Water Resources Solutions surveyed, designed, and provided construction oversight for streambank rehabilitation of this 2,100-foot long project.
The site was surveyed in July 2016 and the design was completed in December 2016.
Based on information from site observations, detailed topographic surveys, and geomorphic assessment, WRS recommended installing bendway weirs to reduce streambank erosion. Instead of using longitudinal peaked stone-toe protection (LPSTP) this project design utilized root wads and trees for the continuous toe protection and a constructed floodplain bench.
Bendway weirs reduce streambank erosion by redirecting flows and reducing stress in the near bank region. Our engineers used the weirs to reduce the stream’s width-to-depth ratio and move the thalweg from the near bank region and induce deposition along the previously eroding streambank toe. The root wads and tree tops provide continuous toe protection, while the bench provides additional channel capacity.
Construction began in October 2017 and was completed in November 2017. Following project completion, the slope and floodplain bench were seeded with sycamore seed and a cover crop of oats and mulched with native prairie hay. In early April 2018, the banks and buffer were planted with a mixture of native tree and shrub species along with a native grass filter strip.
The goal of this project was to reduce streambank erosion and improve aquatic and terrestrial habitat. The use of bendway weirs worked with the stream’s natural tendencies to move the stream toward a more naturally stable condition.