Could anyone here tell me the pros, cons of auger vs. cutterhead dredge or vise versa. Is the auger dredge very effective in sand, and what about with materials that contain shell. Also, which dredge creates more turbidity? Thanks
Depending on the conditions, a cutterhead dredge will likely create more turbidity than an auger dredge. Auger dredges are generally used for soft materials such as sludge or silt. Cutterhead dredges are generally used where more digging force is needed. Auger dredges will work for dredging sand, but they are not as effective due to their cutting force being spread over a larger surface area. An auger dredge with teeth should work much better in sand than one with just an auger alone. Cutterhead dredges are designed better for sand dredging. As for shell, a cutterhead dredge should be able to dredge shell better due to its more aggressive cutting force.