The main purpose of BMPs (Best Management Practices) on a construction site are to keep lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands free of sediment pollution. Sediment pollution can negatively impact the environment in many ways, including the degradation of plant and animal life. Turbid water blocks sunlight from reaching plant life, and also prevents fish and other animals from seeing their food. In return, this completely disrupts the food chain which can severely impact the natural habitat. One beneficial BMP for helping prevent sediment pollution is a turbidity curtain.

Turbidity curtains are floating barriers in the water that help settle out silt before it flows to a bigger body of water. Turbidity curtains are usually placed in lakes or rivers that are adjacent to a construction site.  Many times, turbidity curtains will be placed in the water directly before an outfall to settle out silt before it gets discharged to a lake, river, or wetland. In order to properly anchor a turbidity curtain, you should have the chain connected to a stake on each shoreline, and attach anchors at the bottom of the curtain. This ensures the turbidity curtain will not move anywhere, even if there are strong winds or a lot of sediment flowing at the curtain.