Patent ID: 6953528

Claim:
A filtering device for filtering a riverbed of a river having natural river or tidal currents and a natural flow of silt or mud comprising: an enclosure to be placed underwater on the riverbed to create a partial barrier to the natural river or tidal currents and to create a partial barrier effect to the natural flow of silt or mud in the river but structured to rest unobtrusively on the riverbed so that navigation or the river itself is not obstructed by the enclosure and wherein turbidity of the silt or mud is substantially not created in the river due to containment provided by the enclosure; at least one entrance opening located in the enclosure for allowing river water carrying riverbed silt or mud to flow into the entrance opening via the natural river or tidal currents and via the partial barrier effect to the natural flow of silt or mud in the river; a chute for directing the river water upwards through the interior of the enclosure; an exit opening located at the top of the enclosure for exiting the river water from the enclosure; a hole located in the chute for separating the silt or mud via inertia, gravity, and differences in weight between the river water and the mud or silt, to the bottom of the enclosure while directing the river water to proceed up the chute to the exit opening; and a suction device connected to the bottom of the enclosure for suctioning out any silt or mud collected in the bottom of the enclosure.