Rural areas face many challenges when compared to urban or even suburban locales. Keeping the roadways in good condition is one of the biggest challenges. This is especially true when erosion comes into play.
Not only are the roads susceptible to normal wear and tear, but rural areas are often more likely to be affected by landslides and other major erosion issues. After all, rural spaces have more to content with in terms of natural space. While each rural area is a little different, here are five different erosion control measures that may be utilized to help prevent these issues and keep them under control.
- Culvert Upgrade and Replacement – Storm water runoff is controlled using metal pipes and culverts. When these are improperly sized or installed incorrectly, they may not prevent road erosion or they may even make the situation worse. Simply upgrading and replacing these pipes with more modern options can make a big difference. Maintaining these to make certain they remain clear and that water flows through them is key as well.
- Road Shaping – Sloped roads direct the water off the surface and can keep it from building up—and eroding the surface. Out sloping, in sloping and creating rolling dips are all methods used to shape the road in a way to control the water. It is important that consideration is made as to where the water will flow when the water flows off of the road. The last thing you want is to create an erosion problem somewhere else due to an effort to prevent erosion in one place.
- Bank Stabilizations – Roads built near streams may require stabilization of the bank area. There are a number of different ways to stabilize the bank. Sometimes planting vegetation can provide a sufficient stability without excessive cost. However, there are structural options too, that are often better in highly trafficked areas. Stabilizing the bank is often key in preventing landslides that could wind up closing the entire road at a later date.
Waterbars – A waterbar or water break is a type of ditch or trench angled across a road to divert water from one area to another—potentially preventing major erosion issues. These are usually only used in the most rural areas as they can make traversing the roads particularly difficult. A waterbar will control the flow of water, much like a culvert, but it is usually less expensive and easier to maintain than the culvert is.- Geogrid – A geogrid is geosynthetic material used to reinforce the subbases or subsoils below roads or structures. It provides structural support by stiffening the granular platform and reducing subgrade stress.
It is important to note that these options are only the beginning. Each erosion case is a little different, due to climate, seasonal changes, area farming concerns, nearby homes, budgeting concerns and other issues that all impact the problem—or the solution. The most important thing is to look at the big picture and make certain that the solution will not make the problem any worse in the long run. Like a game of chess, dealing with erosion in rural areas is a slow moving process that requires a lot of thought—but the results can make for safer roads and happier residents, today and into the future.
Free Rural Erosion Control Case Study!
A free case on how one town's road conditions improved while requiring less maintenance by using Tensar TriAx Geogrid. This case study includes:
- The Project Description
- Editor Notes
- Detailed Results
- Photos
