Silt Fence

A silt fence is a temporary barrier that prevents soil and other sediment from entering nearby waterways during construction projects. Silt fences are made of woven geotextile fabric that's installed in the direction of water flow. They allow water to pass through, but trap silt and other sediment. Silt fences are used to:
Protect water quality
Silt fences prevent sediment from entering nearby streams, rivers, lakes, and seas.
Reduce soil erosion
Silt fences reduce soil erosion by preventing construction waste from entering waterways.
Retain soil
Silt fences retain soil on disturbed land until the area is ready for revegetation.

Silt fences are inexpensive and easy to install, but they require regular maintenance to be effective. Their effectiveness can be limited by poor installation, placement, or maintenance. The maximum life expectancy of a synthetic fabric silt fence is about six months.

There are many factors to consider when ensuring your silt fence is installed effectively, including:
Amount
A general rule of thumb is to use 100 feet of silt fence for every 10,000 square feet of disturbed area. However, the amount of silt fence needed depends on the site's configuration, soil type, slope, rainfall, and other factors.
Placement
The placement of the fence is critical to its effectiveness. Silt fences should be installed at the base of exposed slopes, in the shape of a smile.
Post spacing
To improve the strength of the fence, space posts closer together, ideally no more than 8 feet apart.
Installation
Silt Fence comes with wooden stakes already attached to the woven geotextile, allowing you to simply extend the geotextile until tight, drive the stake into the ground, and then move on to the next stake. Fabric should be against the ground or even partially barrier to ensure runoff can't pass beneath it.
Life expectancy
Synthetic fabric silt fences typically last about six months, depending on rainfall and runoff.

Silt fences are used to retain soil on disturbed land, such as construction sites, until the land can be revegetated and stabilized. They are not intended to treat concentrated flows or large amounts of overland flow.