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Silt Fence

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What – a permeable fabric installed parallel to the contour and anchored with wooden stakes or metal t-posts.

Purpose – Intended to trap sediment and protect areas with high values at risk including heritage resources, water quality, and aquatic resources.

Effectiveness – Studies reported notably high effectiveness when fences were installed properly (i.e., anchored into soil and water allowed to pass through slowly while trapping sediment) and maintained (which requires significant effort and attention).  Robichaud and Brown (2002) measured trap efficiency at over 90 %. 

Where

  • Areas accessible for inspection and maintenance.

Cost – $50 per roll (material); $150–250 labor for each fence installation.  Additional factors include:

  • Location and terrain
  • Frequency of fences
  • Soil characteristics

How to Links – See USDA BAER Catalog page 56 (PDF page 64); and NRSC Silt Fence Fact Sheet.