If you’ve ever owned or managed a piece of land, you’ve likely had to deal with runoff, even if you didn’t know it. Managing runoff can be a crucial component of maintaining the health of your job site or managed land. But before you get into the ins and outs of dredging to control runoff water, it’s important to understand what runoff is, where it comes from and how you can best manage it. 

Where Does Runoff Typically Occur?

Knowing what runoff is plays a big role in learning where it’s typically found. Runoff is any water that runs off the land’s surface. It’s a large component of the water cycle, and when rain pours, the streets flood this runoff into the sewer drains. That’s one example of how we manage runoff — but more on that later. 

When rain meets land that is over-saturated because of impervious surfaces, the water will run overland. The laws of nature prove that water always flows toward the path of least resistance and, like all other things, follows the pull of gravity. Because of this, runoff flows downward until it meets a large body of water, such as a river, creek, ocean or reservoir. 

The flow of runoff is largely impacted by the land’s physical characteristics and the weather’s meteorological factors. 

Meteorological Factors

Meteorological factors that influence storm water runoff management include:

• The type of precipitation and its intensity, amount and duration 
• The distribution of rainfall over the drainage basin
• The direction of storm movement
• Previous precipitation or previous soil saturation 

Physical Characteristics

Physical traits of the land that impact runoff can include:

• Land use
• Vegetation
• Soil type 
• Drainage area
• Basin shape
• Elevation
• Topography
• Ponds, lakes, reservoirs and sinks in the basin 

Why Does Runoff Occur?

Knowing where runoff occurs, we can follow the water uphill to its source to see where it comes from. You may wonder, isn’t it all from rain? The answer is yes — but also no. Rain is the most common cause for runoff, but we might also see other causes for it, especially when managing an industrial plot of land.

Depending on where your land sits in relation to any nearby mountains, snowmelt is the most common form of runoff. Snowmelt occurs when warm temperatures cause heavy snow on the mountains to melt on surfaces that can’t absorb the water, thus causing the snowy water to run off the mountain toward a nearby body of water. 

Additionally, whether intentional or not, managing a piece of land for any number of reasons (even non-industrial) can cause man-made runoff. This type of water is referred to as point source and nonpoint source pollution. 

Dredging is a common practice used to reduce the effects of both forms of runoff. 

Point Source Pollution

This direct form of runoff is caused by the emptying of water directly into a body of water. This could be factory runoff being sent directly into a creek or river. However, places as common as a residential home could also be a contributing factor for point source pollution. 

Section 502(14) of the Clean Water Act defines “point source” as any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance from which pollutants are discharged. These conveyances can include any:

• Pipe
• Ditch
• Channel
• Tunnel
• Conduit
• Well
• Discrete fissure
• Container
• Rolling stock
• Concentrated animal feeding operation
• Floating craft or other vessel

Despite its name, point source pollution doesn’t always carry excessive negative impacts on local environments and ecosystems. In most areas, legislation exists at the regional, state and national levels to indicate the type and amount of runoff that industries are allowed to release into the environment. 

Nonpoint Source Pollution

This form of runoff is the catch-all for all runoff that doesn’t meet the above definition for point source pollution. It can apply to any water that doesn’t directly travel into a waterway. Nonpoint source pollution can be found in urban, suburban and rural areas alike. 

While this type may in theory seem less harmful than its more direct form, it can actually be more damaging to local ecosystems. Runoff water can travel overland, bringing with it the harmful chemicals and pollutants it encounters. 

Farmlands are the most common contributors to nonpoint source pollution, as the frequently used fertilizers and pesticides get swept up in the runoff. 

Whenever impervious surfaces are present, the amount of runoff increases and thus allows for more pollutants to be carried off. More local examples of runoff pollutants include car-washing soaps, litter and spilled gasoline. 

Ways to Manage Runoff Water With Dredging 

If you are operating on a work site, you will likely be exposed to runoff water, which may be damaging to your local ecosystem and the health of the site or your managed land. Dredging is often used to manage the effects of runoff, especially in and around job sites. Dredging is the process of removing unwanted sediment below the surface of the water with a vacuum pump and other mechanical tools.

In addition to runoff management, people use dredging for:

• Deepening a water basin, allowing boats and ships to pass
• Obtaining aggregates for concrete manufacturing
• Obtaining materials for civil engineering projects
• Excavating trenches for pipelines, cables and other projects
• Increasing channel capacity and flood prevention
• Preventing the spread of contaminants to other areas of the water body
• Reclaiming land

When managing the materials created by dredging projects, handling is best done at upland sites with materials spread out, seeded, mulched and stabilized. 

In locations where stormwater is leaving the dredging project or managed areas, temporary sediment basins are largely recommended when possible. They contribute to the collection of point source and nonpoint source pollutants.

Additional best practices for controlling runoff with dredging equipment include:

• Diverting stormwater away from exposed or disturbed site areas
• Planning the use and movement of designated equipment to minimize soil disturbance
• Stabilizing drainage ways 
• Expediting re-vegetation of sites and minimizing clearing of vegetation
• Identifying and protecting existing areas of heavy vegetation, such as trees
• Inspecting surface waters including drainage ditches and conveyance systems for evidence of sediment being deposited from erosion

The Dino 6/Dino 8 Dredge

Whether you work for a homeowners association, golf course, pond and lake management association or other industry, you’ll need a strong dredger to keep your water bodies clean. The Dino 6 Dredge is a hard-hitting, small dredging machine with durability that competes with heavier and more expensive machinery. This easy-to-operate machine comes with a 6-inch pump and 66-inch wide cutterhead to get into hard-to-reach dredging areas. 

This portable machine is powered by a 4-cylinder Cummins diesel engine rated at 65 horsepower. Check out the Dino 6 brochure for more information. 

