Contact

Waterways Protection

Erosion and sediment control for rivers, reservoirs, and catchment areas

Waterways Protection

Erosion and sediment control for rivers, reservoirs, and catchment areas

Aquatic ecosystems are directly influenced by what happens on the surrounding land.
When soil is left unprotected, rainfall and surface runoff transport fine particles
and nutrients into rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. This process leads not only to
visible sediment deposition but also to long-term degradation of water quality.

Why Waterways Protection Matters

Sediment entry reduces the effective storage capacity of reservoirs and increases turbidity levels. Cloudy water blocks UV radiation, which is essential to control microorganisms naturally. As a result, algae and cyanobacteria can proliferate, creating ecological imbalances and raising treatment costs for water utilities. In parallel, nutrient loading – especially nitrogen and phosphorus – accelerates eutrophication and fosters massive algae blooms. For infrastructure operators, the problem is twofold: abrasive sediments can damage pumps, filters, and turbines, while biological growth in pipelines and basins reduces efficiency and increases maintenance demand.

Protecting waterways is therefore not only an ecological task but also a matter of safeguarding critical infrastructure and ensuring long-term water availability.

System Solutions

SRBT applies vegetation-based erosion and sediment control systems designed to minimize particle and nutrient entry into sensitive water bodies. Our approach combines immediate protection with long-term ecological stabilization:

  • Hydroseeding along banks and inflow zones establishes permanent green buffer strips that intercept sediments before they reach open water.
  • Hydromulching on slopes and construction areas prevents wash-off during rain events and secures raw soil until vegetation is established.
  • Biotic soil media restore degraded or compacted soils, improving infiltration and reducing surface runoff.
  • Vegetation buffer strips act as natural nutrient filters, retaining nitrogen and phosphorus before they can leach into rivers or reservoirs.
  • Spray-applied sediment control layers provide temporary but effective protection in periods of high disturbance, such as after earthworks or natural disasters.

Advantages

With these integrated systems, sediment and nutrient inputs can be significantly reduced, while aquatic ecosystems regain balance. Pumping stations and water supply infrastructure remain protected from damage caused by abrasive particles, and water bodies are shielded from excessive algae growth. In the long run, stabilizing banks and catchment slopes with vegetation is more cost-efficient than relying on hard engineering solutions such as gabions, riprap, or concrete linings. At the same time, it ensures compatibility with ecological objectives and sustainable water management.

Scientific Connectivity

For water authorities, research institutions, and infrastructure operators, SRBT systems provide measurable outcomes that can be linked to monitoring frameworks:

  • Sediment flux monitoring: quantifying particle retention rates in inflow zones and along treated slopes.
  • Nutrient load analysis: tracking nitrogen and phosphorus levels before and after revegetation.
  • Turbidity and UV transparency: measuring light penetration in reservoirs to assess ecosystem health.
  • Algal indices: documenting reductions in bloom frequency and intensity after sediment and nutrient inputs are reduced.
  • Infrastructure resilience: assessing wear reduction in pumps, filters, and turbines exposed to improved water quality.

These indicators not only demonstrate ecological effectiveness but also create opportunities for cooperative research projects. By integrating SRBT systems into scientific monitoring programs, stakeholders gain reliable data to optimize future water and sediment management strategies.

Research and Cooperation

SRBT and the GABSE Research Group Waterways are actively engaged in developing and testing innovative approaches for water protection. Current monitoring projects include:

  • Golf course catchment areas, where nutrient retention and sediment control are measured to reduce the impact of maintenance runoff on nearby water bodies.
  • High alpine storage reservoirs, where revegetation and erosion control protect artificial lakes used for snowmaking systems against sediment entry and turbidity.

These projects illustrate how applied vegetation technology and scientific monitoring can be combined to safeguard waterways, ensure operational reliability of infrastructure, and strengthen ecosystem resilience.