As suggested by their name, suction dredges remove sediment from the bottom of waterways by using a tube that sucks it up like a vacuum. These dredges can work in conjunction with a cutting mechanism that makes sediment easier to remove, which helps prevent clogs in the dredge’s pipe. Mechanical dredges, like clamshells or backhoe dredging vessels, use buckets and grabbers to break through material and lift it from the bottom of a waterway. These excavating arm most often resembles the bucket or backhoe of a construction tractor or digger.
Some dredges may also use pressurized water jets to loosen or destabilize sediment. In fishing, pressure jet dredging can chase animals out of muddy layers of seabed and into the collection mechanism. Other dredges may also use a rake or a leveler to collect or redistribute sediment on the bottom of a seabed or ship channel.