Geotextile Tubes

Problem:   Hydraulic dredging creates a slurry that can be as much as 90% muddy water. In the past, there was no effective way to filter out this water and allow it to return to the pond without constructing an elaborate settling basin which generates a huge mess.

Solution:   Heartland Dredging utilizes a combination of geotextile tubes and coagulating polymers that allow the water to filter out at the disposal point crystal clear.

The geotextile tube is essentially a large bag made of various types of filter fabric. The slurry from the dredge is pumped into the bag and water leaches out of the bag and can be directed into a nearby storm drain or over land back to the pond without the need for further filtering.

After the geotextile tube has been allowed to sufficiently dewater (1-4 week process), the bags can be cut open and the material will be dry enough to be loaded into dump trucks using a conventional backhoe or excavator without making a sloppy mess.

Before the slurry enters the geotextile tube, an environmentally safe polymer is injected into the system and mixes with the slurry. The polymer promotes rapid separation of water and solids and accelerates the settlement process.

After dewatering and consolidation, the material is typically reduced by as much as 50% in volume and weight. This can lead to significant savings in disposal fees in cases where the dredged material must be hauled to a sanitary landfill.