Erosion Issues North Miami Beach FL

Muddy Waters

Making sense of erosion control

by Aaron Hoover

Many big builders are all too familiar with the erosion-control plans required by the feds, while many small builders have never heard of these requirements. Site controls to prevent sediment from washing away into nearby waterways are mandatory for every building site larger than an acre, and as the availability of buildable coastal lots tightens, it's becoming increasingly harder to pass under the radar.

Even for those familiar with the regs, implementing an effective erosion-control plan is no slam dunk. Common elements of the plans, such as putting up silt fences intended to capture and trap waterborne soil, can be expensive and time consuming. And many builders complain that the measures and accompanying paperwork often don't seem effective. One critic put it this way: "Muddy water in, muddy water out, and a lot of money in between."

Regulators and advocates, on the other hand, insist erosion and sediment control is effective when done right. And they have no shortage of cheerleaders. Muddy roads and cloudy streams tied to a decade-long nationwide building boom have left many residents eager for a clampdown, especially in coastal areas where water quality is a crucial issue. For contractors, the upshot is steadily increasing pressure to do a better job, alongside stricter and stricter regulatory standards.


An effective erosion-control plan includes maintenance to adjust and strengthen measures...

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