Construction Cost and Erosion Control Effectiveness of Filter Windrows on Fill Slopes

摘要

Sediment barriers of slash were designed and constructed on the fill slopes of newly constructed roads. These barriers called filter windrows were located in the vicinity of stream crossings in an attempt to prevent eroded fill material from entering the stream. The contractor was able to construct windrows at a rate of 170 ft/h (52 m/h), using a track-mounted Caterpillar 235 hydraulic pull shovel (a large backhoe). The cost of this fill slope treatment was $59 per 100 feet (30 m) of windrowed slope. A conservative estimate of the sediment trapping efficiency of the windrows slopes. The results indicate that the construction of filter windrows on fill slopes is a relatively inexpensive and a very effective treatment for preventing eroded material from entering adjacent streams. Filter windrows can be constructed simultaneously with road construction, providing immediate protection of the water resources.