Bank protection using Hazel brash on River Exe

Erosion control project

Client Exeter City Cpuncil

2009

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.

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 matress and silt deposit creates a firmer base for the existing reed to recolonise the bank.
The project attracted a lot of intrerest from the local public who were impressed with the sustainable solution chosen by the Council.

Laying down the hazel bundles and tying down