61
Exercise 15
Silt Fence Installation
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this exercise is to properly install erosion
silt fence.
TEXTBOOK REFERENCE
Information related to this activity can be found in the
Landscape Construction textbook in Chapter 13, Erosion
Control.
INTRODUCTION
Disturbed sites that are exposed to the elements can
lose excessive amounts of soil through surface erosion.
When water runoff is concentrated, the possibility that
deep channels will cut through the site also exists. To
The fence should run from the top edge of one
side of the channel to the top edge of the other
side of the channel. A slight V alignment can assist
in storing additional sediment. If installed with a V
• Cut a length of premanufactured silt fence the
length of the channel. Cut so a stake is at each
end of length. If the length of the fence is too
long for the trench, roll the fabric around the
stake until the desired length is obtained. The silt
fence should be completed using a single piece of
material.
• Set the cut length of fence in the channel with the
fabric on the upstream side. Beginning at one edge
of the channel, drive the first stake into the bottom
of the trench (Figure 15–1).
• Stretch the silt fence out along the length of the
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MATERIALS REQUIRED
• Square-nosed shovels
• Round-tipped shovels
• 30 feet of premanufactured silt fence material
with stakes
• 5 pound sledgehammer
• Survey stakes/flags
62 Exercise 15 Silt Fence Installation
2 x 2 Stakes or fence posts
Fasten fabric
to stakes
30′-0″
30′-0″
20′-0″
PLAN
CROSS SECTION
Silt fence
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