Turbidity Curtains

12/19/25

“How can we use floatable curtains to prevent turbidity from spreading in bodies of water?”

Sediment runoff from construction activities can spike turbidity levels in nearby bodies of water. Once enough sediment breaches into a body of water, it can envelop everything. So what if we were to build a floating curtain barrier to contain the turbidity to a single place? Well, this is the idea behind Turbidity Curtains. Turbidity curtains have three parts: a top floatable piece, a protective skirt in the middle that prevents turbidity from spreading, and a ballast at the bottom to stabilize the curtain. We can apply turbidity curtains to a variety of situations beyond construction activity, from aquaculture to oil spill containment.

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• Earth/Climate science
• Engineering
• Urban Systems