If you have a body of water on your property, you may have considered expanding it and making it deeper. You may also simply wish to clear debris and make the environment more pleasant for the creatures swimming around. Whatever your goals are, dredging contractors will be able to help. Here are some essential questions to ask before they start working.

1. What Should I Do With Dredged Material?

Based on your needs, you may want to talk to the dredging contractors about what you should do with the dredged material. Although dredging companies usually take the materials off-site to be disposed of, they may make other suggestions based on how you use your land. If you grow crops or have a sizable garden, using the dredged material for compost and topsoil could be an excellent way to get the most out of the dredging excavation.

Dredged material may also be used for land creation or filling pits on your land. Maybe you've been wanting to construct a man-made hill. If you have enough dredged material left over, you may be able to kill two birds with one stone!

2. What Type of Dredging Should I Choose?

Dredging may sound as easy as simply digging a hole in the ground, but the fact is that there are a variety of dredging methods and equipment used for different purposes. Some of these include skyline dredging, sand dredging, and suction dredging. If you're just trying to remove waste material from the bottom of your pond, sand dredging will be right for you. However, if you want to get a little deeper into the soil, you may want to consider suction dredging.

3. How Should I Protect My Fish?

Although many opt to dredge their pond or lake to fight off an excess of nutrient richness so fish can thrive, the process isn't always safe for wildlife while it's being done. Fish can be unintentionally dredged out of the body of water and can even suffer negative side effects from the noise. If you care about your fish, you may want to consider moving them to a different body of water for the time being. Talk to your dredging contractors about your options, as they've likely encountered similar challenges in the past.

It's also worth considering that some types of dredging are better for fish than others. For example, suction dredging, which is used in mining applications because of its ability to get through tough sediment, has been found to have insignificant effects on fish by the Environmental Protection Agency. In fact, this type of dredging could even be beneficial, as it creates pockets in the soil that fish can use to lay their eggs.

4. How Long Do You Estimate You'll Work?

This is an important question because their answer will tell you how much you should expect to pay. You'll also be able to plan ahead for the fact that your pond or lake will be shut down for a period of time. If you have a friend who likes to regularly fish in it, for example, you'll be able to notify them when to return. This will also inform decisions such as where you'll store fish that have been removed from your body of water.

5. How Qualified Is Your Team?

For peace of mind during your dredging project, you'll want to make sure you have the right team for the job. A quality dredging company will hire the most qualified professionals for the job. People trained for the work will know how to work safely and will respect the importance of following these rules.

You should also ask any dredging contractors for references. A good list of references will be vital to making the right decision on a dredging company. You'll be able to get valuable information from these references as to the company's professionalism and work style.

Asking the right questions can make all the difference when choosing the right dredging contractors to get the job done right. It's also helpful to the contractors, as they will know your expectations and how to get the job done to your specification. It should be no problem to find the right company for you, as dredging is a growing industry. According to Verified Market Search, the global dredging market is expected to reach $12.6 billion by 2026. If you do your research and are happy with the company you choose, you'll have a trusted source for all your future dredging projects. Call United Dredging for all your dredging needs!