A marine barrier has a line of buoyant column modules, and an impact net attached to and extending between the column modules. First and second lines of buoyant flotation modules are respectively disposed parallel to and on opposing sides of the line of column modules, and are connected to the column modules by legs such that each of the flotation modules is retained between two adjacent ones of the center column modules. When the barrier is floating in a body of water and a moving vessel impacts the impact net, the impact net deflects to transfer a force of the impact to one or more of the column modules and flotation modules, which in turn engage the water to transfer the force of the impact to the water, to arrest the motion of the vessel.

The present invention relates to floating lakes and to the treatment of the water in such lakes. The present invention further relates to large floating lakes that can be installed within a natural or artificial water body to improve water conditions that are unsuitable for recreational uses. The floating lake can be provided with a chemical application system; a filtration system including a mobile suctioning device and filters; a skimmer system, and optionally a coordination system.

A method of containing a spill in an aqueous environment, comprises the steps of: placing a polymeric pipe under the surface level of the aqueous environment in the vicinity of a site of potential spillage; and raising the pipe from under the surface level to a containment level; wherein the pipe forms, when raised, at least a partial boundary around the spill for containing the spill.

The present invention relates to floating lakes and to the treatment of the water in such lakes. The present invention further relates to large floating lakes that can be installed within a natural or artificial water body to improve water conditions that are unsuitable for recreational uses. The floating lake can be provided with a chemical application system; a filtration system including a mobile suctioning device and filters; a skimmer system, and optionally a coordination system.

An on-board spool-able re-useable containment boom for a waterborne vessel that lies substantially flat and capable of being spooled when deflated and floats in the proper orientation when inflated, that has spool-able re-inflatable float sections which are sequentially inflated during deployment and sequentially deflated during recovery, that can be repeatedly deployed and recovered for the purposes of training and testing, and that can be deployed immediately upon occurrence of an oil spill from a waterborne vessel because of its on-board location and its rapid deployment, and a control system for proper inflation and deflation of spool-able re-useable containment boom during deployment and recovery.

An on-board re-inflatable containment boom for a waterborne vessel that lies substantially flat and capable of being spooled when deflated and floats in the proper orientation when inflated, that has re-inflatable float sections which are sequentially inflated during deployment and sequentially deflated during recovery, that can be repeatedly deployed and recovered for the purposes of training and testing, and that can be deployed immediately upon occurrence of an oil spill from a waterborne vessel because of its on-board location and its rapid deployment, and a control system for proper inflation and deflation of re-inflatable containment boom during deployment and recovery.

A rapid-deployment system for containing oil spills and similar water contaminations comprises a pre-manufactured sleeve having air-inflatable or gas-inflatable compartments and water inflatable compartments. In some embodiments uninflated sleeve is stored as a reel of sleeve material, and the deployment system, optionally mounted in a small boat, comprises a machine for inflating the air and water compartments at the site of a spill. In some embodiments, air and/or water compartments may be self-inflating.

The present invention relates to floating lakes and to the treatment of the water in such lakes. The present invention further relates to large floating lakes that can be installed within a natural or artificial water body to improve water conditions that are unsuitable for recreational uses. The floating lake can be provided with a chemical application system; a filtration system including a mobile suctioning device and filters; a skimmer system, and optionally a coordination system.

Apparatus for recovering spilled oil in water infested with floating ice or other debris comprises a fence having an upper rail and lower rail encircling an area to receive an oil skimmer. A plurality of buoyancy units maintain the fence at an appropriate water level. An ice-deflecting cone covers the bottom of the fence when the apparatus is deployed. A plurality of cables may be attached to the upper rail of the fence to raise and lower the apparatus into the water. The fence is preferably circular, with a diameter in the range of 10 to 50 feet. The fence preferably includes a plurality of spaced-apart vertical supports between the upper and lower rails to keep chunks of ice or other debris from entering into the encircled area, and the lower barrier structure is perforated, with openings in the range of less than an inch to several inches.

An on-board re-inflatable containment boom for a waterborne vessel that lies substantially flat and capable of being spooled when deflated and floats in the proper orientation when inflated, that has re-inflatable float sections which are sequentially inflated during deployment and sequentially deflated during recovery, that can be repeatedly deployed and recovered for the purposes of training and testing, and that can be deployed immediately upon occurrence of an oil spill from a waterborne vessel because of its on-board location and its rapid deployment, and a control system for proper inflation and deflation of re-inflatable containment boom during deployment and recovery.