Recommendations for Sedimentation Practices

P.T. Weiss, A.J. Erickson, J.S. Gulliver, R.M. Hozalski

Assessment

Visual inspection is recommended for assessment of all sedimentation treatment practices once per year or more. Capacity testing is recommended for assessment of hydraulic conductivity in dry ponds or for the assessment of sediment accumulation in wet ponds. Synthetic runoff testing can be used in dry ponds, wet ponds, wet vaults, and underground proprietary devices for assessment of hydraulic conductivity or pollutant retention performance, if an adequate water supply is available. Monitoring is recommended when capacity testing or synthetic runoff testing do not meet the goals of the assessment program but, as previously discussed, is not recommended for underground sedimentation devices.

Maintenance

Sedimentation practices are designed to be effective at retaining suspended solids and pollutants that typically adsorb to solids but are not effective at retaining dissolved pollutants. After continued operation, the retained solids need to be removed. The sedimentation practice must therefore be regularly inspected to determine its condition. The required frequency maintenance is dependent on the watershed land use (e.g. urban, rural, farm, etc.), construction activities in the watershed and rainfall amounts and intensity. For detailed recommendations on maintenance activities and when such activities are required, see Maintenance.

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