Erosion and Sediment Control Tip #51
Dewatering bags can be a useful practice when pumping sediment-laden stormwater. It is important to plan proper placement of the bag before they are used. They’re light when they’re empty, but trying to move them around once filled with hundreds or thousands of pounds of sediment can be quite a challenge. Consider placing the bag over a pallet or inside a roll-off dumpster to make disposal easier. Avoid placing bags over bare earthen areas, where treated water leaving the bag will pick-up sediment as soon it hits the ground. Where fine soils are present, dewatering bags can easily become clogged, if flow-through decreases, you can hit (slap) the bag to open up the clogged pores. This Tip provided by Dr. Mike Perez, Auburn University. Thanks Mike Perry L Oakes, PE Erosion and Sediment Control Program Coordinator AL Soil and Water Conservation Committee