Water Diversion Structures and Sediment Barriers
Source: PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), Appendix 1, p. 53
What it is
A water diversion structure is built into the roadbed to do one of two jobs:
- take water off the road surface and direct it away from the travel lane, or
- move water collected in a ditch across to the other side of the road.
Standards for diversion structures
| Measure | Standard |
|---|---|
| Height | Level with, or slightly below, the road surface |
| Slope | Sloped so water flows through properly |
| Wooden structures | All material under 6 cm nominal thickness must be pressure-treated |
| Base | Built with a bottom that prevents erosion |
| Inlet | Where appropriate, ditch flow is guided into the structure using non-erodible material |
Sediment barriers
When to build. During the low-flow period, June 1 to September 30 each year.
Options include:
- berms
- dykes
- swales
- check dams
- straw bales
- silt fences
- mulching
- stabilization blankets
- slope drains
Compliance
All construction must comply with the provincial Watercourse, Wetland and Buffer Zone Activity Guidelines, available on the Government of PEI website.
Based on the PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), Appendix 1, p. 53. Where this guide and the manual differ, the manual governs.