That week on the Mississippi River in August almost made me quit

Last August I was running a 12-inch cutterhead on the Mississippi near Baton Rouge for a channel deepening job. Day three the suction line clogged every two hours with this sticky clay and old roots, so I spent more time clearing the damn thing than actually dredging. Then on Friday the hydraulic pump started whining real bad around 3 PM and I had to call it in on a weekend, nobody showed up until Monday. Lost almost $4,000 in downtime charges and my helper quit on the spot Saturday morning. Has anyone else dealt with that kind of gumbo clay that just won't break up?

3 comments

3 Comments

milessmith2mo ago

Dealt with the same junk on the Arkansas River a few years back. That gumbo clay is basically wet concrete once it hits the suction side, especially when its mixed with old root matter. Best fix I found is to run a water jet at the cutterhead to keep the material fluid, like a high pressure spray pointed right at the intake. Also, try bumping your cutterhead speed way down and slow your swing, let the clay break up natural instead of forcing it in. Saved me a ton of downtime after I figured that out, still a pain but way less clogs. Your helper quitting over it just shows he didn't have the stomach for real dredging work anyway.

river3201mo agoMost Upvoted

Same crap here on the Mississippi delta, that gumbo clay is pure evil once it gets warm and sticky... I rigged up a pressure washer wand on a long pole to spray right into the suction mouth and it worked like a charm. You gotta baby that stuff, too fast a swing and it just balls up into a clay snowball that plugs everything. My old helper walked off after his second day, called it "soul crushing mud work" so yeah, that kid leaving was probably for the best. The water jet trick combined with slow, gentle swings really is the secret. Once you get the rhythm down it's still a pain but you're not cussing at a clog every ten minutes.

williamb292mo ago

@milessmith got it exactly right. That water jet trick is the real deal, I've seen guys rig up a garden hose on a valve just to keep the intake loose. Gumbo clay is a TOTAL nightmare, turns into a brick if you let it sit for two seconds. Your helper quitting over mud is honestly a blessing in disguise, this work ain't for everyone.