A device is provided for dewatering a fabric in which the fabric is used in a papermaking process that exposes it to water before it is directed to the fabric dewatering device. The fabric dewatering device includes leading and trailing guide rolls about which the fabric is partially wrapped to form a loop portion. The loop portion is suspended between the leading and trailing guide rolls and includes a trough portion with a relatively small diameter that is positioned below the axes of the guide rolls. Running the fabric through the trough portion at high speeds exposes the water trapped therein to high centrifugal forces. The centrifugal forces expel the water from the fabric. The geometry and positioning of the trough portion is maintained either through a difference in fabric speed maintained by the leading and trailing nips or by the use of a rider roll positioned within the loop. A non-contact sensor in proximity to the trough portion senses the position of the trough portion and provides feedback to a controller which controls the motion of the rolls.