Sediment Control Measures and

Basin Design

Pat McClain
Land Quality Section

Sediment Control Measures

Silt

Fence
Temporary Sediment Trap
Skimmer Sediment Basin
Basin with Rock Dam
Sediment Basin

Silt Fence

Silt Fence
Should

be placed along topographic elevation

contours
Use below small disturbed areas that drain less
than acre per 100 ft of fence
Serve no purpose along ridges or near drainage
divides where there will not be a great deal of
water movement

Guidelines

Posts made of 1.33 lb/linear ft

steel
Minimum post length of 5 ft
Post spacing not to exceed 8 ft.
Fence must be wire backed if
post spacing exceeds 6 ft.
Height of fence above ground no greater than 24 inches

Silt Fence

Should not be used across streams, ditches, or waterways

Photo on right: www.lakecountyohio.org/soil/escbmp.htm

Silt Fence

Should not be used in areas of concentrated flow

Photo: www.lakecountyohio.org/soil/escbmp.htm

Silt Fence

Should not be the only measure used below graded slopes that are
greater than 10 ft high

Silt Fence Installation

Silt Fence
Sediment

Fences do NOT filter sediment

Sediment Fences DO pool water and allow
for settling
Check for:
Slows

water and allows sediment deposition

Fabric buried at least 12 inches and backfilled
with compacted soil
Fencing adequately supported

Silt Fence

Check that:
Fences are not placed in areas of concentrated flow

Silt Fence

Check that:
Fences are maintained after every rainfall event, the accumulated
sediment removed and fence checked for damage.

Traps and Basins

Baffles

Prevent short-circuiting through basin

Reduce turbulence
Enhance trapping and settling efficiency
Use in All Basins (Temp. Sediment Trap, Rock Dam
Basin, Sediment Basin, Skimmer Sediment Basin)
3 baffles for large traps/basins; if <20 ft in length, 2 baffles

Baffles

Baffles

Baffles should be made of a porous material

Baffles should be tied in to the sides of the basin to
prevent bypass
Baffles should be secured to the bottom of the basin by
staples or by trenching

Temporary Sediment Trap

Temporary Sediment Trap

Drainage

area of 5 acres or less

Used at outlets of diversions, channels, slope
drains, etc.
Bypass outlets should be selected so that flow will
not damage the embankment
Maximize surface area in design
Install before land disturbing activity takes place in
the drainage area

Temporary Sediment Trap

Storage

volume of 3600 cubic feet per acre of

disturbance
Surface area of 435 square feet per cfs of 10 year
peak discharge
2-foot minimum height above grade
3.5-foot maximum height above grade
1.5-foot minimum depth below grade
Porous Baffles Required

Temporary Sediment Trap

Sediment Trap
Weir Section

Weir/Outlet section needs to be clearly defined

Water should be able to flow over a low point

Weir Sections

Temporary Sediment Trap

Photo by: NCSU

Photo by: CEC, Inc.

Avoid short-circuiting and design your trap so that it has

the longest flow path possible

Sediment Traps
Check

for:

Total drainage area

5 acres or less
Sediment storage = 3600 cf / disturbed acre of
drainage area
Spillway must pass 10 yr. storm event for total
drainage area
The crest of the spillway should be at least 1.5
ft below the top of the embankment

Sediment Traps
Dike

should be compacted and higher

than the weir section.
Maintenance: cleaned out when onehalf full of sediment.

Temporary Rock Dam

Rock Dam
Can

be used in areas where drainage area is too

large for temporary sediment trap
Drainage area no greater than 10 acres
Use when you want the top of the structure to
serve as the overflow outlet, and where suitable
rock is available
Stone must tie into natural ground
Height of dam no greater than 8 feet

Temporary Rock Dam

3600

cubic feet per acre of disturbance

Surface area of 435 square feet per cfs of 10 year
peak discharge
2-foot minimum height above grade
6-foot maximum height above grade
1.5-foot minimum depth below grade
Porous Baffles Required

Rock Dam

Skimmer Sediment Basin

1800

cubic feet per acre of disturbance

Surface area of 325 square feet per cfs of 10 year
peak discharge
2-foot minimum height above grade
3.5-foot maximum height above grade
Porous Baffles Required

Skimmer Sediment Basin

Maximum

Drainage Area of 10 Acres

Sediment Storage Volume of 1800 Cubic Feet per
Disturbed Acre
Surface Area of 325 Square Feet per Cubic Foot
per Second of Peak 10-Year Flow
Trapezoidal Spillway in Natural Ground Lined
with Impermeable Geotextile or Laminate
Dewatered with Floating Skimmer

Example of a Skimming Dewatering Device

Other designs that dewater from the surface at a

controlled rate are acceptable.

