In short
- The City requires a floating screen that encloses the work site during clearing, excavating, jetting and backfilling, and it stays 24 hours after.
- Length is plain geometry: wall face + end margins + two short side legs, plus 10 to 20% slack.
- The skirt is ordered taller than the water. One out-of-state specification uses at least 20% more than the depth.
- The City publishes no screen length. Your contractor and the engineer's plans set the real one.
On this page
- How screen length is worked out in four steps
- Feet of screen by wall length (6 ft of water, 10 ft out, no returns)
- Minimum skirt height by water depth (20% above the water)
- What to check on site
- Questions to ask a contractor about the turbidity screen
- Next step: compare quotes with the screen included
- Sources
- Frequently asked questions
This seawall turbidity screen length calculator is for Cape Coral canal owners comparing replacement quotes. Enter the wall length, the water depth and how far the screen sits from the wall. It gives the feet of screen a quote should cover and the minimum skirt height. It uses geometry only, with no prices. It pairs with our bid comparison calculator and the City engineering standards guide.
En español: calculadora de cortina de turbidez para el muro en Cape Coral
| Your numbers | Result |
|---|
Example: an 80 ft wall, 6 ft of water, screen 10 ft off the wall and no returns.
How screen length is worked out in four steps
- Measure the face
Start with the length of wall being replaced, plus returns if the job includes them.
- Add the ends
The screen has to run past the work. We use 10 ft at each end, which is our planning assumption.
- Close the sides
Two short legs run from the screen back to the wall, as long as the distance you chose.
- Add slack
Add 10 to 20% for curves, anchors and overlaps. That is a field practice, not a City rule.
Feet of screen by wall length (6 ft of water, 10 ft out, no returns)
| Wall length | Straight | With slack | Sections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 ft | 80 ft | 88-96 ft | 1 |
| 60 ft | 100 ft | 110-120 ft | 2 |
| 80 ft | 120 ft | 132-144 ft | 2 |
| 100 ft | 140 ft | 154-168 ft | 2 |
| 150 ft | 190 ft | 209-228 ft | 3 |
| 200 ft | 240 ft | 264-288 ft | 3 |
A standard screen section is sold in 100 ft lengths, per one manufacturer detail; your supplier may use others.
Minimum skirt height by water depth (20% above the water)
| Water depth | Minimum skirt | Order |
|---|---|---|
| 3 ft | 3.6 ft | 4 ft |
| 4 ft | 4.8 ft | 5 ft |
| 5 ft | 6 ft | 6 ft |
| 6 ft | 7.2 ft | 8 ft |
| 8 ft | 9.6 ft | 10 ft |
| 10 ft | 12 ft | 12 ft |
A Virginia standard says it is seldom practical to go deeper than 10 to 12 ft in waves.
This is an estimate, not a plan. Length, screen type and anchors are set by your contractor and the engineer of record. If a quote does not mention the screen, ask why. See the bid comparison calculator and the replacement timeline.
What to check on site
- Day one. If the screen is not up when digging starts, call the contractor first and the City second.
- It must enclose the site. The City's sheet says enclose the work, not cover one side.
- It must reach the bottom. A short skirt lets cloudy water slip underneath.
- How long it stays. At least 24 hours after work stops, or until the water is within 20 NTU of the pre-construction level.
Questions to ask a contractor about the turbidity screen
- Is the screen in the price? Ask for the written line item; see the bid comparison calculator.
- How many feet will you set, and how far out? Compare with the result above.
- What skirt height and anchors? Ask the type and how it follows the tide.
- Who checks it each day, and who removes it? Put it in the contract.
- How is the backfill zone handled? The City requires a screen during backfilling; see the backfill calculator.
Next step: compare quotes with the screen included
This result is a planning estimate, not an engineering design. We are a referral service, not a contractor; we connect visitors with independent local providers. Use the form below to ask independent seawall contractors for quotes.
Sources
- Delaware DNREC, Turbidity Curtain (detail 3.5.3): 100 ft standard length, anchor lines with slack for tides.
- Elastec, Turbidity Curtain DOT Requirements by State: overview of curtain requirements by state.
- Virginia DEQ, turbidity curtain standard: seldom practical to go below 10 to 12 ft in waves or tides.
- Our City engineering standards guide: the screen encloses the site during clearing, excavating, jetting and backfilling, and stays 24 hours.
The skirt at 120% of water depth comes from another state's specification (Washington) and the 10 to 20% slack from a Tennessee standard drawing; neither is a City or Florida rule. The 10 ft end margin is our planning assumption. Confirm with your contractor.
Frequently asked questions
Who installs the turbidity screen on a new seawall?
The City's standards make the contractor responsible for installing approved screens that enclose the work site during clearing, excavating, jetting and backfilling. Ask for the screen plan in the contract.
How long must the screen stay up?
The City's sheet says at least 24 hours after work stops, or until turbidity is within 20 NTU of the pre-construction level. Confirm with the City and your contractor.
How tall should the skirt be?
One out-of-state specification calls for a height at least 20 percent greater than the water depth, to allow for level changes. The City publishes no such number, so your contractor and the screen maker decide.
How many feet of screen should a contractor price?
It depends on how far out the screen sits and on any returns. This calculator adds the wall face, a 10 ft margin at each end, the two short side legs and 10 to 20 percent slack.
Does the City set the screen length?
We found no fixed length. The standards require the screen to enclose the site; the length comes from your lot and the contractor's plan.