how to vegetate gabion walls - slopes & channel linings

Introduction

Below are suggested methods of vegetating gabion structures

Gabion structures are constructed by filling natural stone into individual gabion baskets then mechanically connected together to create a monolithic structure. A layer of geotextile filter fabric is placed between the gabion structure and the retained soil interface to prevent fines and small soil particles from leaching through the stone fill or structure during high flows or draw down providing complete soil retention, and hard armor protection unique to gabion structures. Once the gabion structure is in place soils are inevitably deposited into the stone fill of the gabion structure resulting from surface drainage of the retained soils and by soils carried in the water flow being deposited into the structure during draw down. The process of soils slowly being deposited into the gabion structure occurs naturally and once the volume of soil within the voids of the stone fill is adequate vegetation begins to take root inundating the structure. Over time the gabion structure becomes naturally fully vegetated reinforcing the overall strength of the gabion structure while providing the advantages of a complete soil retention and hard armor solution while returning the environment back to its natural ecological condition.

Planting Vegetation in Gabion Structures

To ensure that soils are held within the voids of the stone fill for vertical structures we have found that multiple layers of select granular stone placed, swept and water jetted onto the surface and into the gabion stone will fill the voids of the gabion stone and provide a filter to prevent soils from migrating vertically through the gabion structure. It is best to provide a layer of granular stone fill and soil at each 1’ rise of the gabion stone fill.

Vegetating Gabion walls & slopes

Retaining Walls & Vertical Slope Protection

To ensure that soils are held within the voids of the stone fill for vertical structures use multiple layers of select granular stone placed, swept and water jetted onto the surface and into the gabion stone will fill the voids of the gabion stone and provide a filter to prevent soils from migrating vertically through the gabion structure. It is best to provide a layer of granular stone fill and soil at each 1’ rise of the gabion stone fill

vegetating channel linings

Vegetate gabion walls

To ensure that soils are held within the voids of the stone fill for a gabion retaining wall, we have found that multiple layers of select granular stone placed, swept and water jetted onto the surface and into the gabion stone will fill the voids of the gabion stone and provide a filter to prevent soils from migrating vertically through the gabion structure. It is best to provide a layer of granular stone fill and soil at each 1’ rise of the gabion stone fill.

Vegetating Channel Lining & Slopes

These structures are generally placed on a slope gradient of 1:5 to 1 or less. Because the slope angles are mild the soil deposited into the voids of the stone fill are much more stable than for vertical protections. Therefore it is typically required to place soil on the surface and apply vegetation through planting or hydro seeding. Another method to vegetate channel linings and slope protections is to place the gabion stone fill then apply 4”- 6” layer of soil then place an erosion control blanket on the surface of the soil and confine all components into the unit by applying the gabion or mattress lid over the top of the erosion control blanket, the soil and the gabion stone fill.

Vegetating gabion walls into native soil

Planting trees and shrubs through a gabion structure is another advantages method for vegetating gabion structures. This requires live stakes typically willow tress be planted through the cross section of the gabion structure through the compacted backfill and be planted into the native slope or soil. This will ensure that the root structure of the trees and shrubs do not affect the gabion structure