Erosion Control Methods for Steep Slopes
Huge projects like the widening of US 202 in Pennsylvania span several years and several seasons. Stormwater and erosion control is an important part of the planning process, and a variety of soil...
View ArticleErosion Control Methods for Steep Slopes (Part 2)
When sheet runoff from a major highway created gullies and rill erosion problems along Rutherford Road just east of Highway 27 near Vaughan, ON, aggressive erosion control methods were needed....
View ArticleRetaining Wall Materials to Enhance Form and Function
Limestone in Austin When choosing retaining wall materials, several factors should be considered. Matching the color and texture of the retaining wall materials to what’s naturally found in the area...
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Retaining Wall Blocks Show Advantages Over Cast-in-Place Walls
Houston Zoo features retaining wall blocks are strong enough to withstand a gorilla. Just as the citizens of San Juan Capistrano, CA, eagerly await the annual return of the swallows, residents of...
View ArticleTurbidity Curtains Aid Cleanup of Boston Harbor
Airplane Safety and Aquatic Protection Any work taking place in and around Boston Harbor attracts a lot of attention from local, state, and federal agencies. As a result, when the Massachusetts Port...
View ArticleCofferdams Control Water While Trenching Under a River
In the summer of 2014, Midwestern Contractors was involved with laying two high-pressure gas transmission lines across the DuPage River, located in the western suburbs of Chicago. “In this project, we...
View ArticleStage Release Silt Fence Stands Up in Testing
Over roughly an eight-month period, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) conducted tests on the new Staged Release Silt Fence (SRSF) by Silt-Saver Inc. The demonstration test site was...
View ArticleTrackout Devices Save Streets
One of the “hot buttons” for construction site inspectors is trackout of dirt, rock, and sediment from a work site. This matter was of special concern in Huntington Beach, CA, where a six-story...
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Temporary Cofferdams Tame Water for Work
Clearing Away Sediment and Cultural Artifacts The Chassahowitzka River in southwest Florida is fed by a dozen springs and has been labeled one of the most ecologically healthy waterways in the region....
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Coir Logs and Wattles for Bank and Shoreline Erosion
Shorefront Protection on Cape Cod Located near the “elbow” of Cape Cod, the small town of Orleans, MA, is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and on the west by Cape Cod Bay. It is home to some...
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Curb Turn-Ins Direct Water to Trees
Downtown Beautification Takes Off Located northeast of Indianapolis, Anderson is home to 55,000 residents and one very creative assistant stormwater manager named Jeremy VanErman, who says the project...
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Clearing a Pond With Living Logs and Bacterial Enzymes
Rescuing a Pond in Indy A homeowner in Indianapolis has a small pond, about an acre in size, on his property, used for swimming and fishing. But he was having a number of issues with the pond. The...
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Geogrids for Stabilizing Steep Slopes
Increased traffic brought the need for bridge expansion and widening of Florida’s State Road 415 from two lanes to four. The completed project is located just north of Sanford. Associated Construction...
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Keeping Debris out of Curb Openings
Concerns about protecting inlets and storm drains don’t stop when construction stops. To help meet Honolulu’s stormwater management goals, the engineering firm Oceanit—an engineering and technology...
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Two Ways to Install Silt Fences
There are two ways to install a silt fence—the right way and the wrong way. The right way, it turns out, has a lot of variables, as any contractor knows. The choices are dictated by the type of soil,...
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Mats, Concrete, Blocks, and Rocks: The Lowdown on Riprap – Part 1
Since the beginning of time, people have found ways to use rocks as tools. The first rock tools probably were used for hunting. The use of rocks to help reinforce ditches probably was not seen until...
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The Evolution of Retaining Walls
Retaining walls have evolved over the past 20 years. The choice of different types of walls for a variety of situations has expanded. Knowing the strengths and advantages of each type is a crucial...
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When to Use Native Plants in Erosion Control Projects
Julie Etra’s approach to the erosion control work her company does is simple to describe. It isn’t always easy to accomplish, though. “You shouldn’t know we were ever there. [The work is] so good that...
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Cost-Effective Erosion Control With Blankets and Mats – Part 1
Today’s tough federal and state environmental laws force both public and private developers to be much more careful in developing a construction site than in the past. National Pollutant Discharge...
View ArticleSegmental Retaining Walls Come of Age
Developed in the mid-1980s, reinforced-soil segmental retaining walls are increasingly used in shopping centers, in industrial and office parks, and along highways and waterfronts. In many cases they...
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