10 during occurrences of high runoff moisture is initially absorbed by batting 32 that swells becomes heavier and more firmly seats boom 12 upon the ground 16 as more runoff makes its way to barrier 10 and batting 32 becomes saturated runoff will filter through boom 12 and wings 18 and 20 the filtrate drains from barrier 10 on its downslope side leaving behind substantially more sediment than could be trapped by a conventional silt fence of course the actual amount of material filtered from runoff by boom 12 will depend upon the characteristics of both sheet 22 and batting 32 as well as the sediment laden runoff so generalizations regarding filtration rates are difficult to make should runoff volumes become so great that boom 12 is overflowed aboveground wing 18 impounds the overflow and diverts such back into boom 12 some runoff will pass through aboveground wing 18 but much of the sediment carried thereby particularly the larger particulates will be trapped against the upslope side of wing 18 because of the firm connection between the top of wing 18 and posts 14 afforded by pockets 28 wing 18 is unlikely to sag appreciably under the heaviest of loads thereby minimizing the likelihood of blowouts the significant weight of boom 12 when batting 32 is saturated firmly anchors boom 12 to the ground 16 and reduces the likelihood of washouts wherein runoff channels beneath boom 12 underground wing 20 further ensures against washouts by preventing the significant flow beneath boom 12 altogether thus with barrier 10 in place the control of erosion from a disturbed area is maximized the amount of time and effort that would.