This is a residential stream restoration and erosion control project underway along a waterway bank in Leawood, Kansas. It utilized a variety of gabion configurations plus native trees and shrubs to stabilize an eroding stream bank and restore ecological health. The light yellowish-tan textured mesh covering the sloped ground is an erosion control mat or blanket. It holds the soil in place, protects against rain impact, and retains moisture to help newly planted seeds germinate.
The wall of structured rocks and boulders built directly along the edge of the water using gabions acts as a retaining wall. This stabilizes the bank’s “toe” against the scouring force of the flowing stream. Plastic coverings or tubes around the bases of the small stakes and existing trees protect new plantings and roots from mechanical damage during construction and wildlife browsing. These civil engineering and bioengineering practices are used to repair banks degraded by high stormwater runoff, stop land loss, improve water quality by keeping sediment out of the stream, and rebuild the local riparian ecosystem.