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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Water Quality and Ecology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #170517
Title: STREAMBANK STABILIZATION

Author
item Shields Jr, Fletcher

Submitted to: Encyclopedia of Water Science
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2005
Publication Date: 7/18/2005
Citation: Shields, F.D., Jr. 2005. Streambank Stabilization. Encyclopedia of Water Science. DOI: 10.1081/E-EWS-120010041

Interpretive Summary: Streambank erosion is a serious problem in the U.S., causing millions of dollars of damages to bridges, roads, pipelines, fences and other structures adjacent to channels, as well as degrading downstream water quality and habitat. A concise review of streambank stabilization technology was performed. Existing stabilization methods were categorized as direct (those that armor the bank) and indirect (those that provide protection by modifying water flow past, over, or through the bank). This information will be useful to readers of the Water Science Encyclopedia who require a quick overview and understanding of the topic of streambank stabilization.

Technical Abstract: Streambank erosion is a serious problem with annual damages in the millions of dollars within the US alone. Streambank stabilization techniques, which must be selected for a given site based on an understanding of the dominant erosion processes acting at that site, may be categorized as either direct or indirect methods. Direct methods involve armoring the bank with a blanket of material or vegetation. Materials used include fabrics, stone, concrete or erosion-resistant soils. The most widely used material is angular quarried stone, or riprap. Riprap design includes specification of the distribution of stone sizes based on imposed hydraulic forces and specification of the thickness and overall dimensions of the stone blanket. Finer stone or geotextile fabric is sometimes required between the stone blanket and the eroding bank to prevent erosion from occurring between the larger stones. Indirect measures include an array of techniques designed to divert surface or subsurface flows of water away from the bank. Use of vegetation is becoming more common, but effects of vegetation on bank stability are both positive and negative. With careful design and construction, vegetation may be used in many situations to achieve reliable bank stabilization with more positive effects on riparian zone habitats and aesthetics than for inert structural materials.