Dredging & Erosion Control

Cumberland River Docks specializes in a variety of shoreline stabilization techniques. Let us help you keep your waterway navigatable and protect your shoreline.  

Expert Professional Shallow Water Services

Cumberland River Docks and Metal Works offers dredging for all of your shallow water needs. The Army Corps of Engineers can fluctuate water levels significantly. A deep, navigable waterway and mooring area increases the value of your waterfront property and provides a safer and more enjoyable boating experience for all. Mother Nature, however, sometimes makes that tricky to achieve. The constantly changing lake levels, wave action, and currents in waterways can cause these areas to fill up with sand and silt, making waterway access and maneuverability difficult to achieve. Dredging is a way to improve your ability to use your boat during these fluctuations, but it is not guaranteed that the water will not be lowered to an inoperable level. Our dredging process is a by-water process on floating barges. At Cumberland River Docks, we operate two separate floating barges. Our first barge has a mini excavator. The second barge has a roll-off container (dump bin).

We will not compromise your shoreline. Once our work is complete, you won’t even know that we’ve been there! 

Rocks along a shoreline with a field and house in the background and river in the foreground

Shoreline Stabilization Rip Rap

Storms and waves, generated by Mother Nature, along with the growing number and size of vessels traveling along our waterways, can result in erosion of shorelines. Shoreline stabilization (rip rap) is used to stabilize slopes to prevent erosion and provide support. Riprap is man-placed rock or other material used to armor shorelines, streambeds, pilings, and other shoreline structures against water or ice erosion. Common rock types used include granite and limestone. It is a good practice and a requirement in many areas for proper stabilization to lay down a geotextile mesh fabric or small filter rock to prevent the soil from moving through the rip rap. We will also help shape the shoreline for maximum protection.

Dredging – Old Hickory Lake Only

Dredging is a four-part process that includes loosening the material and bringing it to the surface, placing the material in a container, transportation to an approved dump site, and disposal. We abide by all Tennessee Water Quality Control Act of 1977 and Aquatic Resource Alteration Permit or 401 Water Quality requirements.

Contact us to schedule an on-site visit. We will inspect the dock and area to be dredged, probing multiple areas, to ensure that we do not hit bedrock. We measure the current water depth, keeping in mind the water level during the visit (the normal pool is 445). We calculate how much material needs to be removed to get you to a certain “goal” depth at a normal pool. This helps us estimate how much material needs to be removed and approximately how many loads this will take.

Large barge dredging equipment in lake

“Brandon and his team dredged around my dock this past year on 2 different occasions. The work was performed when they promised and I was very happy with the results. They more than met my expectations. I recommend Cumberland River Docks to everyone.”

-Jimmy B.