This update was provided by the South Island Dredging Association
to the CSA Board Oct. 25, 2011.

Dredge Rig at Work	Hydraulic Dredge Rig Suction Device

Open water dredging takes the harmless silt which daily tidal currents have moved from Calibogue Sound and deposited in the waterways and yacht basins and places it back in the Sound. It uses a hydraulic suction device that sucks up the silt with a large rotary scraper/suction device - much like a large vacuum cleaner with a "rotor rooter" on the end - shown in the nearby photo. The hydraulic dredge pumps it through a long, large diameter multi section tube supported on a series of floats. The end of the tube that is positioned out in Calibogue Sound allows the silt to be dispersed over a large area - referred as the 'open water disposal site'.

South Island Dredging Association Task Force believes that there are several locations in Calibogue Sound that are possible disposal sites that will be suitable for wide dispersion of the mixture of Sound water and silt and/or sand. Testing will be done to assure that the dispersion will not result in a harmful effect on the site which will be approved by the regulatory agencies.

Click here to review the conclusions and recommendations of the Sea Pines Waterways Task Force to use the hydraulic dredging/open water disposal methodology - acceptedby the CSA and ASPPPO Boards.