Today’s Erosion and Sediment Control Tip: #22

 


A lot of construction projects require drainageways to cross under a road.  We must always remember that there are many aquatic organisms that need to travel the drainageways even in intermittent streams.  If your culvert outlet has just a minimal overfall, small aquatic animals will be blocked from their migratory paths needed for their lifecycle.  If possible, think about using larger culverts that are properly placed to avoid overfalls, bottomless culverts which allow for the stream bottom to cross under the roadway, or even a small bridge.  Alabama is number one in the nation in Freshwater Fish Biodiversity and we all should want to keep it that way.

Perry L. Oakes, PE
Erosion & Sediment Control Program Coordinator
Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee


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