| Our lakes, rivers, and bays are part of our precious scenic and recreational natural resources while also comprising a vital component of our transportation system. These aquatic resources also have tremendous economic value through commercial fishing, commercial transport and recreational activities. The USEPA estimates that the bottom sediments in 10% of these waters contain hazardous chemicals from industrial processes, which often contaminate the fish population and threaten the health of the animals and people who eat them. Removing these contaminated sediments by navigational dredging often aggravates the problem. Environmental dredging utilizes special equipment and procedures to remove the sediments with a minimum of impact on the aquatic resource. This is accomplished by controlling the degree to which contaminated sediments are re-suspended in the water, and carefully monitoring the impact of the dredging on the aquatic environment. Running time is 7 minutes. |