The effectiveness of jute and coir blankets for erosion control in different field and laboratory conditions

Jana Kalibová,Jan Petrů,Lukáš Jačka

doi:10.5194/se-7-469-2016

Abstract

Abstract. Vegetation cover is found to be an ideal solution to most problems of erosion on steep slopes. Biodegradable geotextiles (GTXs) have been proved to provide sufficient protection against soil loss in the period before vegetation reaches maturity, so favouring soil formation processes. In this study, 500 g m−2 jute (J500), 400 g m−2 (C400), and 700 g m−2 coir (C700) GTXs were first installed on a 9° slope under “no-infiltration” laboratory conditions, then on a 27° slope under natural field conditions. The impact of GTXs on run-off and soil loss was investigated to compare the performance of GTXs under different conditions. Laboratory run-off ratio (percentage portion of control plot) equalled 78, 83, and 91 %, while peak discharge ratio equalled 83, 91, and 97 % for J500, C700, and C400 respectively. In the field, a run-off ratio of 31, 62, and 79 %, and peak discharge ratio of 37, 74, and 87 % were recorded for C700, J500, and C400 respectively. All tested GTXs significantly decreased soil erosion. The greatest soil loss reduction in the field was observed for J500 (by 99.4 %), followed by C700 (by 97.9 %) and C400 (by 93.8 %). Irrespective of slope gradient or experimental condition, C400 performed with lower run-off and peak discharge reduction than J500 and C700. The performance ranking of J500 and C700 in the laboratory differed from the field, which may be explained by different slope gradients, and also by the role of soil, which was not included in the laboratory experiment.

Highlights

Land degradation causes high erosion rates as a consequence of agriculture, grazing, mining, forest fires or deforestation and this causes economic, social and environmental damage (Cerdà, 1998; Cerdà et al, 2010; Erkossa et al, 2015; Keesstra et al, 2014; Lieskovský and Kenderessy, 2014; Moreno-Ramón et al, 2014; Stanchi et al, 2015)
Civil engineering projects often result in steep slopes with bare soil, which is highly vulnerable to soil erosion, caused by either impact energy from raindrops or by surface run-off (Weggel and Rustom, 1992)
Jute and coir GTXs tested in this study can significantly delay the initiation of surface run-off under the simulated rainfall, when compared to control plots without GTXs

Summary

Introduction

Land degradation causes high erosion rates as a consequence of agriculture, grazing, mining, forest fires or deforestation and this causes economic, social and environmental damage (Cerdà, 1998; Cerdà et al, 2010; Erkossa et al, 2015; Keesstra et al, 2014; Lieskovský and Kenderessy, 2014; Moreno-Ramón et al, 2014; Stanchi et al, 2015). Well-established, low-growing, dense vegetation cover is able to control soil loss by 2 or 3 orders of magnitude compared to bare soil conditions (Keesstra et al, 2016; Ola et al, 2015; Rickson, 2006). The establishment of vegetation cover can be disrupted during early plant growth stages, leaving the slopes exposed to further erosion processes with negative consequences for slope stability (Rickson, 1988). Soils deliver fundamental ecosystem services, and management to change a soil process in support of one ecosystem service can either provide co-benefits to other ser-

Methods

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Discussion

Conclusion