Techniques and Materials:
In our stream restoration projects, we use a variety of materials.
Rip-rap is a loose stone that is used to provide a sturdy bank for a shoreline.
A littoral shelf is a swath of native vegetation that is planted near a shoreline to filter the nutrients entering a body of water.
Gabion baskets are rectangular wire mesh baskets filled with rock at a shoreline to form a flexible sort of retaining wall and help with erosion control.
Jute matting is used to prevent flood erosion while natural vegetation becomes established. A natural and biodegradable fiber is essential for this purpose; a synthetic would be unsuitable. Jute is widely used as containers for planting young trees, which can be planted directly with the container without disturbing the roots.
Our technicians use native plants and grasses to build up a sustainable and sturdy stream bank. Preventing erosion with native plants is a common ecological practice. It is a relatively easy way to conserve top soils and prevent open areas from wearing away.
A coir log is a natural fiber product used to provide stabilization along river banks.
