336-431-5852
aceavant@aceavant.com
5358 Poole Rd, Archdale, NC 27263
336-431-5852
aceavant@aceavant.com
5358 Poole Rd, Archdale, NC 27263
Inspection, repair, and ongoing maintenance for every erosion control measure across North Carolina
Regular inspection and repair keeps every measure on the site functional at every regulatory inspection through the full construction period.
We inspect and repair the full erosion control system after significant storm events before the next rain event puts damaged measures back to work.
Basins, traps, and silt fence lines are cleaned before accumulated sediment reduces their capacity and triggers a permit violation.
Erosion on sloped areas is repaired promptly before a small failure becomes a large regrading and reseeding scope.
Erosion control matting and blankets are inspected for displacement, tears, and edge lifting that allow runoff to undercut the installation.
The same team that installed your erosion control system maintains it, so problems are identified and fixed without coordinating between multiple contractors.
Inspection reports and repair logs are documented after every visit and available for regulatory inspections and SWPPP recordkeeping.
Every erosion control measure on the site is included in the maintenance scope, not just the ones that were flagged at the last inspection.
Installing an erosion control system is the first half of the scope. Keeping it functional through the construction period is the second half, and it is where most sites fall short. Silt fence that was properly installed in week one is undercut by week six if it is not inspected and repaired after storm events. Sediment basins that were correctly sized at permit approval lose capacity as sediment accumulates and are never cleaned out. Erosion control matting lifts at the edges and loses contact with the soil surface, allowing runoff to route beneath it and erode the slope it was installed to protect. None of these failures are unpredictable. They are the normal result of an erosion control system operating on an active construction site without a maintenance program behind it.
We manage erosion control maintenance as an ongoing scope from installation through permit closeout, inspecting after storm events, repairing damage before the next rain, and documenting conditions for SWPPP compliance and regulatory inspections.
Sediment basins and traps accumulate sediment with every storm event, and their capacity to capture sediment decreases as that accumulation builds. NCDEQ requires that sediment be removed when it reaches one-third of the design storage volume. On active construction sites after significant storm events, basins can reach that threshold faster than anticipated. A basin that has lost storage capacity to sediment accumulation provides significantly less treatment to runoff than the design assumes, and a basin that overflows during a large storm event can discharge heavily sediment-laden water downstream in a single event.
We inspect sediment basins and traps as part of our maintenance program, measure sediment accumulation, and schedule cleanouts before the one-third threshold is reached. Basin cleanout involves removing accumulated pond sediment with excavators or other equipment, hauling or redistributing material, and restoring the basin to design storage volume before the next storm season or construction phase that will generate significant runoff.
We also inspect outlet structures, emergency spillways, and pond baffles during basin maintenance visits. Outlet risers that are blocked with debris, spillways that have eroded since the last inspection, and baffles that have shifted out of position are repaired as part of the basin maintenance scope.
Diversion ditches depend on maintaining their design grade and cross section to function correctly. Sediment deposited in flat spots reduces flow capacity and eventually blocks the channel, causing overflow onto the disturbed areas the ditch is designed to protect. Riprap lining displaced by storm flows exposes the underlying soil to scour. Check dams that have accumulated sediment to their full pool capacity no longer reduce flow velocity and need to be cleaned out to restore their function.
We inspect diversion ditches after storm events, remove sediment from check dam pools, repair displaced riprap lining, and restore channel grade where deposition has reduced flow capacity. Outlet scour that has worked back up the channel from the discharge point is repaired with additional riprap or energy dissipation, and inlet protection that has been buried by sediment is cleaned or replaced.
Erosion control matting and blankets protect disturbed slopes and channel surfaces while seeded vegetation establishes. They are effective when properly installed and maintained, and largely ineffective when they lose contact with the soil surface. Edge lifting from freeze-thaw cycles, storm flow beneath the blanket, or inadequate stapling at installation allows runoff to route under the matting and erode the slope beneath it without disturbing the visible surface. By the time the erosion is apparent, significant soil loss has already occurred beneath the blanket.
We inspect erosion control matting during maintenance visits by checking edge conditions, staple spacing, and surface contact across the full installed area. Lifted edges are re-stapled and reseated against the soil surface. Sections that have been displaced or torn by storm flow are removed and replaced with new material installed to the correct specification. Seeding beneath blankets is evaluated for establishment progress, and areas with poor germination are overseeded before the matting degrades to the point where it no longer provides surface protection.