For those who need more power, the Dino 8 doubles the performance output of the already powerful Dino 6. This dredge utilizes a JCB engine for maximum power output. The submersible pump measures 8 inches and is designed to work efficiently in materials such as sod and cobble. 

View the Dino 8 Dredge

How GeoForm International Can Help Dredges and Rentals

GeoForm International is an expert in environmental machinery, site upkeep and runoff management. To get the best performance on your job site, managing runoff and sedimentation dredging will be an essential part of your operations — and we can help you with the job.

For more information on the Dino 6 or Dino 8, contact us today. The experts at GeoForm International can help you buy or rent the right equipment to accommodate any of your job site needs. 

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What to Do With Sediment After Dredging

Knowing this, it’s only logical that many of our customers ask what to do with sediment after dredging. Fortunately, after being in business for more than 20 years and supplying high-quality dredging and pumping systems to customers around the world, this is a question we’re well-equipped to answer.

It’s important to understand that while some dredged material is contaminated and deposited in confined disposal facilities (CDFs), a significant amount of it can be reused. Now, exactly how you reuse it depends on your objective, as well as whether the dredged material is a waste product, a recovered product or byproduct, or a primary product.

Waste Product from Dredging

If the dredged material is a waste product, there are several ways it can be used. For example, sand can be used for beach nourishment — in other words, to enhance existing beaches where the shoreline is threatened by erosion or even to create new beaches. It can also be used in combination with geotextile tubes to build out flood defenses on beaches.

Finer materials such as clay and fine dirt also have many applications. Fine clay material can be used for land creation and construction fill, especially for new land areas within harbors and ports. Fine dirt is also often mixed with additives such as manure, biosolids or compost to create or enhance topsoil.

Recovered Product or Byproduct

If your objective is to recover a product — in other words, to harvest or gather materials — there’s a wide range of potential uses depending on the product. The same goes for products that are a byproduct of your primary objective with the dredging operation.

For example, dredging is commonly used to harvest peat moss, which is used throughout the world as fuel or to enhance soil. Dredging is also used to recover biosolids — organic materials made from sewage — to create fertilizer.

Here’s another interesting example: One of our customers is a golf course that used the Dino6 to dredge all of its ponds. While doing so, they recovered approximately five 55-gallon drums worth of golf balls, most of which were still in perfectly usable condition!

Primary Product

If you’re mining or dredging for a primary product, there are several potential uses for the dredged materials. Sand, for example, is gathered for a range of production purposes, including the making of glass or as a component in mortar. Dredged material can also include other fine granules — including precious metals like gold.

Contact Us for More Information

Clearly, there are many different uses for dredged materials depending on the materials themselves and your objective. If you have any further questions about dredged material uses or any of our products, contact our team of experts today!

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Do you need to dredge a body of water or waterway? If so, you might be wondering whether you should choose mechanical or hydraulic dredging for best results. The answer is: It depends. Read on to learn more about mechanical vs. hydraulic dredging so you can determine which option is best for your project.

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Mechanical vs. Hydraulic Dredging: Things to Consider

When it comes to deciding between mechanical and hydraulic dredging, there are various considerations to take into account:

• Equipment: Mechanical dredging involves the use of an excavator or another type of heavy equipment — usually situated on a barge or on the water’s edge — to dig out the bed of the body of water and remove the sediment. The sediment is then hauled away for disposal or reuse. In contrast, hydraulic dredging uses suction to remove the sediment, which is then transported through a pipe and deposited elsewhere to be disposed of or recycled. A certain amount of skill and experience are required to achieve the optimal suction setting for different bodies of water and types of sediment.
• Intended dredging area: Location can play an important role. For example, hydraulic dredging is a good solution for areas where environmental concerns are important. Generally, mechanical dredging is well-suited for locations that require a high degree of precision since in most cases mechanical dredging allows for more mobility. This is why GeoForm International invented the Dino6 and Dino8– which is a hydraulic dredge that has increased mobility and precision compared to larger hydraulic dredges.
• Type of dredge material: While dredging in itself can remove a variety of bottom materials, the two methods are best suited to different kinds of materials. Because mechanical dredging equipment is robust and doesn’t filter the dredge material, it’s most often used to remove rock and gravel. Hydraulic dredging equipment, on the other hand, is best suited for removing fine silt, sand and dirt. 
• Material suspension: Material suspension refers to the fact that during dredging, certain amounts of dredge material — which can include contaminants — are stirred up and are suspended in the water. This is especially a concern with mechanical dredging. Hydraulic dredging, in contrast, uses a cutterhead shroud to contain the suspended material so it can be pumped away.

In short, when it comes to mechanical dredging, benefits include speed, mobility, and accuracy, as well as the ability to handle larger dredge materials. However, its drawbacks include the high percentage of resuspended sediment, plus the costs of acquiring, operating, and maintaining the required heavy equipment.

When it comes to hydraulic dredging, benefits include:

• The lower costs of purchasing, operating and maintaining the equipment
• A low percentage of suspended sediment
• The ability to remove fine materials such as silt and sand 
• A wide variety of waterways that can be dredged, including:
  • HOA water ways
  • lakes
  • ponds
  • lagoons
  • marinas

Its disadvantages include the fact that it’s not suited to removing larger or coarser dredge materials. Plus, it can take longer than mechanical dredging, depending on the site.

Contact GeoForm International for Hydraulic Dredge Solutions

If you’d like to know more about the benefits of hydraulic dredging, contact the team of experts here at GeoForm International. With more than 20 years of experience providing top of the line dredging solutions to customers across the globe, we welcome the opportunity to answer your questions and discuss your dredging needs. To learn more, please fill out our contact form or call 913-782-1166.

Contact Us Today

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