Knowing When a BMP Is No Longer Right for the Job
Using the correct Best Management Practice’s (BMP’s) on your project is crucial to remaining in compliance with local or regional enforcement agencies. Equally important, is the oversight of the installed BMP. Unfortunately, even the best erosion control measures aren’t always a “set it, and forget it” solution. Just as your project evolves, your BMP’s may need to as well.
We recently worked on a project that utilized reinforced silt fence to protect a creek adjacent to the jobsite. This was the correct BMP to use at project start-up; however, due to the ongoing dirt work being performed, the slope had increased significantly in height, thus adding more pressure on the reinforced silt fence.
Because the slope is not ready to be stabilized, the operations team had to come up with a solution to not only prevent further encroachment of the BMPs, but also continue to adequately protect the creek.
It was agreed upon that the best solution in this case, was to use reinforced hay bales to act as a bulkhead. The reinforced hay bales were able to contain the pressure of any runoff, and prevent any future failures leading into the creek.
The correct BMP installed at the beginning of a project, may not be the correct BMP for the entirety of the project. As conditions and landscapes change, in some cases, so should the BMP. Proper oversight is key to knowing when a BMP is no longer right for the job.
