Silt Curtain and Oil Boom Installation, River Great Ouse

Great work from the team this week, installing a 60 m silt curtain and oil boom in the River Great Ouse ahead of works for a new bridge crossing.

EPS workboat setting out a floating boom along the River Great Ouse — Setting out the boom from the workboat

Why a silt curtain and oil boom?

Construction work in and next to a river can stir up sediment, and there’s always a risk of fuel or oil getting into the water from plant working nearby. Left unchecked, either can travel a long way downstream and harm fish and other wildlife.

The silt curtain hangs down into the water like a floating screen, holding back muddy water so the sediment settles within the works area instead of spreading downstream.
The oil boom floats on the surface and contains any fuel or oil before it can spread.

Together they protect water quality and the river beyond the site while the bridge works go ahead.

Getting it in place

Installing 60 m of barrier in a working river is a job for the boat. Our crew set out the curtain and boom from the workboat and fixed everything in position. Two things made a big difference:

Lower summer flows, which make the river easier and safer to work on
A 2 tonne concrete block, a giant Lego-style anchor that holds everything firmly in place

Two tonne concrete anchor block chained to a buoy, used to hold the silt curtain in place — The 2 tonne concrete block used to anchor everything in place

Two crew in an inflatable workboat fixing a silt curtain and oil boom in the river — Crew fixing the silt curtain and oil boom in position

Working on your river project

We provide safety boat and workboat support for construction, maintenance and survey work on rivers, canals, lakes and the coast, with RYA Powerboat Level 2 qualified, first aid trained crew. Where works also need ecology support, such as fish rescues during dewatering, we can cover both. Get in touch to talk through your project.