Roadside Plastic Barrier Errosion Control?????

keeney · Feb 26, 2004

That's a bad applicatioon for one. They tend to wash out when they back up that much, and you get stuck with a whopping fine. For areas where water is expected to pass, I'd rather put in a gravel check dam, to filter the water. That will stand a lot more load before it fails.


What I learned and applied when I eventually replaced that fence was that the fence belongs further down on the flat area of the downhill, not on the very toe of the hill. That leaves a lot more area to collect water before it backs up high enough to overflow or destroy the fence.

A gravel dam would have cost a lot more money. The fence was only about $50 in materials. Hauling in enough gravel would have been maybe $500.

( The contractors who knew about silt fences because they have to deal with putting them up and maintaining them themselves were careful not to destroy the fences. Those who didn't know or care, seemed to delight in running over it with trucks, cranes, and Bobcats. )

 That just indicates a sloppy super. Once the silt cops write him up and he has to explain to his boss that his construction budget is now $40K slimmer, he usually gets religion.


Unfortunately, we were self-contracting our own house, so it was my problem to deal with if there was a fine. Yes, I complained to the contractors who did the damage, and some of them even made half-hearted attempts to repair the fence. I held back $100 from one sub who didn't bother to come back and fix what they destroyed, but I didn't have a lot of leverage over supplier and freight company delivery trucks where there was no money to hold back.

So, I was the one personally out in the mud and dirt with a shovel, hammer, and staple-gun replacing and repairing the damaged sections.

That summer was one of the rainiest we have had around here in a long time, so runoff control was tested to its limit, but no significant amount of mud made it into the lake that I am aware of.

- Rick

rambler · Feb 26, 2004

The tree-huggers have required it in most all locations. So we get a lot of extra thrown-away plastic in the landfills (or it sits there looking ugly forever), and in 90% of the construction projects I see, it's totally pointless. Guess we can't have any laws that make sense - just cost money.

For example, here in Minnesota it was found that gravel is an enviornmental hazard, so now they put a lot of salt on the roads with very little gravel. Roads are _very_ slippery now with no gravel to anchor down on the roads, just a sheet of ice with melted salt water on the top. But I guess everyone is happy. Salt is fine, gravel is bad for the environment. Guess I'm just too dumb to understand.

--->Paul

Currmudgeon · Feb 27, 2004

( A gravel dam would have cost a lot more money. The fence was only about $50 in materials. Hauling in enough gravel would have been maybe $500. )

That's the sort of argument that justifies the $10,000 fine for releasing sediment. A silt fence is not an acceptable solution for filtering silt from a watercourse. They're generally not strong enough. You dodged a bullet on that one.

( Unfortunately, we were self-contracting our own house, so it was my problem to deal with if there was a fine.)

That's a major problem with self contracting. The subs all know thay'll never work for you again, so they think they can crap all over you. Every other job is more important. It can make juggling subs a nightmare.

In that situation, the best you can do is to sweat bullets and remember how much money you're saving by not paying a General.

( That summer was one of the rainiest we have had around here in a long time, so runoff control was tested to its limit, but no significant amount of mud made it into the lake that I am aware of. )

And that's the final test - the one every Contractor relies on. "It worked." Can't hardly argue with that. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Currmudgeon · Feb 27, 2004

( in 90% of the construction projects I see, it's totally pointless.)

This is generally a problem, wither with a dumb contractor, who doesn't know where to put it, or a dumb inspector who doesn't know where it's needed. Actually, there's a third reason - fear of lawyers. Silt fence is cheaper than lawyers.

The only place you actually need the stuff, according to every state where I've done projects, is where it can actually intercept silt.

( here in Minnesota it was found that gravel is an enviornmental hazard, so now they put a lot of salt on the roads with very little gravel. )

I thought it was the salt that caused theenvironmental hazard. <shrug> I guess we're all supposed to ride horses. Now THAT will make the roads nice and clean.

Chechnya · Mar 1, 2004

On the project im building, i was required to place silt fencing alot the bottom of two rention ponds i have and along side the whole street side. Luckily i was able to plant grass and got rid of the silt fencing. 100 foot with wood stakes is about 30 dollars.

Chechnya · Mar 1, 2004

For the people questioning the effectiveness of silt fencing, i have to question your experience with it. It does a fantastic job of what its supposed to be used for if installed correctly.