Purpose Of Turbidity Curtains
When working in or around water it is extremely important to control the amount of turbidity in the water. Turbidity curtains are used to contain silt, sediment and debris in the water within a certain area. Typically used around work zones during marine construction. This protects the quality of the water and protects aquatic life and their habitats.
Different Types Of Turbidity Curtains
The type of turbidity curtain you will need depends on the factors of the water around your work site. The depth of the water, the current, waves and wind will all help to decide which type of curtain is best suited for where you are working.
Type 1: is a light duty curtain used for calmer waters like ponds, lakes or other small waterways.
Type 2: is a medium duty curtain for moving water like rivers, harbors and small ports.
Type 3: is a heavy duty curtain used for tidal waters like offshore, shoreline and larger ports.
Different Colors Of Turbidity Curtains
Yellow and orange are the most commonly used colors because of their high visibility. Other colors may also be used in certain circumstances, though it is not common. In areas where there is not a lot of boat traffic it might be ideal to use green turbidity curtains so they blend better with the area and don’t require as much of a visible impact. Blue and black curtains are also used but not as frequently. Using bright yellow or orange ensures visibility to everyone.
Sizes Of Curtains
In general, most turbidity curtains are sold in section lengths of either 50ft or 100ft. But they can be interlocked with each other so you can create a custom length for you work area. When it comes to depth these curtains range from 3-100ft It is very important to remember that your turbidity curtains should not touch the floor of the area you are working in. Although the purpose of these curtains is to contain sediment and other materials from effecting water quality and protecting marine life, allowing 1ft clearance at the bottom is essential.
If your curtain touches the floor of the body of water it will move and drift with the current and stir up more sediment increasing the turbidity in the water. If your curtain is resting along the bottom, silt and sediment can build up on it and start to weigh the curtain down which, in turn, will pull on the flotation devices reducing their visibility effectiveness. This can be very dangerous is your turbidity curtains are no longer visible on the waters surface. And lastly, it is important to leave a clearance at the bottom of your curtain in order to allow aquatic animals the ability to leave the area and not become trapped in high turbidity water.
GeoTK Turbidity Curtains
Whatever kind of turbidity curtains you need for your work site, GeoTK can help. Our team has all the knowledge to get you loaded up with every kind of geosynthetic material you need for your site. Our team has a combined 40 years worth of experience in this field and are more than prepared to assist you. If you’ve got a long spec sheet of materials for your next job and aren’t sure where to start, GeoTK should be your first stop. We provide erosion control products that you can count on!