Keep the mud out of the drains
Silt Fence & Inlet Protection in New Orleans, LA
Perimeter sediment control and catch basin protection for builders and owners.
- We walk your lot at no charge, then send the quote in writing
- Grading, topsoil, seed and erosion controls priced as separate lines
- 811 utility locates requested before we grade or dig
Mud in the Drains Is Everyone's Problem
On a disturbed New Orleans site, silt fence and inlet protection go in before the dirt moves and stay until the very end. Silt fence is a geotextile barrier trenched into the soil along the low side of a site, slowing runoff so sediment drops out before water leaves. Inlet protection keeps that sediment out of catch basins. As silt fence contractors, we install both, maintain them during construction and remove them once the ground is covered with grass.
Why it matters more here
Most rain that falls inside the levees leaves through catch basins, drain lines, canals and pumps. The Sewerage and Water Board's capacity is commonly described as an inch of rain in the first hour and half an inch per hour after that, and the August 2017 flood showed what happens when a storm beats that rate. Silt that washes off a construction lot settles in catch basins and pipes and takes up room that water needs. On a flat city street, that sediment does not keep moving; it sits.
When sediment control is required
Federal stormwater rules call for a permit once construction disturbs one acre, and smaller jobs are covered too when they sit inside a bigger development or subdivision plan. Every such permit must make operators put in, and keep working, erosion and sediment controls that actually do the job. Silt fence and inlet protection are the most common way to meet that on a perimeter. Single-lot projects below the threshold may still be required to use them by the builder, the subdivision or the city, and many owners use them anyway to keep their neighbors' drains clear.
Silt fence installation done properly
Silt fence only works if water cannot run underneath it. We trench the bottom edge into the ground, backfill and compact against it, and set stakes on the downhill side. Fence goes along the contour, not straight downhill, and the ends turn uphill so water does not just run around them. Long runs on a slope get J-hooks to break up the flow. Stabilized or wire-backed fence is used where more water or more sediment will push against it. On flat lots, fence goes on the low sides where water leaves, not necessarily around the whole perimeter.
Inlet protection
Every catch basin downstream of disturbed ground should be protected. Options include a silt fence ring around a yard drain, straw bales or sandbags, gravel and wire mesh around a curb inlet, and filter devices that sit below the grate. The right choice depends on whether the inlet is in a yard or a street and whether traffic crosses it. Street inlets cannot be blocked so completely that water ponds in a travel lane.
Maintenance and removal
Sediment control fails quietly. Fence gets knocked down by equipment, undermined by a big storm or buried in silt. We inspect after heavy rain, clean sediment off when it builds up against the fabric, and repair or replace damaged sections. When grass has a firm hold on the ground behind it, the fabric and stakes come out, and we smooth the old trench and seed that strip as well, so no bare line is left behind.
Pairing with cover
Sediment controls catch what moves; cover keeps it from moving at all. The federal rules call for stabilizing disturbed areas when work stops for more than 14 days. A graded pad behind silt fence that is also hydroseeded or hydromulched sheds far less mud, which means less cleaning, fewer repairs and fewer complaints. We can quote both on the same estimate.
Other sediment control we install
- Construction entrances of gravel at site exits, priced after a visit
- Straw wattles along slopes and around stockpiles
- Check structures in temporary swales
- Concrete washout areas lined and bermed
Sediment Control We Install
Perimeter, inlet and exit controls, maintained until the site is green.
Standard silt fence
Trenched-in geotextile fence along the low sides of lots and pads.
Stabilized silt fence
Wire-backed or reinforced fence where heavier flow or sediment loads are expected.
Yard drain protection
Silt fence rings, bales or sandbags around area drains.
Curb inlet protection
Gravel and mesh or below-grate filter devices on street inlets.
Maintenance visits
Inspection after storms, sediment removal and repairs.
Removal and seeding
Fence pulled, trench line raked and seeded at the end of the job.
Sediment Control Price Ranges
| Item | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Silt fence without backing, per 100 linear ft (a state highway department's 2025 rates) | $378 |
| Stabilized silt fence, per 100 ft (same schedule) | $748 |
| Catch basin guarded with silt fence fabric, per inlet (same list) | $102 |
| Inlet protection, straw bale or sandbag, each (same schedule) | $135 to $141 |
| Catch basin guarded with gravel and wire mesh, per inlet (same list) | $172 |
| Inlet protection, below-inlet device, each (same schedule) | $169 |
Reference ranges. We lock your price in a written proposal.
Installation to Removal
1. Mark the low sides
We walk the site and plan where water leaves and which inlets need protection.
2. Install
Fence trenched and staked; inlets protected before grading starts.
3. Maintain
Checks after heavy rain, sediment cleaned out and damage repaired.
4. Remove and seed
Controls come out once grass holds; the trench line is seeded.
Why Choose Us for Silt Fence & Inlet Protection
Trenched, not laid
Every run is keyed into the soil so water cannot slip under.
One crew start to finish
The crew that sets the fence also seeds the site and pulls the fence.
Street-safe inlet choices
We protect curb inlets without flooding the travel lane.
Silt Fence & Inlet Protection Questions
Does one house lot in New Orleans need silt fence?
Federal permits start at one acre of disturbance, or less when the lot is one piece of a bigger development plan. A single lot may still need sediment controls under builder, subdivision or city requirements, and they protect your neighbors' drains either way.
On a New Orleans job site, when can the silt fence come down?
Until the disturbed ground behind it is stabilized, usually with grass. Removing it too early lets the last of the loose soil wash out.
Why does silt fence fall over?
Most failures come from fence that was not trenched in, stakes on the wrong side, or sediment piled against it. Regular cleaning and repairs keep it standing.
Can you protect a street catch basin in front of my lot?
Yes, with gravel and mesh or a below-grate filter that still lets water through. We avoid blocking a street inlet so fully that water ponds in the road.
Do you remove silt fence too?
Yes. We pull fence and stakes, rake out the trench and seed the strip.
Silt Fence & Inlet Protection Service Areas
- Hydroseeding in New Orleans, LA
- Hydroseeding in Metairie, LA
- Hydroseeding in Kenner, LA
- Hydroseeding in Harahan, LA
- Hydroseeding in River Ridge, LA
- Hydroseeding in Gretna, LA
- Hydroseeding in Harvey, LA
- Hydroseeding in Marrero, LA
- Hydroseeding in Westwego, LA
- Hydroseeding in Terrytown, LA
- Hydroseeding in Belle Chasse, LA
- Hydroseeding in Chalmette, LA
- Hydroseeding in Arabi, LA
- Hydroseeding in Destrehan, LA
- Hydroseeding in Luling, LA
- Hydroseeding in LaPlace, LA
- Hydroseeding in Slidell, LA
- Hydroseeding in Mandeville, LA
- Hydroseeding in Covington, LA
- Hydroseeding in Madisonville, LA
- Hydroseeding in Abita Springs, LA
- Hydroseeding in Pearl River, LA
Get a Silt Fence & Inlet Protection Estimate
Quotes for silt fence and inlet protection, installed before grading starts.