A fiber roll is a temporary
erosion control and
sediment control device used on
construction sites to protect
water quality in nearby streams, rivers, lakes and seas from sediment erosion. It is made of
straw
Straw is an agricultural byproduct consisting of the dry stalks of cereal plants after the grain and chaff have been removed. It makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has a number ...
,
coconut
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
fiber or similar material formed into a tubular roll.
Installation
Each horizontal contour level row of fiber rolls is installed on slopes, ending with one at the base of the slope, below an active construction area before
soil disturbance (earth moving) begins. The space between each row of fiber roll is dependent on the steepness of the slope. The steeper the slope, the more rows of evenly spaced horizontal contour level fiber rolls are used. Each fiber roll is installed on a horizontal contour level in shallow trenches 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) deep and fastened to the ground with wooden stakes.
Properly installed fiber rolls are effective at trapping
sediment, generally more effectively than
straw bale
Straw is an agricultural byproduct consisting of the dry stalks of cereal plants after the grain and chaff have been removed. It makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has a number ...
s.
[U.S. EPA]
"National Menu of Stormwater Best Management Practices: Fiber Rolls."
June 1, 2006. During rain storms, the rolls intercept surface
stormwater runoff
Runoff, run-off or RUNOFF may refer to:
* RUNOFF, the first computer text-formatting program
* Runoff or run-off, another name for bleed, printing that lies beyond the edges to which a printed sheet is trimmed
* Runoff or run-off, a stock marke ...
(but not concentrating or channeling the runoff) and reduce the velocity of flow. Water passes through a fiber roll while leaving behind the sediment on the uphill side of the roll, thereby reducing sediment
erosion.
Limitations
Fiber Rolls have several limitations to their uses:
*Fiber rolls may be difficult to move once they become saturated with water.
*Fiber rolls should not be used on very steep land that is prone to mudslides, landslides or creep.
*If fiber rolls are not properly staked into the ground, they may be carried away by high flows.
See also
*
Geosynthetics
*
Geotechnical engineering
*
Nonpoint source pollution
*
Stormwater
References
{{reflist
External links
Erosion Control Technology Council- a trade organization dedicated to the education and standardization of the erosion control industry
Erosion Control- a trade magazine for the erosion control and construction industries
International Erosion Control Association- Professional Association, Publications, Training
National Menu of Stormwater Best Management Practices- Information on good stormwater management practices
Building materials
Environmental soil science
Gardening aids
Earthworks (engineering)
Water treatment