Removal of sedimentary material consisting of grains or particles of disintegratedrock, smaller than sand and larger than clay. The diameter of the particlesranges from 0.0039 to 0.0625 mm. Silt is often found at the bottom ofbodies of water where it accumulates slowly by settling through the water
Soil washed downstream by rivers or migrating from banks, organic matter from dying vegetation and leaf litter, waste from fish and wildfowl – all these things build up in a lake or pond.
Over time, that lake or pond will become eutrophic with very little oxygen at the bed to oxidise organic waste.
As the build-up of waste increases, emergent plants colonise the surface.
Eventually, small trees and scrub will become established and our pond or lake will have fulfilled its ambition.
Periodically, therefore, build-ups of silt shoud be removed so as to extend the life of the lake or pond and make it more biologically diverse, supporting a greater variety of flora and fauna.
