Erosion

Erosion

Erosion

Erosion is a major issue facing many creeks and streams today. Many homeowners are losing their land to soil erosion. If the problem is not fixed there could be severe repercussions, such as flooding, land loss, and foundational disruptions that could result in costly repairs. The most extreme cases involve the loss of the entire structure. Erosion is a very real problem that is nature based. It becomes necessary to find solutions that won’t disturb the natural ecosystem of the waterways, yet effective enough to preserve the property-lines.
One such solution is Soil Bioengineering. Through the use of this technique “live plant materials are used to restore and protect stream banks while creating a natural habitat and a natural filtration system for water (Sotir, 2001).” Depending on the type of environment needing the invention, several techniques are used. Such solutions include vegetated geogrids, live siltation construction, live fascines, brush mattresses, and live cribwalls. These techniques include the use of live branch cuttings to help stabilize the banks.
The wooded vegetation used in the above mentioned techniques can be beneficial to the inhabitants of the watersheds. The benefits include shade and protection creating homes for birds to nest in, and food and shade for some land animals. The most used woods are willow and dogwood because of their ability to root easily creating more vegitation to help hold the eroding soil in place, especially with a flood. “Soil bioengineering techniqueds offer a natural way to repair stream bank erosion while benfiting the environment (sotir, 2001).”
These waterways are often butted up against commercial and industry zoned areas making them runoffs for   these companies. Thus, they are creating pollution which has the ability to make the soils in these banks erode faster. This pollution can impact the wildlife that either frequents and/or lives at these watersheds. The bioengineering can...