In-line deaerating system for aquatic species control

A water deaerating system, comprising:

• a housing;
• an open-ended conduit having a first end and a second end, said first end adapted to be placed beneath the surface of a body of oxygen-rich water, said conduit having a portion thereof extending in a substantially vertical orientation in said housing wherein said second end resides at a location in said housing that is above the surface of the body of oxygen-rich water, and wherein a spatial region is defined within said housing above said location;
• a vacuum source coupled to said housing for applying a vacuum to said spatial region;
• pumping means for pumping the oxygen-rich water through said conduit, wherein the oxygen-rich water exits said second end of said conduit and enters said spatial region of said housing, and wherein the oxygen-rich water in said spatial region descends through said housing due to gravity;
• and
• dispersing means coupled to at least one of said housing and said conduit for interrupting the oxygen-rich water's descension through said housing, wherein said vacuum removes oxygen from the oxygen-rich water so-descending to generate oxygen-depleted water.

A method of deaerating water, comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing and an open-ended conduit having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is placed beneath the surface of a body of oxygen-rich water and the conduit extends into the housing with the second end residing at a location in the housing that is above the surface of the body of oxygen-rich water so that a spatial region is defined within the housing above the location;
• applying a vacuum to the spatial region;
• pumping the oxygen-rich water through the conduit, wherein the oxygen-rich water exits the second end of the conduit and enters the spatial region of said housing, and wherein the oxygen-rich water in the spatial region descends through the housing due to gravity;
• and
• interrupting the oxygen-rich water's descension through the housing, wherein the vacuum removes oxygen from the oxygen-rich water so-descending to generate oxygen-depleted water.