Demonstration of residential erosion and sediment control alternatives

Silt fence, the most widely used erosion and sediment control (ESC) measure for residential construction sites, is often unable to perform effectively due to construction traffic, improper installation, and misuse. This paper presents the results of a study funded by the Wayne County, Michigan, Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration project to evaluate current practices and propose improvements to protect downstream water resources. New or revised products and methods evaluated included erosion control blankets, enlarging site access drives, placing geotextile under gravel driveways, using snow fence as a protective support to silt fence, installing catch basin inlet filters, placing synthetic fiber sediment logs in temporary channels, and planting vegetative buffer strips. Results of the field investigations found that silt fence by itself was very ineffective. However, when combined with other products such as snow fence or erosion blankets/vegetative buffers, performance was significantly improved. This study identified significant opportunities to improve the effectiveness of ESC practices for residential construction sites. When proper care, thought, and diligence are applied, the benefits can be reduced costs and better environmental protection.