Project: Stream Repair at Henderson County Residence
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BEFORE ... |
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... AFTER! |
This
streambank on the Youngblood property in Henderson County was badly eroded
in recent years by hurricane-related stormwater. The pattern we found
was
typical: Collapsing
sections of streambank alternated between the stream's two sides,
because water tends to flow across the earth in a serpentine way. In
fall 2007, after
inspecting the stream, we submitted a plan for repairing it -- based on
principles of natural channel design -- to NC Arboretum
stream-restoration expert Jason Zink, who quickly approved it.
We began and finished our
restoration of this stream in a single day. Stream Repair, Day One: REBUILDING AND PLANTING
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 Our workers grade
each bank back to a gentler angle, which will allow
the force of gravity to slow and redirect rushing stormwater, just as a banked
speedway track slows a race car. |
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 Machinery
cannot be used in streams without undergoing an extensive permitting
process, but saves time and money elsewhere. |
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Grasses are
planted under the natural-fiber cover, which is staked to hold together.
Native shrubs, sharpened like stakes on
the root end, are planted through the cover at carefully arranged
distances to stabilize the bank, where they begin to grow immediately. |
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| As
the fiber biodegrades, the shrubs will take root and begin their
natural work of holding the streambank's soil in place. |
