Erosion is when soil and rocks are worn away over time by wind and water. Controlling erosion is especially important in construction, agriculture, and large-scale land development. There are many methods of erosion control, but the most effective methods use rocks or sand as a barrier against wind and water. This review will highlight the use of bags of gravel to control erosion.
What Are Gravel Bags?
The gravel bags used for erosion control are typically manufactured from heavy-duty plastic or burlap fibers. They are resistant to UV light, making them suitable for long-term outdoor use. Gravel bags are usually sold in thick and thin versions, as either individual bags or as a large roll of bags.
Essentially, you purchase a bag and fill it on-site with gravel or sand. Once your bag is filled with the desired proportion of gravel, you use it to block and filter sediment away from the area. This protects storm drains in and around your site.
How Do Gravel Bags Work?
Gravel bags come in various shapes and sizes. Some are flexible, letting you adjust their shapes to fit any location. These bags help support and filter the area around storm drains, inlets, and curbs. Using several bags of gravel will help slow water flow and filter sediment from the water. Gravel bags also help hold the soil in place, preventing it from being swept away by water.
Applications
Gravel bags are frequently used for large-scale construction and agricultural projects. Using numerous bags of gravel helps minimize erosion and protects the areas around inlets, curbs, and drains. Because these bags are designed to be used on construction sites, they are incredibly durable and intended for long-term use. Gravel bags can be driven over and emerge undamaged. You can adjust how much gravel is put in each bag to meet the construction site’s flow, sediment, and filtration requirements.
For extensive construction projects, it’s helpful to use gravel bags in conjunction with coir wattles or coir fiber logs to control erosion. Coir wattles keep the sediment intact so that it’s not disrupted or extracted by the equipment during construction. They also filter stormwater runoff from construction sites, helping prevent sediment and hazardous materials from entering nearby storm drains.
You can also use coir fiber logs with gravel bags. Coir fiber logs are manufactured from all-natural coir fibers and rolled into a cylindrical shape. The unique shape of coir logs allows them to be used in banks for stabilization and support and in pools of standing water. Coir fiber logs and coir wattles are made from organic materials and are completely biodegradable. After a couple of years, the coir fibers will decompose and become part of the surrounding soil, providing valuable nutrients to the vegetation.
Gravel bags are an effective tool for preventing erosion in sizable construction, landscaping, and agricultural projects. They are practical, flexible, and indestructible. Manage erosion around your project with bags of gravel and you’ll be helping the environment while keeping your site clean.
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