Ideally, a turbidity curtain should be wide enough to encompass the containment area, plus any additional length required if the barrier is to be anchored on land. There should be a certain amount of play to allow the curtain to move with changes in current, depth, or other factors. The exact amount depends largely upon the individual installation. For example, a curtain exposed to moderate forces will require more play than one that handles a mild current in only one direction. The engineer that designs your system will be able to calculate how much play your curtain should have as well as how that will affect your anchoring strategy.
When you’re considering your setup and calculating the necessary width, It’s critical to keep in mind that barriers should not stretch completely across a waterway from shore to shore. Even if you’ve selected a permeable barrier that filters the sediment and allows water to pass through, the volume of flow will be significantly decreased. This is likely to trigger a failure in the barrier system, either by pulling anchors, tearing the curtain, or stretching it to its limit until the floating boom is submerged and unfiltered water overtops it. In any of these cases, sediment containment fails and you’ll be left with some serious issues, beginning with remediation and possibly ending with serious fines.
