Scour Protection –

Stormwater Pipe Outfalls

& Check Dams
What is this? WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?
At stormwater pipe outfalls or Before starting site works:
along open drainage channels Stormwater pipe outfalls: should be located in areas where there is a low
use rocks, vegetation, or potential for soil erosion (e.g. areas of naturally occurring rock). If this is
other materials to break up not possible, create a hard rock scour protector (see Figure 11A). If the
concentrated flows, reduce pipe is highly visible (e.g. along a creek-side walking trail), natural rock and
the velocity of flows to non- vegetation placement can conceal the outfall. If the outfall becomes council
erosive rates and to stabilise the infrastructure, appropriate design approvals are required.
outflow point. Check dams: are semi-pervious (typically loose rock) dam constructions that
are placed in a series along open drainage channels to detain and reduce
Why is it important? the velocity of stormwater runoff. They are particularly useful on gently
Sediment generated from sloping channels up to 10% (10:1) grade, but only effective for draining
erosion on building and small areas of land (less than 4 hectares). If high flows are anticipated it may
construction sites can be a be necessary to line the entire base of the drainage channel with rocks.
major source of pollution to Check dams can be temporarily used until a drainage channel has become
local waterways. Follow the revegetated. Alternatively, check dams can be a permanent feature if water
practices discussed in this fact detention is required. However, the drainage channel must still be able to
sheet and you will minimise effectively convey water.
erosion from your site, meet Don’t place check dams in channels that are already grass-lined, unless
your legal requirements and erosion is expected.
help protect our waterways. Don’t construct check dams using sediment fences or straw bales.

Installing the control measures:

Stormwater pipe outfalls:
1) Fill material needs to be compacted to the density of the
surrounding undisturbed material.
2) Place geotextile fabric over fill material.
3) Ensure that the rock work used for scour protection conforms to
the required limits for water flow energy dissipation. (Ensure that
the underlying geotextile does not sustain serious damage during
the rock work phase.)
4) Repair any damage to geotextile areas with patches of geotextile
(ensuring a 300 mm overlap with surrounding intact fabric).

Fact Sheet 11
Note: If low water flow has been determined for the stormwater pipe
outfall, leave gaps in the rock work and plant into cuts in the geotextile.
 List of fact sheets
1. Soil & Water Management on
Large Building & Construction Sites
2. Soil & Water Management on
Standard Building & Construction
Sites
3. Soil & Water Management Plans
4. Dispersive Soils – High Risk of
Tunnel Erosion
5. Minimise Soil Disturbance
6. Preserve Vegetation
7. Divert Up-slope Water
8. Erosion Control Mats & Blankets
9. Protect Service Trenches & Stockpiles
10. Early Roof Drainage Connection
11. Scour Protection –
Stormwater Pipe Outfalls
& Check Dams
12. Stabilised Site Access
Figure 11A: Hard rock scour protector. 13. Wheel Wash
14. Sediment Fences & Fibre Rolls
Check dams: these are appropriate for small channels with low flows that
are susceptible to erosion (for larger channels or higher flows, specialist 15. Protection of Stormwater Pits
design may be required). A number of check dams will probably need to 16. Manage Concrete, Brick & Tile
be built. Cutting
1) Excavate a shallow (200 mm) trench perpendicular to the drainage 17. Sediment Basins
channel. 18. Dust Control
2) Construct the dam from aggregate (washed sand/gravel), placed in 19. Site Revegetation
sandbags (for easy deconstruction). Place bags within the trench and
build up the dam wall. Remember:
3) Ensure that the height of the dam spillway is less than1metre above Everyone working on building and
construction sites has a responsibility
the base of the drainage channel.
to prevent pollution. If you do have
4) Ensure the dam height and spillway height does not dramatically an accident and pollution occurs you
impede water conveyance. are required by law to notify the site
5) Space individual check dams so the toe of the upstream dam is level supervisor. If the site supervisor cannot
5-34 be contacted, workers should immediately
with the spillway of the next downstream dam. Otherwise extend
notify the local council so they can
downstream toe to provide erosion protection.
work with you to minimise any harm
6) Check dams require regular maintenance as accumulated sediment to the environment.
needs to be removed, to prevent it becoming resuspended during
subsequent storms. Acknowledgement:
Figure 11A from Landcom 2004 “Soils
and Construction Volume1 Managing
Urban Stormwater (4th edition)”. Figure
11B from South East Queensland
Healthy Waterways partnership 2006
“Best Practice Guidelines for the Control of
Stormwater Pollution from Building Sites”.
Text in this brochure has been obtained
and modified from the “Do It Right On
Site” brochure series, kindly provided
by the Southern Sydney Regional
Organisation of Councils.
Figure 11B: Example of a check dam. Date of Issue: December 2008