Silt Fence, Wattles & Inlet Protection in Portland, OR

Silt fence, wattles and inlet protection are the first things that go in on most Portland construction sites, and among the last to come out. Portland's erosion control rules prohibit visible or measurable sediment leaving a site or entering the public right-of-way, and prohibit washing soil into the storm sewer or any water body. We are silt fence contractors for builders, remodelers, utility crews and homeowners with permitted projects, handling silt fence installation, wattles, inlet protection and maintenance through the rainy season.

Installed before ground disturbance

The city requires sediment controls to be in place and working before ground-disturbing activity starts, and for on-property development permits a pre-construction erosion control inspection has to be approved before digging begins. We install to the approved plan ahead of that inspection so your excavator is not waiting on a fence.

Silt fence done properly

Silt fence only works if the bottom edge is trenched in and backfilled, the posts are on the downhill side of the fabric, and the fence follows the contour so water ponds behind it instead of running along it to a low corner. The ends are turned uphill so runoff cannot slip around. On steeper ground or where heavier loads are expected, we use stabilized or wire-backed fence. A fence lying flat in the mud is not sediment control, and inspectors know it.

Wattles where fence does not fit

On tight urban lots, along sidewalks, on paved areas and across slopes, straw wattles often work better than fence. They can be staked in soil or weighted on hard surfaces, and they work well as slope breaks. Many small Portland infill jobs use a mix of both.

Inlet protection

Storm inlets that are working during construction have to be protected under the city's rules. Depending on the inlet type and traffic, that may be a filter insert under the grate, a ring of wattles or gravel bags around an area drain, or a silt fence barrier around a field inlet. Curb inlets on busy streets need protection that does not create a traffic or flooding hazard, so we pick the device for the location.

Maintenance through the season

The city expects the erosion and sediment control manager to inspect controls weekly from October 1 to April 30, monthly from May 1 to September 30, and within 24 hours of any rain over half an inch in 24 hours. We can handle the repairs those inspections turn up: cleaning out sediment behind fence, resetting wattles, replacing torn fabric and clearing clogged inlet filters. At the end, after final stabilization, temporary controls have to be removed and disposed of, and we do that too.

Sediment control on small jobs

Even work that needs no permit, such as a homeowner's regrade or a landscaping project, still has to keep sediment out of the street and storm drains. A short run of wattles and an inlet filter costs little next to a cleanup notice.

Pricing

Silt fence and inlet protection rows in the table are taken from a DOT unit-rate sheet (2025). Once you sign off on our written figure, that number holds for the job as described. Get a free estimate