Soil Bio-engineering

Project Description:

Soil bioengineering methods use living plant materials to build structures to stabilize the problem on site. The construction materials must be strong enough to withstand the forces acting on them. The main motive of building the structures of living material is that these materials would grow, the materials selected should be such that they should have subsequent growth.
The plant materials are typically stemmed cuttings and must be therefore capable of forming new roots and shoots and use bottom heats for plant propagation. Willows are most commonly used a type of plants for bioengineering works although cottonwood are becoming more frequently used due to good growth.

Project Implementation:

The project can be implemented in the following ways:
1. Wattle Fences: These are short retaining walls built of living cuttings. These are used where oversteepened slopes preventing the growth of vegetation. Ample amount of moisture is required to sustain the growth of the cuttings.
2. Live Bank Protection: Wattle fences are provided along the bank of the stream to create a buffer against erosion.
4. Live Palisades: These are large cottonwood posts installed in trenches near eroding river where natural vegetation is lost due to erosion.
5. Live Gravel Bar staking: Excessive deposition of gravel in streams and river occur in areas of resource development from erosion of upslope areas. Removal of excessive gravel from those areas are done and cuttings are seeded.
6. Modified Brush Layers: These are used to create small terraces on dry raveling slopes where conditions are too dry for wattle fences. Live smiles are used where flowing and push linear structures over. Sites must be relatively moist throughout the year.

• Soil
• Palisades
• Willows

• Soil Stabilization
• Bio-engineering