Silt Fence: Don’t Exceed Their Capabilites
A silt fence is a temporary barrier designed to retain sediment on the construction site. It consists of a geotextile attached to supporting posts that are trenched into the ground. The fence retains sediment primarily by retarding flow and promoting deposition on the uphill side of the fence. Runoff is also filtered as it passes through the geotextile.
Silt fences are intended to detain small amounts of sediment for disturbed areas. They also can prevent sheet erosion by decreasing the velocity of runoff. In some instances, straw or hay bales could be used, however their failure rate is high.
When attached to posts and properly trenched into the soil, Geotex® silt fence fabrics will contain overland flow and improve stormwater management by screening soil particles from water runoff. The superior design of Geotex’s filtration geotextiles allows efficient drainage while preventing environmental damage to adjacent areas. Ultraviolet (UV) resistance and high tensile strength ensure that Geotex silt fence fabrics offer project-long performance unmatched by other geotextiles.
The use of silt fences as a sediment barrier is not recommended in area of concentrated flow. Silt fencing is not effective in ditches and gullys. In these cases one should use a spill containment berm, silt dike, or rock check dams.