Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.
<ul><li>Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads.</li><li>Start and stop engines to operate equipment.</li><li>Start power winches that draw in or let out cables to change positions of dredges, or pull in and let out cables manually.</li><li>Pump water to clear machinery pipelines.</li><li>Lower anchor poles to verify depths of excavations, using winches, or scan depth gauges to determine depths of excavations.</li><li>Direct or assist workers placing shore anchors and cables, laying additional pipes from dredges to shore, and pumping water from pontoons.</li></ul>