate and weighing a mere 3800 pounds, the Dino6 was built with portability in mind. At 22 feet long and six feet wide, the footprint of the Dino6 is a fraction of what most dredges require to work effectively.

• Accessibility: Lakes aren’t always easily accessible, especially when a shoreline is already damaged. But while other dredges need two or more trucks to transport them, you can haul the Dino6 on one trailer with one haul vehicle. It’s a simple setup, so you can get to remote lakes that other dredges don’t have a hope of reaching. Plus, you can launch and recover the Dino6 with ease.

• Capabilities: Though compact, the Dino6 is an exceptionally powerful machine. Its 1500 gpm pump can pass three-inch debris, and its suction boom is equipped with a high-torque, direct-drive cutter head. When it comes to fuel efficiency, the Dino6 uses just three gallons per hour of fuel when pumping.

Ease of Use

Lake dredging equipment offers little value if it burdens the operators, so we’ve designed the Dino 6 to be as easy to use as possible. The process consists of four basic steps:

• The operator lowers the boom to the lake bottom
• The teeth on the rotating cutting bar loosen the sediment
• A powerful submersible pump removes the dislodged debris
• You transport the recovered silt and sediment debris from the bottom of the lake to the disposal site

GeoForm International can provide on-site training to shorten the learning curve and ensure your crews can use the equipment efficiently and safely while benefiting from its full functionality.

Launching and loading the Dino 6 is also a breeze. You can perform the task without damaging the shoreline.

Power

Although the Dino 6 isn’t the largest piece of dredging equipment for lakes on the market, it delivers impressive power. The Cummins four-cylinder diesel engine generates 65 horsepower, making it one of the most robust machines in its class. The high-torque suction boom can pass debris measuring up to 3 inches in diameter, enabling you to clear large clumps of sediment from a lake bottom faster than ever.

With the powerful Dino 6 at your command, you’ll be able to complete more work in less time and keep your dredging projects on schedule. You’ll also have more satisfied clients who will likely send more business your way.

Efficiency

The Dino 6 is the most efficient equipment for dredging a lake. Its advanced capabilities, power, portability and accessibility remove the hassles normally experienced during dredging operations. You’ll experience performance comparable to a larger, more expensive machine. 

The efficient operation will also help keep your diesel costs under control. The tank holds 30 gallons of fuel, enough to keep the dredge running for several hours. The dredge consumes only 3 gallons per hour (gph), ensuring an economical operation.

Environmentally Friendly 

It’s more important than ever for dredging operations to be good stewards of the environment. The Dino 6 enables you to achieve this objective. As a smaller, mobile piece of dredging equipment for lakes and ponds, it allows you to clean up waterways without harming wildlife, damaging habitats or causing excessive shoreline erosion. 

Your customers will be pleased with the condition of their property after the job, and you’ll remain compliant with today’s increasingly stringent environmental regulations.

Safe Lake Sediment Removal Equipment

Creating a safe work environment is paramount in any lake dredging operation. The Dino 6 contains numerous built-in features to reduce the injury risk and prevent machine damage. For example, the engine will shut down automatically if it experiences extreme heat or low fluid levels. 

With these features on your lake dredger, you’ll have more peace of mind knowing you’re doing everything possible to protect your workers and promote job site safety.

Full Support for Your Lake Dredging Equipment

GeoForm International provides quick, responsive service to maximize your Dino 6 ownership experience. We manufacture all our dredges in-house, and we know what it takes to keep them in peak operating condition. Our goal is to ensure your equipment performs at a high level and meets your project requirements for years to come.

GeoForm International Inc. — The Lake Dredging Equipment Experts

Since 1998, GeoForm International Inc. has been committed to developing industry-leading pumps and dredges. Our Dino6 represents more than two decades of design and manufacturing excellence, making it the ideal choice for dredging a lake. It’s why our team can say with confidence that it’s the “best horizontal cutter head dredge in its class.”

For lake dredging equipment recommendations and unbeatable customer service, contact us today. When you’re looking for expertise in lake dredging, look no further than GeoForm International.

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