Re: Plant to stabilize stream bank
[Re: AJE]
#6264614
06/21/18 09:25 PM
06/21/18 09:25 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 581 Northern Maine
Jeremiah Wood
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 581
Northern Maine
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Hundreds of site visits to eroding stream banks have convinced me that although rip rap is an effective short term fix, it's bad for the stream in the long run. Causes problems upstream and downstream and actually destabilizes streams when in excess - causes downcutting, lost access to floodplain and increased erosion in other areas. If the stream has been destabilized in other reaches from past disturbances (rip rap, dredging, channelizing, etc), you'll be fighting an uphill battle on your eroding site.
Rip rap may be needed if erosion is threatening structures or roads, but otherwise I'd avoid it. Like others mentioned, willows work great. Alders grow well in sandy areas here too. A multispecies mix of streamside shrub and tree species should improve chances of establishment. And if you've got livestock, of course the area will have to be fenced and only grazed periodically when established.
Stable, unimpacted streams move and erode banks naturally, but at very low rates, in the neighborhood of inches a year. If you can get good vegetation established the root systems will help minimize erosion while allowing some to occur at a low level and help the stream work toward a more stable equillibrium. Great advice from other posters as well.
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Re: Plant to stabilize stream bank
[Re: AJE]
#6265360
06/23/18 01:37 AM
06/23/18 01:37 AM
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 10,062 WI - Wisconsin
AJE
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 10,062
WI - Wisconsin
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I don't have a pic. It's not just 1 small specific spot. It's a sand bottom stream. We've done some rip rap projects, and it's helped, but rip rap gets pricey (it does last though). I've had some luck with christmas trees. I 'plug' an eroded area with an old xmas tree, then it catches the moving sand and in a year or so ya can hardly see the tree. I learned the xmas tree trick on a volunteer project I helped the Isaac Walton League with. Some of the exposed sand is flat and some is steep bank.
Last edited by AJE; 06/23/18 01:38 AM.
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Re: Plant to stabilize stream bank
[Re: AJE]
#6265453
06/23/18 08:08 AM
06/23/18 08:08 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,684 Williamsport, Pa.
jk
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,684
Williamsport, Pa.
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We were told to cut down any trees along the bank, so planting new ones wont be much help.......jk
Free people are not equal. Equal people are not free. What's supposed to be ain't always is. Hopper Hunter
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Re: Plant to stabilize stream bank
[Re: traprjohn]
#6265557
06/23/18 12:33 PM
06/23/18 12:33 PM
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 10,062 WI - Wisconsin
AJE
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 10,062
WI - Wisconsin
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We used Lespedieza, got it from Quail Unlimited I hadn't heard of that 1, will have to google it. jk, why'd they tell you to cut down trees? Curious.
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Re: Plant to stabilize stream bank
[Re: AJE]
#6265624
06/23/18 04:22 PM
06/23/18 04:22 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 14,861 Greene County,Virginia
run
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 14,861
Greene County,Virginia
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Lespedeza is an old fashioned grass used to make hay with. Years ago they used it in Virginia before alfalfa became popular.
wanna be goat farmer.
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Re: Plant to stabilize stream bank
[Re: AJE]
#6265628
06/23/18 04:28 PM
06/23/18 04:28 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 14,861 Greene County,Virginia
run
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 14,861
Greene County,Virginia
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Ernst seeds from Meadville,PA. has seed mixes specifically for riparian sites. Not sure how they compare cost-wise with other sources. They have a nice full color catalog to gaze at.
wanna be goat farmer.
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Re: Plant to stabilize stream bank
[Re: AJE]
#6265668
06/23/18 05:43 PM
06/23/18 05:43 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,132 SWMo.
tjm
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,132
SWMo.
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We used Lespedieza, got it from Quail Unlimited I hadn't heard of that 1, will have to google it. jk, why'd they tell you to cut down trees? Curious. When they say lespedeza, they don't mean Sericea lespedeza, Sericea is a noxious weed often planted by stupidly ignorant highway departments and has no redeeming characteristics. But it will be the first thing you find on a search. Lespedeza is a family of legumes, many species of lespedeza are native to the USA and some do grow tall enough for hay. Although I recall Grandpa talking about "Korean lespedeza" as what he used for hay and it was an anual rather than perenial. It did well on a dry sandy field but as an anual probably doesn't root deeply. Slender lespedeza (Lespedeza virginica) is probably native in some parts of Wi., I've never seen it in dense stands, but quail love it. Bicolor lespedeza (Lespedeza bicolor) is an Asian import that has been widely planted by wildlife people and as erosin control, I'm not sure I like nonnative plants. In nonnative plants, crown vetch has very deep roots and in my pasture does well on sand/gravel. One more time, get with your local USDA and forestry people that have experiance with your exact area, soil type and problem.
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Re: Plant to stabilize stream bank
[Re: AJE]
#6265947
06/24/18 07:49 AM
06/24/18 07:49 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,844 Pa
Wright Brothers
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,844
Pa
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Run, glad you posted. Learning a lot from the site. Will try and visit there next time I ride through Meadville. Meadow and Pa. Black Cherry have my attention. Deer, rabbit, and groundhog food lol.
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Re: Plant to stabilize stream bank
[Re: AJE]
#6265998
06/24/18 08:50 AM
06/24/18 08:50 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,053 SE Kansas
K52
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,053
SE Kansas
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We used Lespedieza, got it from Quail Unlimited I hadn't heard of that 1, will have to google it. jk, why'd they tell you to cut down trees? Curious. Whatever you do don't plant Sericea Lespedeza it's an invasive weed that will take over every thing and crowd any native plants out. This is not the lespedeza that is used hay production. Some brains here thought it would make good ground cover and it took over and crowds native growth out.
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Re: Plant to stabilize stream bank
[Re: AJE]
#6266042
06/24/18 09:39 AM
06/24/18 09:39 AM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978 potter co. p.a.
pcr2
"Twerker"
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"Twerker"
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
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i find owning both sides of the river to be nice.lose on 1 side-gain on the other.
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Re: Plant to stabilize stream bank
[Re: AJE]
#6266276
06/24/18 04:39 PM
06/24/18 04:39 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,684 Williamsport, Pa.
jk
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,684
Williamsport, Pa.
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AJE, they told us they don't want any more tree flowing down the creek blocking the birdges. My specific problem in the flood last year was that trees fell and blocked the creek and the water flowed over the banks onto a corn field eroding a trough in that down across my drive way between my house and the garage. The water was high enough to push in my cellar door. That wont happen again. We were told we had 30 days to do anything we wanted as they were to busy and we probably made the problem worse. Our section of the creek is now 4 times wider and in town there is no where for all that water to go. The shumack roots were the only thing left holding the rocks in place. This is a free stoone creek with a shdlf rock base and we are down to that base. Some place around here floods evry 5 to 10 years.......Not good........jk
Free people are not equal. Equal people are not free. What's supposed to be ain't always is. Hopper Hunter
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