Sloped areas on construction sites are the most erosion-prone surfaces on the site and the most damage-prone locations for erosion control blankets. Storm flow concentrates on slopes, blanket edges lift where staple spacing was inadequate, and rills that form beneath the blanket work progressively upslope if not addressed promptly. We repair slope erosion and blanket damage as part of our maintenance program, filling and reseeding rills that have formed beneath the blanket, replacing damaged blanket sections, and adding check slots or additional stapling on slopes where the original installation was not holding up to the site’s runoff conditions.
Gabion baskets used for slope stabilization and channel lining are durable structures, but they require periodic inspection to confirm the basket wire is intact, the stone fill has not shifted or settled, and the structure is performing as designed. Wire mesh that has corroded or been damaged by debris impact allows stone fill to migrate, reducing the structural integrity of the basket. Undermining at the base of gabion structures from scour below the basket foundation requires prompt repair before the structure becomes unstable.
We inspect gabion baskets as part of our maintenance program, checking wire mesh condition, stone fill integrity, and base conditions. Damaged wire sections are repaired or basket panels are replaced where damage is extensive. Undermining is addressed by placing additional riprap at the base of the structure or by installing a cutoff trench to extend the foundation below the scour depth.
Tree protection fencing is one of the most frequently displaced erosion control measures on a construction site because it is installed in areas adjacent to active construction and equipment movement. Fence sections that have been knocked over by equipment, pushed in by material staging, or removed for temporary construction access and never replaced provide no protection for the remainder of the project. We inspect tree protection fencing during maintenance visits, reset displaced sections, repair damaged panels, and coordinate with the site superintendent when fence relocation is needed for legitimate construction access so reinstallation happens before the next activity in that area.
Temporary and permanent seeding must be monitored for establishment progress through the construction period. Seeded areas that fail to establish due to poor germination, drought, or erosion of the seedbed need to be repaired and reseeded before they become bare areas that require active erosion control measures to manage. We evaluate seeded areas during maintenance visits, identify sections with inadequate cover, and overseed, remulch, or apply erosion control blankets to areas where establishment has been insufficient. Permanent stabilization that meets the NCDEQ ground cover threshold is documented as each area qualifies, tracking progress toward permit closeout across the full site.
Storm events are the primary test of any erosion control system, and they are when maintenance needs are greatest. After a significant storm, every measure on the site has been subjected to conditions that may exceed what it was designed to handle. Silt fence lines carry accumulated runoff and sediment load. Basin outlets handle concentrated discharge. Diversion ditch channels carry their maximum design flow or more. Slope blankets resist the runoff that the storm generates.
We conduct post-storm inspections as part of our maintenance program, walking the full site after significant rain events to identify and document every deficiency before the next storm arrives. Repairs are prioritized by the risk each deficiency poses to permit compliance and downstream water quality, and critical repairs are completed before the next forecasted rain event rather than on the next scheduled maintenance visit.
The Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan requires that construction sites be inspected at defined intervals and that inspection findings and corrective actions be documented in the plan records. We provide written inspection reports after every maintenance visit, documenting the condition of each erosion control measure, the repairs performed, and the date of completion. These records are maintained as part of the project SWPPP and are available for review during regulatory inspections. Accurate, complete maintenance records demonstrate that the site is being actively managed to the erosion control plan requirements, which is the most effective defense against a notice of violation when the site receives an unannounced regulatory inspection.
NCDEQ requires inspection at defined intervals and after every storm event of half an inch or more. On active construction sites with significant disturbed area, we recommend scheduled maintenance visits between storms and prompt post-storm response after any significant rain event.
Unmaintained erosion control systems fail progressively. Silt fence loses capacity, sediment basins fill up, and slope matting loses contact with the soil surface. The result is sediment leaving the site, regulatory violations, and in some cases stop-work orders until deficiencies are corrected.
Yes. We assess the current condition of the installed measures, bring deficiencies into compliance, and take over ongoing maintenance through permit closeout.
We walk every erosion control measure on the site after a significant storm event, documenting condition, identifying failures and deficiencies, and scheduling repairs before the next rain event. Inspection findings are recorded for SWPPP documentation.
Yes. We inspect matting and blanket installations for edge lifting, displacement, and tears, and repair or replace sections that have lost contact with the soil surface or been damaged by storm flow.
We inspect basins regularly and schedule sediment removal before accumulation reaches the one-third storage volume threshold required by NCDEQ. After large storm events, we inspect basins regardless of the scheduled maintenance interval to confirm they have not exceeded that threshold.
We provide written inspection reports after every visit documenting the condition of each erosion control measure, the repairs performed, and the date of completion for SWPPP recordkeeping and regulatory compliance.