Abstract: An amphibious dredging vehicle includes a base including a pair of floatable pontoons linked together in essentially parallel relation; a cutterhead dredge system that is mounted on the base and that includes a cutterhead mounted on the front end portion of the base, a first directable discharge mounted to the rear end portion of the base, and a dredge pump in operative connection with the cutterhead and the directable discharge so as to develop suction at the cutterhead and to propel material from the cutterhead to the directable discharge. The directable discharge is configured so that the operator can aim the directable discharge in order to use the dredge pump to propel the amphibious dredging vehicle through water. The amphibious dredging vehicle may be used as part of a system and may be used with a method for building up land in a water-covered or water-surrounded area.

Abstract: A system for building up land in a water-covered or water-surrounded area has a plurality of floating boom segments connected end-to-end in an essentially closed shape, each boom segment having a sieve panel with a height approximately equal to the depth of the water in the water-covered area and made from water-permeable, fine-meshed material, and each sieve panel having an anchor segment attached to the lower portion of the sieve panel. The system also includes a sediment source depositing sediment inside the area essentially enclosed by the essentially closed shape formed by the boom segments. Preferably a wasteweir segment is disposed so as to close the essentially closed shape formed by the floating boom segments, the wasteweir segment having an essentially U-shaped orthogonal frame of a height at least about equal to the depth of the water in the water-covered area. The wasteweir segment also includes barriers that attach to the frame.