Local Environmental Services logo

Erosion & Sediment Control

Storm Drain Inlet Protection

Every storm drain inlet downstream of disturbed soil is a direct pathway for sediment to leave a construction site and enter the stormwater conveyance system. LES installs inlet protection sized and selected to the inlet type — curb inlets, grate inlets, and drop inlets — and to the drainage area and expected flow at each structure.

What’s Included

  • Drainage-area assessment for each inlet on site
  • Fabric drop-inlet barrier installation for curb and grate inlets
  • Block-and-gravel filter installation for higher-flow structures
  • Inlet protection sock and sediment trap installation as conditions require
  • Maintenance and sediment removal scheduling tied to site inspection cycles

Common Failure Points

  • Wrong protection method for the inlet's drainage area — a fabric sock undersized for a high-flow grate inlet
  • Sediment allowed to build up until the structure bypasses or surcharges instead of filtering
  • Protection installed once and never re-checked as grading changes the contributing drainage area
  • Damaged or displaced barriers left in place after a storm instead of reset immediately

LES Field Method

  1. 01Assess each inlet's drainage area and expected flow before selecting a method
  2. 02Install fabric drop-inlet barriers, block-and-gravel filters, or socks matched to that flow
  3. 03Tie inlet inspection into the site's routine and post-rain inspection schedule
  4. 04Remove sediment and reset displaced barriers as part of that same visit
  5. 05Photo-document each structure at install and at every maintenance check
Storm drain inlet protection: top-down view of a fabric drop-in barrier at a curb inletFabric drop-in barrier, sized to inlet drainage areaSediment ponds upslope of barrier, not in the inletTOP-DOWN VIEW — CURB INLET
Fig. 1 — Storm drain inlet protection: fabric drop-in barrier at a curb inlet, sized to the contributing drainage area so sediment ponds upslope instead of entering the drain.

Technical Notes

Inlet protection method selection matters: fabric drop-inlet barriers, block-and-gravel filters, and inlet protection socks each perform differently under flow, and using the wrong method for the drainage area is a common reason inlet protection fails during a significant storm event rather than during routine inspection.

Installed. Maintained. Documented.

Every installation, repair, or maintenance visit is photo-documented in the field — so the work holds up under inspection, not just under a good-faith assumption.

  • Before, during, and completed-work photos
  • Field maintenance notes
  • Post-rain observations
  • Corrective action tracked through to close-out
  • Documentation-ready reports for your compliance file

Inlet Protection by Service Area

LES provides inlet protection across Central Florida, including:

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between inlet protection methods?

Fabric drop-inlet barriers work well for lower-flow curb and grate inlets, while block-and-gravel filters handle higher flow without blowing out. The right method depends on the inlet's drainage area and expected flow, not a default choice.

How often should inlet protection be inspected?

Inlet protection should be checked on the same routine and post-rain-event inspection schedule as the rest of the site's BMPs, with sediment removed before it reduces capacity or causes bypass.

Request a proposal for inlet protection

Tell us about your site and timeline — we'll follow up with scope and next steps.

Need erosion control, silt fence, BMP maintenance, or post-rain inspection support? Call 407-502-6476 or request a BMP proposal from Local Environmental Services.