One of the biggest problems at this site is that the builder has been using ineffective straw wattles for which the City’s Watershed Protection Department won’t even provide specifications in their Environmental Criteria Manual (ECM) because they say they don’t work. Quoting the City Watershed Protection Department:
"Moving on the design criteria for specific E&S controls, the ECM contains the controls that are acceptable to meet the LDC as well as installation and design guidance. Straw wattles are not listed as acceptable controls in the ECM because they do not provide robust control of the 2-year storm as required in the ECM. Instead, the ECM provides design and installation guidance for Mulch Socks. Similar to Straw Wattles in shape and purpose, Mulch Socks are larger and more robust, able to quantitatively provide on-site control of the 2-year storm erosion when installed and maintained properly. COA does not anticipate adding criteria for Straw Wattles due to their limited effectiveness."
The City staff responsible for enforcement of the erosion control ordinances do not share the sentiments of the City's Watershed Protection Department because they have allowed straw wattles to be used as an acceptable erosion control BMP even though they are not, as shown by the events on this page. This site has been reported to the City eight times: 02 May 2016, 22 May 2016, 28 Jun 2016, 27 Jul 2016, 15 Aug 2016, 21 Aug 2016, 05 Sep 2016, and 19 Sep 2016.
The events below are in reverse chronological order from most recent to earliest.
There are now no erosion controls across the entrance. Construction of a driveway is one of the most critical times when rainfall can cause massive amounts of sediment, especially sand, to leave the site, yet no controls. The silt fence along the front is not being maintained. The amount of sediment that has collected behind it is causing it to sag severely. One can see where water can easily flow over the silt fence because of its sagging condition. Additionally, the City is not requiring the builder to remove the sediment that has routinely escaped the site and settled out in the gutters and streets downstream of the site. Reported to the City again on September 19, 2016.
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| Photo 1 (no erosion controls) | Photo 2 (no erosion controls) |
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| Photo 3 (silt fence not maintained and sagging) | Photo 4 (on erosion controls) |
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| Photo 5 (sediment from site deposited downstream has not been cleaned up) | |
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The builder doesn't even have the ineffective straw wattles anymore.
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| Photo 1 (no erosion controls) | |
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The builder is still using ineffective straw wattles even though the City’s Watershed Protection Department say they don’t work. Sediment from the site that has been deposited downstream and has been there so long now that it even has grass growing in it. The City is not requiring the builder to clean up the sediment which they have routinely allow to escape and settle out in the gutters and streets downstream of the site. Reported to the City again on September 5, 2016.
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| Photo 1 (silt fences no longer upright) | Photo 2 (straw waddle ineffective as an erosion control) |
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| Photo 3 (sediment from site has been deposited downstream) | |
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The new straw waddle has been overtopped by sand. The board once holding it is now gone and floated downstream. Sand is flowing down the gutter. Straw wattles are totally ineffective and inappropriate for a lot with this kind of slope. Reported to the City again on August 21, 2016.
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| Photo 1 (sand has overtopped straw waddle) | Photo 2 (sand has overtopped straw waddle) |
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| Photo 3 (board previously holding waddle is now downstream) | Photo 4 (sand in street downstream) |
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The old straw wattles have been replaced by a new one. It has been laid in the gutter with a board and rock holding it in place. This won't last long. Sand has filled in behind the straw waddle and overtopped it. Sediment still in the street.
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| Photo 1 | Photo 2 (sediment in street downstream) |
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| Photo 3 (sediment in street downstream) | |
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Straw wattles are inadequate and sediment settles in street where the velocity slows.
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| Photo 1 | Photo 2 (sediment in street downstream) |
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| Photo 3 (sediment in street downstream) | |
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Sand has now been dumped in the driveway without adequate erosion controls. Reported to the City of Austin on July 15, 2016.
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| Photo 1 (straw wattles virtually useless) | Photo 2 (sediment and straw in street and gutter) |
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Straw wattles are so deteriorated, they have no real purpose and add to the pollution load. Reported to the City of Austin again on July 27, 2016.
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| Photo 1 (straw wattles virtually useless) | Photo 2 (sediment and straw in street and gutter) |
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| Photo 3 (sediment in the street the next morning following the rain) | Photo 4 (sediment in the street the next morning following the rain) |
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| Photo 5 (sediment in the street the next morning following the rain) | Photo 6 (sediment in the street the next morning following the rain) |
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Straw wattles have deteriorated so much that they are now adding to the sediment load.
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| Photo 1 | |
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Straw wattles no longer laying on ground at top of driveway. Now they are laying in the gutter. Sediment goes over, under, and around and settles out anywhere there is an obstruction slowing the flow, but much of it goes down the storm drain. Reported to the City again on June 28, 2016.
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| Photo 1 (sediment in driveway and street) | Photo 2 (sediment in street and gutter downstream) |
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Straw wattles at top of driveway entrance crushed. Sediment flowing over straw wattles and escaping down driveway.
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| Photo 1 | |
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Straw wattles just laying on ground at top of driveway. Sediment goes over, under, and around and settles out anywhere there is an obstruction slowing the flow, but much of it goes down the storm drain.
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| Photo 1 (sediment in driveway and street) | Photo 2 (sediment in street and gutter downstream) |
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Straw wattles just laying on ground at top of driveway and do not extend to silt fence. Sediment goes over, under, and around and settles out anywhere there is an obstruction slowing the flow, but much of it goes down the storm drain.
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| Photo 1 (sediment in driveway and street) | Photo 2 (sediment in street and gutter downstream) |
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Inadequate erosion controls at the driveway entrance resulted with sediment in the street. Although a straw waddle had been placed across the driveway, it was wholely inadequate as it was on an area of significant slope, and a pile of sand had been placed right behind it. The sand and sediment quickly filled the area behind the straw waddle, overtopped it, and escaped down the driveway and down the street. The sand and sediment settled out anywhere there was an obstruction slowing the flow, but much of it went down the storm drain. Reported again to the City on May 22, 2016.
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| Photo 1 | Photo 2 |
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| Photo 3 (sand and sediment filled and overtopped the straw waddle) | Photo 4 (sand in the gutter further downstream) |
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| Photo 5 (sand in the gutter further downstream) | Photo 6 (sand in the gutter further downstream) |
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| Photo 7 (sand in the gutter further downstream) | Photo 8 (sand in the gutter further downstream) |
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| Photo 9 (sand in the gutter further downstream) | Photo 10 (sand/sediment entering storm drain at Ann Arbor and Montclaire) |
Sediment and mulch escaping down driveway. Reported to the City on May 2. The City issued a stop-work order on May 5.
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Sediment and mulch escaping down driveway.
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Sediment and mulch escaping down driveway.
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| Photo 1 | |
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