Ground Improvement

Arlington, Texas is moving forth on its Johnson Creek improvements. The first contract worth just under $1 million was approved for retaining wall and drainage work. New construction proposals will soon be invited on erosion control and other work will be submitted in August. Learn more here.;

Henderson County, North Carolina is to take over its own erosion control monitoring from the state in October. The next step in the county's preparation is to research stormwater management plans and decide whether stormwater runoff is another area the county would like to monitor. Learn more here.;

An unexpectedly high volume of rain has fallen on the Dallas area this summer and caused flooding and erosion problems. While the Dallas Morning News' article leans to the simple, community report side of things, discussion of locations such as a kids play area, Camp Thurman, hint at the engineering and erosion control issues that will need to be addressed when the rains subside. Camp Thurman's director anticipates spending $60,000 to correct damage. Many other locations are in need too. Learn more here.;

California Conservation Corps crews have shown up to install a wide-range of erosion control materials near Lake Tahoe where wildfires have scorched many acres. Blankets, wattles, silt fence and other materials have been placed to minimize the transfer of ash and brittle soil into waterways. Learn more here.;

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has suspended work on straightening a curving 10-mile stretch of road due to the project's soaring costs. The poor soils, the poor handling of erosion control, and poor execution of some work led ODOT to be fined $90,000 by the state's Department of Environmental Quality. That fine paled in comparison to actual costs. The $150 million project is expected to run at least $61 million over budget. ODOT is seeking safe solutions for going forward. Learn more here.;

Cooley has added its geomembrane data to geosindex.com! Also, Colbond has placed its drainage material on the strip drains page. Learn more here.;

Officials around Grand Marais, Minnesota have discovered an illegal dump near their harbor. The improperly placed fill must be removed and revegetation will be required. Among the strategies the city will look to use is revegetation with the aid of erosion control blankets. Learn more here.;

The highway straightening project between Corvallis and Newport continues to amaze in its degrees of error. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has fined the state Department of Transportation $90,000 for runoff violations. The design-build contractor has estimated a $61 million cost overrun and has requested out of the contract. And state troopers have been called in to monitor erosion control practices. Learn more here.;

Throughout Southeast Asia, coconut husk is converted into fibers for the production of erosion control mats and logs, biodegradable check dams, wrappings for erosion structures and so forth. These products are often called "geotextiles" in the region's press. Currently, the Phillipines sees strong profit potential in the coconut geotextile market. Learn more here.;

geosynthetica.net Underwriter North American Green, a wholly-owned, stand-alone subsidiary of The Tensar Corporation, introduces the first product in its new line of cotton-fiber, hydraulic erosion control products. The product was developed in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Cotton Incorporated. HydraCX2 is hydraulically applied for temporary erosion protection and permanent vegetation establishment on sloping areas. Its all-natural, cotton-fiber matrix contours to the uneven surfaces of the earth to immediately protect soil against heavy wind and rain, even on steep slopes. In large-scale, slope erosion-control testing (ASTM6459), the product proved to be 99.6% effective at controlling soil loss. It quickly establishes germination and serves as a vegetative medium that promotes growth for permanent protection. A 2006 Auburn University grass growth study concluded that HydraCX2 establishes grass seed more quickly and promotes grass growth better than wood, paper, or synthetic mulches. The natural absorbency of cotton in HydraCX2 holds an optimal amount of moisture to promote seed-to-soil contact for germination. The product’s cross-hatching matrix provides air space and porosity for seedlings to push through without barrier. It is completely non-toxic, provides nutrients for vegetation, and adds nitrogen to the soil, instead of initially depleting it, as paper and wood hydromulches do. HydraCX2 can be used for nearly any slope erosion control situation. It is ideal for environmentally sensitive areas, hard-to-reach areas, uneven surfaces, and steep slopes (2:1 and 1:1). HydraCX2 has a natural-looking, deep-green color that provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The product is cost effective compared to other mulches, because a larger area of coverage can be obtained per tank load. Additionally, HydraCX2 requires less water for mixing than other high-performance hydromulches. It also agitates instantly, can be applied in one step together with seed and soil amendments, and is easy to clean up. HydraCX2 is manufactured exclusively for North American Green by Mulch & Seed Innovations, Centre, Ala. Learn more here.;

Minnesota's Albert Lea Tribune reports that streambank stabilization is underway along Wedge Creek to protect the water flowing into Fountain Lake. The $85,000 project involves regrading and erosion control blanket installation combined with revegetation. Estimates suggest that for every foot the creek has moved, 120 tons of sediment has washed in. The stabilization methods should stem that and further increase of the sandbar between Wedge Creek and Edgewater Bay. Learn more here.;

