Boom curtain with expandable pleated panels, containment boom containing the same, and use thereof

A boom curtain comprising an upper portion that is adapted and configured for connection to a support system and a main portion formed of a sheet of flexible material that allows the flow of water therethrough, the main portion including a plurality of permanent pleats that effectively increase the actual surface area of the boom curtain relative to the linear area covered by the boom curtain.

A method of filtering water in a body of water comprising:

• introducing a containment/exclusion boom into a body of water at a location between an inlet into the body of water and a water intake located within the body of water, the containment/exclusion boom comprising a support system positioned in the body of water and a boom curtain including an upper portion that is connected to the support system and a main body portion, the main body portion being formed of a flexible material that allows the flow of water therethrough and including a plurality of pleats formed therein, the plurality of pleats effectively increasing the actual surface area of the boom curtain relative to the linear area covered by the boom curtain;
• and
• removing water from the body of water via the water intake, whereby water entering via the inlet passes through the curtain of the containment/exclusion boom before said removing.