Snow fenceing for dummies

I need help with snow fence placement and have never used one before .

Last winter for the first time in 30 years my septic field froze due to lack of snow cover . This year I plan to use a snow fence to try and retain the snow . We live on the edge of a high slope with western exposure , the field is on the edge of the slope , the wind is from the west coming off the lake . Do I put the fence on the west side , the east side or both ? How far ahead or behind the field ? I want to trap as much snow as I can .
Thanks

Snow fence doesn’t help if we don’t have snow. Another option is putting straw bales over the length of the run.

We do get snow up here ,just last year not as much . Straw is also in the plan .

When blowing snow hits a snow fence it creates a curling effect and builds the drift on the opposite side of the fence from which it is blowing from. My neighbor in town tried to argue with me. He said it blocks the snow from going forward like a wall. So he put his right along the northwest side of his driveway. For the first couple snowstorms he had a super drift all along his driveway. He soon took it down. I’d put the snow fence on the west or northwest side of where exactly you want the snow to pile up

Give Masonry blankets a try

Thanks
Any point in a second fence on the east side ?

You put the snow fence on the upwind side of where you want the drift to build. The drift builds up just on the downwind side of the fence as the fence slows the wind and forces it to drop the snow.

IMO, if you want to build as big of a snowdrift as possible, I’d put in several rows of snow fence running north/south. Start 30 feet or so west of the septic and run a row of fence every 15 feet including a row right over the top of the system and on the eastern edge of the system. Obviously care must be taken in installing posts.

Grouse

Besides the snow fences, when you are doing yard cleanup this fall, blow your leaves on top of your system.

The ratio of snow drift length to snow fence height is 5:1. That is, a one foot high snow fence will have a snow drift behind it that is five feet long. If you are using a four foot high fence you should get drifts that are 20 feet long behind the fence.

A lot of snow fence research was done in the area west of Laramie, WY when I80 was being constructed along the present route to the south of old Highway 30. This research has been used across the U.S. to properly place snow fences in an attempt to keep snow off highways.

Buffalo Fishhead

If the wind is from the west the snow will pile up just past the fence on the east side.