Erosion control project

Client: Exeter City Council

2009

Project outline

An 50m stretch of reed fringe was eroding from the bank of the River Exe in a recreational park
managed by the City Council. The park was built on a historic landfill and materials was entering
the river from the collapsing bank. The council needed to strengthen the banks to retain the
potentially hazardous material but using a method sympathetic to local wildlife and acceptable
to the Environment Agency.

Services Provided

JPR Environmental adapted a method to encourage the deposition of silt used in other similar
cases. We installed a grid of chestnut stakes driven into the bank between low and high water
line at spaces of 1 metre. Between the stakes we laid down bundles of hazel (faggotts) and tied
them into the stakes using hessian rope. The bundles were then split to create a matress of
hazel to distrupt the flow of water over and encourage suspended silt to deposit.

Initial results are very encouraging with the lower level being covered in silt within the first week.
The mattress and silt deposit creates a firmer base for the existing reed to recolonise the bank.
The project attracted a lot of interest from the local public who were impressed with the
sustainable solution chosen by the Council.