If you plan to create a compact reservoir in the countryside or the site has access to a river or a natural pond, sooner or later you will be faced with the task of preserving the shores, which is explained by the tendency to shed them. This process is natural and contributes to the loss of the shape of the reservoir and its siltation. In the end, a picturesque corner can turn into a swamp.
Solution
In order to tame the water element, it is necessary to ensure that the banks are strengthened. If these rules are neglected, this will provoke subsidence of the soil and its partial collapse. These processes can become dangerous for a person and his home, as well as plants and some elements of the landscape. For this reason, experts recommend timely implementation of preventive measures aimed at strengthening the coastline.
Materials used
Strengthening the coast can be carried out by various methods and materials. If the pond has a gentle shore, then for work you can use:
- geogrid;
- coconut mats;
- Mattresses Renault.
The first version of the material is one of the most effective. A geogrid is a three-dimensional structure of polymer tapes that are fastened into cells and arranged in a checkerboard pattern. In the process, the grating is stretched along the slope and fixed with anchors. The cells should be filled with crushed stone or soil, and after sowing with plants, their roots will provide additional reinforcement.
Strengthening the coast quite often carried out also with coconut mats. This technology is applicable to the shores of a pond whose bottom is made of film. The material has a characteristic dark color and is able to hide the film base when a decrease in water level occurs. Among other things, the polymer structure is favorable for the germination of moisture-loving flora, which acts as a strengthening of the soil and decorative design. The technology for laying mats is quite simple.
Alternative solutions
Strengthening the coast can be carried out using special mattresses, they are made of metal mesh, which is twisted 2 times and covered with zinc or polymer. In order for the structure to be sufficiently rigid, it is divided into sections by internal diaphragms. Sections are filled with natural stones, which allows to achieve the strength of a monolithic structure. Over time, the characteristics of the type of permeability and strength only increase, which is explained by the germination of vegetation through the cells.
The structure of the mattresses is lattice, air and water pass through it, which makes the structure resistant to decay. Due to this, the service life exceeds 25 years. Strengthening the coast using this technology is usually carried out in impressive areas. The material is able to protect the shore from erosive processes and acts as the basis for retaining walls. Mattresses are flexible, so during laying they can be given the desired shape.
Climbing slope materials
If the shore of the pond on the territory of your site is characterized by the steepness of the slope, then for strengthening you can use the following materials:
- retaining walls;
- wooden piles;
- gabions.
The reservoir on the site will be reliably fortified in the coastal area if retaining walls are used. Their construction is usually carried out from:
- finished blocks;
- stone;
- wood;
- a brick.
This option is able to completely change the perception of the pond and significantly expand its space. The walls are strong, they resist the subsidence of the soil and its erosion. These technologies are relevant if there is a need for vertical planning of the coastline area. Quite often, the installation of retaining walls is carried out on the bases, in the role of which are piles or lattice structures of Renault. When the soil is excessively mobile and loose, the height of the retaining wall should not be less than one meter.
The reservoir on the site, as mentioned above, can be strengthened in the coastal area with wooden piles. In practice, they are used, despite the fact that reinforced concrete products have the greatest strength. For the manufacture of wooden piles, the most durable types of wood are used, such as larch and oak. The operational life of such structures reaches 50 years.
If you draw a steep bank with such trunks, then it will look very effective. When using reinforced concrete piles, it is possible to achieve high strength fencing, but such a system will look dull and gray. Before you strengthen the coast, you must choose a technology. The technique of using gabion structures is one of them . These are massive blocks that are filled with stone materials like cobblestones or pebbles. Gabions have a mesh structure, so they are resistant to groundwater and soil mobility. The life of gabions can reach 80 years, and their strength only increases over the years.
Strengthening riverbanks with plants
The riverbank can also be strengthened using plants for this. They must have a sufficiently powerful branched root system, which will be resistant to flooding. This method is acceptable only in cases where the river flow is not more than 1 m per second, while the waves do not exceed 0.3 m. The riverbank can be strengthened by plants with grassy species of flora and shrubs, among them:
- black poplar ;
- amorphous;
- swamp iris;
- manna;
- sea buckthorn;
- air.
Aquatic vegetation is planted in the underwater zone, in this case, you can use water iris. Once the landing has been carried out, sodding should be carried out.
Technology for shore strengthening using a geogrid
To carry out the work, it is necessary to prepare the following tools and materials:
- non-woven geotextiles;
- crushed stone;
- a shovel;
- pneumostapler;
- geogrid;
- frost-resistant concrete;
- scraper;
- anchors.
The geogrid for strengthening is one of the most effective. Work should begin with surface preparation. First you need to remove the surface soil, and then level the base and lay the non-woven geotextile, which will serve as a drainage layer. A geogrid is laid on the surface, which is stretched and fixed by checkerboard anchors.
The geogrid should take the shape of a rectangle. The modules are fastened together by a pneumatic stapler and anchors. The cells should be filled with primer material, such as frost-resistant concrete, gravel or soil. If you want to make the design non-standard or to please your look, you should fill the cells with multi-colored materials.
Coconut Mats Technology
You can strengthen the shores of the pond with the help of mats. Stacked material from the coastline. There is no need to pull it. The lower part is placed down 0.5 m. The upper part is fixed on land with reinforcement. The mat must be fixed to the film using a water-repellent mounting adhesive. In order to fasten the joints of the surface, it is necessary to use the technology of overlapping of 20 cm.
The upper mat is covered with plant substrate, and the one that is immersed in water should be covered with fine-grained gravel or sand. Strengthening the coastline should be accompanied by the laying of artificial or natural stone. If this is not possible, then vegetation should be used. Flora will serve as a decorative element, bordering the coast.
The use of biological methods
Biological methods allow you to get a delayed result, but are some of the most durable and reliable. It is possible to prevent overgrowing and siltation of the pond by planting Siberian larch. Its trunks, being in water for a long time, do not show a tendency to rot, they are resistant to frost. It makes no sense to mention their strength and durability. The trunks are environmentally friendly, their presence in the water does not violate the ecosystem of the reservoir. If you carry out shore protection in this way, then additional care for larch is not required.
Conclusion
Many landowners, arranging a pond on a suburban area, are wondering when it is necessary to carry out work on shore protection. Experts believe that these manipulations should be carried out at the stage of arrangement of the pit. If you own a natural reservoir, then preventive measures for strengthening should be carried out in a short time, when there is a threat of coastal destruction. If measures are taken in a timely manner, this will prevent the destruction and will save on repair activities.