Texas Boom Company has produced a number of silt curtains recently from dredging projects across the US.  As you would expect, as a dredging operation takes place, mud and sand are stirred into the adjacent water.  This material remains suspended in the water until it washes away or settles back to the bottom.  Dredgers use floating silt curtains (turbidity curtains) to keep silk and sediment from migrating while suspended.  This helps to avoid muddying local waterways during the dredging process.  Whether used to meet regulatory requirements or simply as a courtesy to others, silt curtains are effective in helping to reduce sediment runoff. 

Three recent projects are highlighted below, selected because our customers were kind enough to share pictures of the silt curtains in use.  

The first project was a roadway construction project here in Texas.  As can be seen in the image, the silt curtain is effective in keeping the sediment from escaping the construction area.  Because the silt is contained, it will eventually settle in place, leaving the area water clear and free of an abundance of eroded mud. 

Cattail Marsh is a 900 acre wildlife area located in Beaumont, Texas.  This marsh is located adjacent to Tyrrell Park and serves as a component of the waste water filtration system for the city.  The marsh features a 520 foot boardwalk that was installed in 2016 at a cost of $285,000.  Cattail Marsh and the surrounding area support a wide variety of local wildlife and is a popular bird watching site. 

As is common in many bodies of water in the area, Water Hyacinth has taken root and spread rapidly across the entire marsh.  Water Hyacinth is an invasive plant species that is recognized as one of the fastest growing plant species in the world.  The plants primary means of reproduction are runners that eventually form sister plants.  It also produces large volumes of seeds that remain viable for up to 30 years.  Because of its ability to rapidly reproduce, coverage areas can double in periods as quickly as two weeks.  

If left unchecked, Water Hyacinth can completely cover a body of water, resulting in reduced water flow, complete blocking of sunlight to submerged plant species, and a depletion of oxygen from the water itself.  These results can have a major detrimental impact on plant and animal species.  This plant is difficult to control once introduced to a lake, pond or stream.  Water Hyacinth has no know direct food value for wildlife.  

Texas Boom Company was pleased to help facilitate the initial trial for equipment designed to help address the challenges posed by Red Drift Algae in Sanibel, Florida.  Red Drift Algae periodically accumulates along beaches, resulting in littered beaches and unpleasant odors.  This is certainly a deterrent to beach-goers, and detrimental to businesses that depend on beach tourist traffic.  The intent is for this type of equipment to eliminate the presence of this nuisance algae in beach areas that are frequented as recreational and resort areas. 

Texas Boom Company has a long history of providing oil spill containment boom, buoys, markers, bladder tanks and containment berms to all branches of the US Military and the civilian organizations that provide support for them across the globe.  Our company is proud to manufacture our products in the United States and to support our military in their mission to keep our country safe and maintain our freedom.  As such, we are pleased to recently receive these pictures of our 10 inch oil spill containment boom being used in port by the USS Wichita in Puerto Rico.  

Whether you are installing oil spill containment boom or turbidity curtains, these products are only one of the items you will need for a successful deployment.  Factors such as wind, tide levels, currents, boat traffic, and safety issues are all considerations when developing your plan. Texas Boom Company offers a wide range of accessories that can make your installation easier, safer, and more effective.  Anchors, lines, buoys, lights, beach stakes, and tow bridles can all be important additions to a successful installation.  

Installation layouts can result in varied layouts and patterns to best accomplish the intended goal of containing material or silt.  These same considerations come into play with traditional oil spill containment boom, sorbent containment boom, inflatable containment boom, shore barrier boom, or permanent type fence boom.  Texas Boom Company offers installation instructions and a number of diagrams that show different layouts for containment boom installation or turbidity curtain installation. 

Layout:

Recently a historic wooden schooner sank in Hamburg, Germany as the result of a collision with a 462-foot container ship.  The 136-year-old sailing ship had just undergone an expensive renovation and had recently returned to Hamburg from a Danish shipyard.  There happened to be response vessels in the area, and the 43 passengers were quickly rescued.  One passenger was severely injured while four others also incurred relatively minor injuries.  

                Image Source:  DLRG