Skimmer

Skimmer Sediment Basin

Skimmer Sediment Basin

Skimmer Maintenance

Skimmer Maintenance

Skimmers

Sediment Basin

Use where drainage areas

exceed the design criteria of
other measures
Drainage areas up to 100 acres
Exclude runoff from
undisturbed areas where
practical
Need to have access for
sediment removal

Sediment Basin
Volume

of 1800 cubic feet per acre of disturbance

Surface area of 435 square feet per cfs of 10-year
peak discharge
2-foot minimum height above grade
15-foot maximum height (top to toe)
Porous Baffles Required

Sediment Basin
Primary

Spillway Capacity--2-yr peak flow

Total Spillway Capacity--10-yr peak flow
Minimum Dewatering Time 24 Hours
Must Dewater From the Surface
Skimmer
Flashboard Riser

Flashboard Riser
Flashboard risers are a
good option for stilling
basins for pump discharges,
or when sandy soil
conditions will allow
dewatering of the basin
through infiltration. They
should not be selected when
the basin will have to be
cleaned frequently, or when
located in clay soils.

Sediment Basins
Check

for:

Total drainage area

should not be more than 100 acres.

Sediment storage = 1800 cf / disturbed acre of
drainage area
Constructed according to the plans.
The primary spillway conduit: watertight and has antiseep collars to prevent piping along the conduit.
Has stabilized outlet

Sediment Basins
Check

for:

Anti-flotation

devices on the riser.

Trash racks (guards) on riser
Emergency spillway in natural ground with at
least 1 foot of freeboard
Access for frequent maintenance.

Point of Clarification:
What is the difference between a
sediment basin and a skimmer
sediment basin?

Sediment Basin

Primary Spillway: Riser/Barrel

Dewatering Mechanism: Skimmer attached to bottom of riser pipe or flashboard riser

Skimmer Sediment Basin

Primary Spillway: Trapezoidal spillway with impermeable membrane

Dewatering Mechanism: Skimmer

Basin Planning Considerations

Location:
Accessible for

periodic cleanout (maintenance)

Divert clean runoff if possible
Get a maximum amount of runoff from disturbed areas
into the structure
Shape:
Design to

have a large surface area for the volume

Length at least 2x width

Basin Planning Considerations

Get

the longest flow path possible through the

basin from inlet to outlet

Basin Planning Considerations

Watch

basin

transitions from diversions, etc. into the

Basin Planning Considerations

Get

the sides of the basin vegetated/stabilized

Basin Planning Considerations

Think

about where the water is going after it

outlets the basin

Basin Design

Choosing Basin Type

Determine
5

the Drainage Area

Acres or Less
5 to 10 Acres
Greater than 10 Acres

5 Acres or Less
Temporary

Sediment Trap
Skimmer Sediment Basin

5 to 10 Acres
Basin

with Rock Dam

Skimmer Sediment Basin

Greater than 10 Acres

Sediment
Must

Basin

dewater from water surface

Design Criteria
Sediment

Storage Volume
Spillway Capacity
Surface Area for Trapping Efficiency
Dimensions
Baffles
Dewatering

Design Criteria
Effective

August 3, 2011, the NPDES

Construction permit requires that a sediment basin
or trap that receives drainage from more than 1
acre AND discharges to waters of the US
discharge from the top of the water column

Storage Volume
Determine

the disturbed area draining to the basin

Provide 3600 cubic feet of sediment storage
volume per acre of disturbed area for basins that
dewater through a stone spillway
Provide 1800 cubic feet of sediment storage
volume per acre of disturbed area for basins that
dewater from the water surface

Spillway Capacity
Determine
Include

the total area draining to the basin

undisturbed portion of drainage area

Calculate flow rate for 10-year design storm

Use

25-year storm in High Quality Waters

Temporary Sediment Basin primary spillway must pass
2-year peak flow
Size

the spillway using appropriate methods

Surface Area for Trapping Efficiency

Surface

area that will provide 75 percent trapping

efficiency
Area (acres) = .01 * Q10 (cfs)
Area (sq.ft.) = 435 * Q10 (cfs)
Skimmer Sediment Basin
Area

Q10

(sq.ft.) = 325 * Q10 (cfs)

is the peak flow from the 10-year rainfall

intensity

Dimensions
Length of basin should be twice the width
Maximum height

Trap = 3.5 feet weir elevation, above grade

Rock Dam = 6 feet
weir elevation, above grade
Basin = 15 feet dam height, top to toe

Minimum height of 2 feet

Minimum depth below grade for Trap and Rock Dam of
1.5 feet
Depth usually determined by dividing storage volume by
surface area

Dewatering
Dewatering
One

Time

to three days

Dewatering

Methods

Stone Spillway
Flashboard Riser
Skimmer

Selection of Sediment Control Measures

Selection of Sediment Control Measure
20 Total Drainage Area
Do Not Use Temporary Sediment Trap
Do Not Use Rock Dam,
Do Not Use Skimmer Sediment Basin
Okay
Temporary Sediment Basin
18 Disturbed Area (Acres)
55 Peak Flow from 10-year Storm (cfs)

http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/lr/links

Under Design Calculation Spreadsheets

Questions?
Pat McClain
943 Washington Square Mall
Washington, NC 27889
(252) 946-6481
Pat.McClain@ncdenr.gov