Geotextiles
* Permits may be required Depending on the details of the project that the geotextile is combined with.
* Heavy equipment may be required: Depending on project size and details.
Materials and Tools needed varies by project.
Geotextiles are strong synthetic and natural fabrics used to stabilize loose soils and prevent erosion. Installing geotextiles can provide benefits such as:
• Soil stability
• Helps vegetation establish
Geotextiles are usually a combination of synthetic materials and natural materials, such as coconut fibers, woven into blankets. The blankets can be staked into the ground to provide temporary erosion control and help vegetation establish on slopes.
There are many different types of geotextile blankets, including ones specifically for riparian use. Typically, the riparian geotextiles are thicker and are made to hold up to fluctuating stream flows.
Geotextiles usually are not installed on their own, but rather as part of a larger project. They can be installed behind bank stabilization projects like a boulder toe or a vegetated soil lift. It is also possible to plant willow stakes through the geotextile blanket. This, combined with riparian seed underneath the blanket, will start to create a riparian floodplain bench.
Depending on how close your project is to the stream, as well as what the construction will impact, permits may be required.
Understanding that geotextiles are an option to add to streambank projects is an important first step in talking to outside resources. From there, you can talk about where it makes the most sense to use geotextiles, what types will be best for your project and if vegetation should be installed with it.
Objectives: Bank Armoring, Bank Re-Shaping, Bank Revegetation, Wetland Management