Ecological Riverbank Protection (Hydraulic Engineering Category)

Ecological Riverbank Protection (Hydraulic Engineering Category)

1. Project Overview
The river flows through a region with seasonal water level fluctuations, severe wave erosion, and significant soil loss. The traditional mortar-rubble masonry bank protection blocked aquatic ecological connectivity and caused heavy sediment deposition. The total treatment area is 89,000 m².

2. Geocell Selection

Perforated HDPE geocells with a height of 150 mm and wall thickness of 1.4 mm are used, manufactured with water-resistant and corrosion-resistant formulations, suitable for the alternating wet-dry aquatic environment.

3. Construction Scheme 

The geocells are installed in layers along the riverbank, filled with local river sand mixed with planting soil, and surfaced with aquatic soil-stabilizing vegetation such as reeds (*Phragmites australis*) and bermudagrass (*Cynodon dactylon*).

4. Implementation Outcomes

- Soil erosion was reduced by over 90%, effectively trapping sediment in the reservoir area;  

- Vegetation coverage increased from 35% before treatment to 82%, restoring the aquatic habitat for benthic organisms;  

- The bank withstood flood scouring during a 5-year return period flood event, with no scouring or collapse observed at the toe of the bank.