In the Phillipines, a "capability-building" program helps poor Fillipinos gain skills for better employment. The program is also helping many who were affected by an oil spill nine months ago. One project now trains people in copra (coconut) geotextile production. In much of Southeast Asia, the word "geotextile" is often used to sign erosion control blankets. Learn more here.;

Unpaved roads have been shown to perform significantly better (for example, against rutting) with geosynthetic support. Unpaved road damage is one of the leading causes of sediment pollution in waterways. In Vermont, a program aims to pay teens to evaluate road integrity and teach them basic lessons on the connections between infrastructure design, erosion control and pollution. It's not known whether geosynthetics will be taught or are currently being used by the towns in question. Learn more here.;

The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) has issued a position paper towards a clearer use of the word "innovative" in erosion control measures. For beach nourishment, the group would like "innovative" used only for field-proven technologies (supported by independent studies) and "experimental" used for new products that have not been independently analyzed. Download the position paper at the link below. Learn more here.;

In Cumming, Georgia, the construction of a 24,000 square-foot retail center required plenty of drainage support and land management. An 850-foot-long, 20-foot-high block wall was constructed along a cut for the back of the site. Geogrid reinforcement was installed. Learn more here.;

One of the few family-owned dairies in Sonoma County, California has ceased operations in the face of challenges to its slope stability methods. Decades ago, used tires were placed on the farms gullies--some 67,000 over the dairy's life. This stability design was recommended by various government agencies. In the 1990s, the regulations changed. A costly cleanup followed, but the new erosion prevention design failed. Learn more here.;

As much as 400 feet of shoreline along Hobart, Indiana's Lake George is crumbling due to a failed vegetation-and-rock erosion control scheme. Half has already fallen into the lake. Now a blame dispute has arisen between the design firm and the contractor. The designer has offered the park board possible solutions costing between $34,000 and $90,000, according to the article. Learn more here.;

A stretch of Highway 12 near Westfield, Iowa has been closed since a significant washout event. The crippled road is in need of embankment repair, roadway replacement, and erosion control technologies, all of which it is hoped can defend the road against future water events. Phase I's removal and excavation is nearing completion. Phase II will begin soon after that. Emergency bids are invited. Learn more here.;

Oregon has fined itself over its own poor erosion control methods. The Department of Environmental Quality has issued a $90,000 fine to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) for excessive sediment discharges at a highway construction site. A dispute, of course, has emerged between ODOT and the contractor. ODOT notes that it spends approximately $30 million per year on environmental compliance. The contractor estimates it will cost $61 million to fix the site soils. Learn more here.;

The NY Times reports that increasing skepticism is being shown towards the clay-cap levee repairs to New Orleans levees. Rills have been developing and similar constructions in the Netherlands have failed. Some are calling for harder armor to bolster the system now. A geotextile layer is common beneath hard armor systems. The armor deflects water forces and the geotextile helps hold the soil in place. Learn more here.;

Profile Products LLC is building a new distribution center to support its Conover, North Carolina manufacturing facility. Within its stable of erosion control products, Profile's GreenArmorSystem combines Colbond's Enkamat turf reinforcment mats (TRMs) with hydraulically applied Flexterra flexible growth medium. Learn more here.;

The blog was started in November 2005 by the IECA Government Relations Committee as a tool to communicate with IECA members about legislative updates in a timely manner. Members can read about the news, voice opinions and learn about calls to action. Learn more here.;

Roughly 1200 meters of geotextile tubes will be installed along Cancun beaches as part of an erosion control protection scheme. Cancun lost much of its beach sand after Hurricane Wilma (October 2005). Restoring sand cost $20 million. The tube reinforcement design will cost roughly $1 million. Cancun is also the site of the 1st Pan American conference, GeoAmericas 2008. Learn more here.;

The mix of erosion control materials available on the market is great. Depending on the needed functional longevity, grade, water velocity and cost, project teams may prefer to mix short-term and permanent devices, reports Tara Beechem in Erosion Control. Colbond's Enkamat turf reinforcement mats is one of the materials noted in the article. Read it online. Learn more here.;

Geotextile tubes are in the news. In East Hampton, New York the temporary installation of geotextile tubes is now one of four approved remedies for shoreline houses threatened by flooding or erosion. And in Florida, a crucial state senate committee has approved a measure that would allow threatened home owners to shore up their structures with the installation of geotextile tubes. Learn more here.;