A fiber roll is a temporary
erosion control and
sediment control
A sediment control is a practice or device designed to keep eroded soil on a construction site, so that it does not wash off and cause water pollution to a nearby stream, river, lake, or sea. Sediment controls are usually employed together with e ...
device used on
construction
Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,"Construction" def. 1.a. 1.b. and 1.c. ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 and com ...
sites to protect
water quality
Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...
in nearby streams, rivers, lakes and seas from sediment erosion. It is made of
straw,
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
Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former te ...
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
Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sand an ...
, generally more effectively than
straw bales.
[U.S. EPA]
"National Menu of Stormwater Best Management Practices: Fiber Rolls."
June 1, 2006. During rain storms, the rolls intercept surface
stormwater
Stormwater, also spelled storm water, is water that originates from precipitation (storm), including heavy rain and meltwater from hail and snow. Stormwater can soak into the soil ( infiltrate) and become groundwater, be stored on depressed la ...
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
Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...
.
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
Geosynthetics are synthetic products used to stabilize terrain. They are generally polymeric products used to solve civil engineering problems. This includes eight main product categories: geotextiles, geogrids, geonets, geomembranes, geosyntheti ...
*
Geotechnical engineering
*
Nonpoint source pollution
*
Stormwater
Stormwater, also spelled storm water, is water that originates from precipitation (storm), including heavy rain and meltwater from hail and snow. Stormwater can soak into the soil ( infiltrate) and become groundwater, be stored on depressed la ...
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