Desilting Solutions has been commissioned to undertake desilting works in two vital areas of the Townsville Port – a major 360m long stormwater drainage culvert and targeted dredging within the port berthing pockets.
Works started with the culvert desilting, which was affected by tidal inundation as well as very limited access.
Prior to the works, the port excavated down to the culvert and cut an access opening through the crown of the culvert thereby allowing the dredge access.
The dredge was lowered into the opening by crane and commenced desilting of a 600mm thick silt and gravel layer. Management of the slurry was undertaken on site by Desilting Solutions staff with the use of polymer dosing and GeoTubes.
This process allows the clear, tested, supernatant to return to the culvert, thereby saving the client huge cartage and spoil costs.
On site testing, by the client, confirmed that the quality of the supernatant met all their requirements and therefore returning it to the original water body was not in contravention of their disposal permits.
The extracted slurry mix (approximately 600t) of organics, sands and gravels, albeit almost totally black, was extracted by the Desilting Solutions robotic dredge, dosed and separated from the supernatant by the GeoTubes, all managed in house by Desilting Solutions staff.