Living Shoreline Protection and Stabilization System and Method

摘要

A shoreline protection and bank stabilization system and method are provided that creates a living shoreline suitable for a variety of soils and wave energy conditions. A combination of recycled plastic matrix layers of geo-synthetic recycled plastic matrix sheets is employed, including matrix sheets that are planted during installation and those that contain pre-grown vegetation. The sheets are secured on a newly constructed or existing levee, earthen berm or earthen terrace. When installed, the system protects and stabilizes banks and shorelines with a variety of soils including loose organics. The system also stabilizes and protects banks and shorelines from a variety of wave energy environments including open water wave action in coastal waters throughout the United States and internationally, but especially in the coastal environment of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.

主权项

1. A method of stabilizing and protecting an earthen slope and shoreline in contact with a body of water having a plurality of waterlines, comprising:
grading and shaping the earthen slope to establish a modified earthen slope having a suitably flat topology and a predetermined slope; positioning one or more base matrix layers of a non-woven plastic matrix on the modified earthen slope, wherein the base matrix layers are positioned so that an uppermost edge of the base matrix layer is above a mean higher high water (MHHW) line, and a lowermost edge of the base matrix layer is submerged in the water at a mean lower low water (MLLW) line; positioning a pre-planted matrix strip of non-woven plastic matrix on a lowermost base matrix layer, wherein the pre-planted matrix strip includes a bottom edge positioned at a mean tide level (MTL) line and is partially submerged in the water; wherein the pre-planted matrix strip is pre-planted with one or more pre-planted grasses, and wherein the pre-planted grasses are positioned at the mean tide level (MTL) line, and have rooting and propagation characteristics sufficient to establish growth of the pre-planted grasses into the base matrix layer, the modified earthen slope and toward the water; inserting selected plants into a plurality of base matrix layer plant holes formed through an uppermost base matrix layer to form a hedgerow, wherein the selected plants have rooting and propagation characteristics sufficient to establish a natural anchor for the base matrix layer into the modified earthen slope; anchoring the base matrix layer and the pre-planted matrix strip to the modified earthen slope by a plurality of anchors sufficient to cause the base matrix layer to conform to the modified earthen slope; and allowing the base matrix layers to trap sediment accumulated through wave and tidal action, and allowing the pre-planted grasses to propagate across the base matrix layers and to the mean lower low water (MLLW) line.