EPA Guidelines Lead to Increased Erosion and Flooding Risks
The EPA ruling on controlling sediment from construction sites recommended Best Management Practices (BMPs), but not all BMPs are effective. Some mitigation measures actually worsen erosion, flooding, and sedimentation downstream. Different BMPs like straw or hay bale barriers, rock barriers, silt fence barriers, rolled erosion control products, and curb and gutter sediment traps have limitations that need to be recognized for reducing sediment in runoff.