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On swales and gentle slopes, erosion
control blankets provide a stable surface for water to run over without
causing erosion. This photo
shows a good comparison of what happens to a slope, with and without
erosion control blankets. The
erosion is apparent on the unprotected part of the slope.
(This practice was found at an industrial lot on Century Drive in
Goshen
in October 2006.) |
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When installing a silt fence, one way to make it more
secure and to last longer is to install a stake on the downslope side, a
lath on the upslope side, and to secure them together with staples.
This practice, along with entrenching the silt fence, will ensure
that the silt fence stays in place and does its job, causing water to
pond and allowing sediment to settle out.
(This practice was found at
Elkhart
Central
High School
in November 2006). |
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| The use of
downspout extenders, to channel roof runoff, is very beneficial when
stabilizing a yard that has been disturbed.
The extenders provide a temporary pipe that will transport all
water to a stabilized area where it can disperse and not cause any
erosion problems. In this
picture, the extenders have been stabilized at the end of each pipe to
keep the pipe from moving around due to the force of the water flowing
through the pipe. (This
practice was found in Hemminger Hills Subdivision during November 2006). |
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Dewatering is a common practice at
construction sites, especially after a rainfall.
It is important that dewatering pipes outlet onto a stable
surface. In this case,
geotextile fabric staked into the ground provides a stable surface for
the water to run over before it enters the surrounding vegetation.
The stable surface prevents the soil from eroding away as water
exits the pipe. Other stable
outlets include a concave riprap structure, pavement, and dewatering
directly onto the surface of water.
(This practice was found on CR 17 in September 2004.) |
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This sign is a non-structural BMP that is helpful in
reminding construction workers to keep all vehicles off of unpaved
surfaces. By remaining on a
paved surface or gravel construction entrance, workers ensure that soil
remains on the lot and does not get tracked into public roads and washed
into storm sewers. (This
practice was found in The Summit subdivision in October 2006.)
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When trying to stabilize a steep
bank the use of erosion control blankets is necessary. The erosion
control blanket, when installed correctly, will provide a stable surface
for precipitation to fall upon and it will provide cover and keep
moisture on the soil until the incorporated seeds can germinate.
Remember, this practice also requires weekly inspections and maintenance
to make sure that no erosion problems are occurring. (This practice was
observed at the new Northridge High School during May 2007.) |
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Many times a project owner would
like to save trees already growing in an area where construction is
being done. Every tree to be saved needs to be protected in such a way
that both the above and below ground portions of the tree are
preserved. This can be done by fencing at least around the drip-line of
the tree’s canopy. By placing a structure around the tree, there is
less chance of damaging the trunk or branches or compacting the soil
around the tree roots. Preserving all portions of a tree during
construction is very important if it is desired to be kept for final
landscaping! (This practice was observed at McNaughton Park during
March 2007.) |
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Construction entrances/exits are a
must at all ingress/egress locations. They can be composed of gravel or
another approved material. (If you are interested in learning more
about alternative construction entrances that are reusable, contact
Jason Kauffman to get more information.) This gravel construction
entrance/exit is wide and long enough to allow for several construction
vehicles to use it at the same time. Its length provides a long enough
surface for sediment to be knocked off of the tires of leaving
construction vehicles, which helps keep sediment from being tracked off
of the construction site. (This practice was observed at the Wal-Mart
along Ash Road during March 2007.) |
