Which action must be taken with excavated materials when digging trenches?

When digging trenches, the action taken with excavated materials is critical to minimizing erosion and sedimentation impacts on the surrounding environment. Placing the excavated material on the uphill side of trenches serves several purposes.

Firstly, positioning the soil here helps to prevent water from flowing directly into the trench, which can lead to increased sediment washout and destabilization of the trench walls. Secondly, this practice allows for better management of stormwater runoff, as the placed materials can act as a barrier to redirect water away from the trench.

In contrast, leaving materials anywhere on-site could lead to unregulated erosion and negative impacts on the site’s hydrology. Similarly, placing materials on the downhill side could exacerbate erosion issues, causing sediment to flow downhill during rain events. Discarding the excavated materials immediately may not be practical or environmentally sound, as it could increase the volume of materials needing disposal elsewhere.

Thus, placing the materials on the uphill side not only aligns with best management practices for erosion and sediment control but also helps maintain site stability and control stormwater effectively.