This ominous-looking machine partially submerged in the Missouri River was the largest suction dredger in the world when it was introduced. The hull of the 10,950 hp diesel electric machine was 170 feet long, 46 feet wide and 11 feet high.
It was designed by Erickson Engineering Co. and supplied to Western Contracting Corp., the excavation and embankment contractor for Fort Randall Dam, a two-mile long earthen structure in South Dakota.
Dubbed the “Western Head,” the 1,500-ton dredger was made up of 20 hull sections, allowing for disassembly and transport to future work sites.
Internal watertight bulkheads divided the hull into 30 compartments, making it virtually unsinkable. Plans and specifications for 31 of its components were issued to 24 different manufacturers.
In 1951 alone, the western head dredged 2,350,000 m3 of overburden, sand and chalk from the dam’s approach and outlet channels, storing much of it for future use on the embankment.
