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FILTER FENCE DESIGN AID FOR SEDIMENT CONTROL AT CONSTRUCTION SITES
Citation:
Stevens, E., Barfield, S. Britton, AND J. Hayes. FILTER FENCE DESIGN AID FOR SEDIMENT CONTROL AT CONSTRUCTION SITES. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, 600/R-04/185, 2005.
Impact/Purpose:
Information
Description:
The focus of environmental policy and regulation is increasing on water quality issues. Particularly, there is a more widespread awareness that sediment is one of the most prevalent pollutants and that the impacts of excess sediment released into lakes and rivers can be as damaging as those caused by agricultural or industrial chemicals. Due to their nature, construction sites are typically principal sources of undesirable sediment releases. Frequently, the only action taken to attempt to control sediment releases is the installation of a filter/silt fence. This approach is not generally successful for several reasons: 1) the fence is not installed as recommended by existing guidelines, 2) the fence is not adequately maintained over time, 3) the fence is not located for effective control of sediment, and 4) the site is not suitable for a silt fence. The first two items can best be addressed through public education along with adoption and enforcement of regulations. The third and fourth items can be addressed through development of a design aid, which was the objective of this research.