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Understanding Beach Reclamation and Sand Dredging

Understanding Beach Reclamation and Sand Dredging

Beaches are a great place to relax and play. They bring us close to the ocean and all of its natural wonders. We exhaust ourselves after a long day of soaking in the sun, but we don’t often know that the beach itself can be exhausted.

Yes, beaches need to maintain their health just like we do. So many popular and frequented beaches regularly undergo beach reclamation or re-nourishment.

But what is beach reclamation, and why is it necessary? 

  1. What is beach reclamation?
  2. What’s erosion?
  3. Why do we need to reclaim a beach?
  4. What are the benefits of beach reclamation?
  5. What is sand dredging?
  6. What considerations do dredging companies need to keep in mind?

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What is beach reclamation?

Beach reclamation (also known as beach nourishment) can be generally understood as the process of restoring a beach from erosion. Sand is added to the areas of the beach that have experienced severe erosion to “reclaim” the shoreline of the beach.

This reclamation process is not limited to just ocean beaches, however, as it can be carried out on any beach or shoreline that experiences extreme erosion.

Erosion is a huge problem for beaches because it causes them to slowly disappear. Beaches need sand to stay put and keep their shape, but ocean waves are always breaking sand down and carrying it away.

The natural process of erosion can be made worse by human activity, like building structures too close to the shoreline or not having enough vegetation to hold the sand in place.

What’s Erosion?

When we talk about the erosion of a beach, we’re talking about the process of wearing away the beach. Erosion is caused by any number of natural phenomena.

Along beaches, these happen to be water and wind, but can also be eroded by ice and in some cases even lava flow. Erosion strips materials from one part of the beach and moves it to another, typically into the body of water.

Why Do We Need To Reclaim A Beach?

Beach reclamation is part of the process of developing a beach for human habitation and use. It also helps to protect beaches from the elements and from overuse.

Often beach reclamation projects are carried out by dredging companies to defend beachfront development properties from the ocean or to extend a beach for the enjoyment of the public. In other cases, it can be done to re-establish sandbars and to protect shorelines from storms.

Beach reclamation is often used in tourist areas where a healthy beach is essential for the economy. It is also used to protect homes and other buildings that are in danger of being eroded away.

What are the benefits of beach reclamation?

Beach reclamation can offer a number of benefits.

  1. Improve the appearance of a beach.
  2. Make a beach wider, which can be great for sunbathers and swimmers.
  3. Protect homes and other buildings from being eroded away.
  4. Create new habitats for marine life.
  5. Boost the local economy by making a beach more inviting to tourists.

What is sand dredging?

Sand dredging is an important and fundamental process for beach reclamation or nourishment, where the issue of beach erosion needs to be mitigated. It's essentially a form of excavation that is carried out underwater, specifically in shallow seas or freshwater areas. Its primary purpose is to preserve the existing shoreline by adding sand back to a beach that is suffering from erosion.

The sand dredging process involves the use of large machinery, typically a dredger. The dredger is equipped with a device that functions much like a vacuum, sucking up sand, silt, and other sediment from the ocean floor. The collected material is then transported and deposited onto the beach or shoreline, thereby bolstering its structure and compensating for the sand lost to erosion.

This practice is typically employed to combat the adverse effects of coastal erosion, maintain navigable waterways, or create new land from the sea or riverbeds. For beach reclamation, sand dredging helps to replace the sand that is carried away by wave action and currents, essentially 'reclaiming' the beach and preserving its appearance and usability.

What Considerations Do Dredging Companies Need To Keep In Mind?

Often, when a community elects to undergo a beach reclamation project, they’re signing up for an immensely costly process. Dredging does not stop erosion, and so one beach reclamation project may be one of many that beach experiences over the course of its use.

There is also the issue of habitat destruction. By removing vast quantities of sand from the seafloor, dredgers may disturb the flora and fauna that lived there. Similarly, adding new sand to the beach may cover up ecosystems that aren’t clear to the human eye.

Both of these issues can be resolved by working with a dredging company that offers on-site consultations and uses environmentally-friendly practices.

Call U.S. Aqua Services

When it comes to choosing a dredging company, you want the best. You look for experience, knowledge, know-how, perseverance, and reputation. U.S. Aqua Services exhibits all of the signs of a top-notch dredging company. Our team has a combined 100 plus years of dredging experience. 

In addition, we offer our immaculate dredging equipment for rent to those who wish to DIY their dredging project, from a backyard pond dredging to sand dredging. We offer support and guidance every step of the way.

If you are looking for the best dredging company in Louisiana and the United States, choose U.S. Aqua Services today!

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The Importance Of Dredging -  In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of dredging and some of its benefits.

Beneficial Uses For Dredged Materials - Here are some of the most beneficial uses for dredged materials that US Aqua Services has found.

What Types of Equipment Are Used for Dredging? - Depending on the size and depth of the water body, different types of dredges will be more suited for a job. Here's some of the types of dredging equipment


About U.S. Aqua Services

U.S. Aqua Services was created to support the dredging process in advancing commerce and responding to its many challenges. To accomplish this, our dredging company assembled an exceptional group of experienced individuals and a diverse inventory of dredge equipment.

We offer dredging equipment rental services so you can have access to the latest and greatest in dredging technology without having to pay to maintain it, transport, and store it, along with dewatering services.

With an emphasis on mobility, dependability, durability, diversity, efficiency, and safety, our dredging rental company can ensure that our different types of dredging systems are easy to move through any terrain and can work in the most rugged and remote environments. Our multi-function hydraulic systems are built with jetting and mechanical options that can efficiently move loose sediment or stiff layers of clay.

US Aqua services also and maintains a ready fleet of amphibious equipment capable of completing dredging projects in some of the harshest and most remote environments. U.S Aqua is also the dealer for Louisiana of the amphibious vehicle Fat Truck. No matter the size or scope of the job or the remoteness of your work location, you can rely on Fat Truck’s industrial off-road utility vehicles to get the job done right.

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