Why Erosion Control Is So Important
Erosion control pertains to any type of construction activities that deal with fill materials, stockpiling dirt, landfilling, grading, excavation, groundcover, and dealing with vegetation.
Most municipalities and cities have specific ordinances that are designed to monitor how much runoff will go into wetlands, streams, and lakes which may be pollutants. Erosion can affect other things including storm sewers, and this often prompts the need for inspectors that can go to construction projects or may notice other erosion control measures that need to be improved.
Here are a few things that you can do if you would like to properly take care of soil erosion related aspects of your job.
1. It is important to call a diggers hotline if you are ever in question about public utilities that are underground on a construction site. There could also be private utilities that could be crossing just under the ground. By contacting a diggers hotline, you can get information, but they will not help you locate private utilities at all.
2. Install what is called a perimeter silt fence. You must find where the water is flowing in order to determine where the best place to install this will be. It is important to also cut out a trench for this fence which can be done using hardwood stakes that you will place in the soil. Silt fences and their material can be purchased from lumber yards that are local. Also pay attention to the soil that is directly adjacent to the silt fence as it will need to be compacted properly after the installation is complete.
3. It is also advantageous to install a tracking pad wherever you enter the construction site. This will be a gravel construction entrance, one that will allow different vehicles including cement trucks, dump trucks, or any other utility vehicle that is driving onto the property from a public road.
4. One other thing to consider our storm sewer inlets as they can be extremely vulnerable from gravel or soil caused by runoff, plus you must also focus on critical flowlines related to man holes or sewer piping. Sediment filters, materials such as fiber roles, filter fabric, or straw bales, can be used to bind the storm sewer systems to increase erosion control.
5. In all of the disturbed areas, you must reestablish how the vegetation was in order to stabilize the entire surface during your construction project. This is because of the roots that extended beneath the top of the soil which can minimize erosion. This can be done by using fabric, mulch, straw mats, seed, or different types of sod, all of which can be part of the final part of your project.
6. Construction drawings for your commercial project should also be utilized to provide general notes on where sediment control and soil erosion areas are. You can obtain these documents from a site engineer, and this will be in conjunction with information on the existing site plan which will include a soil protection chart, storm water pollution prevention plan, construction sequencing notes, tracking pad details, where the construction entrance will be, in that sentiment filter details, storm sewer inlet details, and information about where the silt fence will be based upon location and elevation.
These projects can be quite extensive, and when dealing with erosion control, you must pay close attention to each aspect of your project which will include landscaping information, concrete, sewer and water, utility information, and where you will be excavating. However, keep in mind that each and every contractor will be responsible for their area when it comes to erosion. If there is a contractor and subcontractor agreement, this will be spelled out in great detail. The site superintendent is the person that is responsible for documenting all of this information which will include erosion control work and the daily activities of all of those involved.
