Update: Noticed a big shift in how we handle sandy material after the rain last month

Up in the Sacramento River Delta, I've been dredging the same spot for about 5 years now. Before the heavy rains in February, the sand was loose and easy to pump through. But after that big storm came through, the material got packed down tight and started clogging the intake every 20 minutes. I had to switch from a straight 8-inch pipe to a flared nozzle on the cutterhead, and now production is back to normal. Has anyone else seen a change like that after a wet season in their area?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliot_king6d ago

You seen that packed-down sand too? I work the same spot on the delta and after the rain my pipe kept blocking every half hour. Switching to a wider nozzle mouth fixed the whole thing for me as well.

lucas_carr246d agoMost Upvoted

@elliot_king I'm gonna push back a little here. A blocked pipe every half hour sounds like a real pain but is it really that big of a deal? I've had plenty of rain soften the ground on my own site and it just means you gotta work a little slower for a day or two. Swapping to a wider nozzle helps sure but I don't think it's some kind of game changer. You make it sound like the whole operation comes to a halt over some wet sand. Maybe your gear is just worn out if it clogs that fast. Call me crazy but I'd rather save the hassle and just poke the pipe clear with a stick every once in a while.