Installation, Inspection, and Maintenance
Most failures are installation failures
- Silt fence: fabric keyed into a trench roughly 6 inches deep, backfilled and compacted; posts on the downstream side; about 2 ft of fabric standing above grade; ends returned upslope as J-hooks.
- Check dams: keyed into both banks and into the channel bottom so flow cannot go around or under.
- Inlet protection: sized so it does not flood the traveled way or create a safety hazard.
- Stabilization: seed, mulch, and a blanket or tackifier on steeper or wind-exposed ground; temporary stabilization where final vegetation cannot yet establish.
Inspection discipline
Inspect before predicted storm events, on the permit-required frequency, and after qualifying storms. Record the date, time, weather, observer, and each deficiency with a photographic reference. Track every deficiency to a corrective action and a closure date - the closure record is what regulators and litigators look for.
Maintenance triggers
- Remove accumulated sediment when a structure reaches roughly 50% of its design capacity.
- Replace torn fabric, reseat dislodged posts, and rebuild undermined check dams.
- Replant or re-mulch bare areas as soon as they appear.
- Remove sediment from construction entrances and re-dress aggregate.
Documentation
The inspection log is the primary evidence that the plan was implemented. Contemporaneous notes, dated photographs with a locatable reference, and a signed corrective-action trail are worth more than a polished retrospective report. Retain records for the permit-specified period (commonly three years, longer if enforcement is pending).
Rule of thumb
If a BMP cannot be inspected, it cannot be maintained - and if there is no record, it did not happen.