Patent ID: 7472501

Claim:
An article of manufacture produced by a process comprising: (1) erecting a sediment-containment structure comprising (A) a plurality of boom segments connected end-to-end in an essentially closed shape, each boom segment comprising: (i) a floatable body having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a lower side portion; (ii) a first body-connecting means, being attached to the first end portion of the body, for connecting together adjacent boom segments; (iii) a second body-connecting means, being attached to the second end portion of the body, for connecting together adjacent boom segments; (iv) a sieve panel having an upper portion, a lower portion, and first and second side portions, the sieve panel being attached along its upper portion to the body with the first and second end portions of the sieve panel being respectively aligned with the first and second end portions of the body and the sieve panel having a first sieve-panel connecting means, disposed upon the first side portion, for connecting together adjacent sieve panels, and a second sieve-panel connecting means, disposed upon the second side portion, for connecting together adjacent sieve panels, the sieve panel having a height greater than or approximately equal to the depth of the water in the water-covered area and the sieve panel being made from water-permeable, fine-meshed material; wherein the first body-connecting means of each segment is connected to the second body-connecting means of an adjacent segment, and the first sieve-panel connecting means of each sieve panel is connected to the second sieve-panel connecting means of an adjacent sieve panel; and (B) a sediment source depositing sediment inside the area substantially enclosed by the essentially closed shape formed by the boom segments, and (2) introducing sediment into the substantially closed shape formed by the sediment-containment structure.