Erosion Control Australia

Erosion is a cause for concern in Australia and it has become a threat to the country’s future. Erosion control is key to improving the state of affairs in Australia, as current rates of erosion have now exceeded soil formation by an order of magnitude or more. Adopting best-practice for erosion control in Australia, has the following benefits:

• No need to clean up sediment or replace lost materials which saves time and money.
• Increases compliance hence no fines or prosecution for environmental pollution.
• Lowers complaints related to dust and stormwater pollution.
• Improves trust and relationships with local authorities and communities.
• Promotes and associates your business with protecting the environment.

Key to the discussion will be erosion control and soil formation, why erosion control is key in Australia, GRT’s erosion control applications and key product benefits as well as case studies that highlight GRT product in use for erosion control in Australia. 

Where ‘erosion control’ meets ‘soil formation’ in Australia?

Soil formation from weathering rock is slower, and varies with the environment and rock type. This affects the average mm per 1000 years soil formation rates which have an estimated global average of over 100 mm per 1000 years. Under a steady state, erosion rates are equal to soil formation rates. However, seldom is the case in Australia and these fast facts depict why: 

• An average soil formation of 10 mm per 1000 years in NSW.
• An average soil formation of 75 mm per 1000 years in the Northern Territory.
• Soil formation rates lower than the global average.

Erosion control meets soil formation when communities adopt erosion control as a form of soil conservation. Research has shown that in Victoria, soil erosion declined between 1990 and 2010 owing to conservation measures.

The same trend has been shown in South Australia, owing to soil protection which increased between 2003 and 2013. 

Why is erosion control key in Australia?

There are several reasons why erosion control is key in Australia. These reasons are not limited to only one area that is affected by erosion but are spread across Australia. Erosion control is key in Australia because this is the reality:

• Australian cropping regions – unsustainable rates of soil erosion by water.
• Humid, subtropical Queensland – 500 years until soil’s A horizon lost to erosion.
• Burdekin River Basin – chronic form of land degradation due to erosion rates.
• Central Lowlands Province – reduction in the area of bare soil.
• South-east Queensland – widespread erosion due to intense rainfall and floods.
• North and east Australia – deposition of windborne soil from other states.

Where can GRT’s erosion control solutions be applied?

There are many areas of application for GRT’s erosion control solutions. The common applications are:

• Exposed areas and batters.
• Cut or embankment batters.
• Preload embankment protection.
• Stockpiles and bunds.
• V-drain and catch banks.
• Bushfire recovery and revegetation.
• Civil construction.
• Cropping lands.
• Mine site rehabilitation.
• Land adjacent to sediment basins.

GRT’s erosion control products and key product benefits?

Product: GRT Enviro Binder – polymer solution which penetrates into and binds with the soil forming a complex interconnected structure with the loose granular surface particles. It provides immediate protection from erosion and also allows proliferation of greater vegetative cover that translates to lower erodibility, its waterproof nature allows for soil moisture to be maintained which is important for plant growth as exposure to evaporation rates higher than precipitation rates result in soil erosion.

Key product benefits:

• Non-toxic and environmentally friendly product.
• Immediately effective once applied.
• Binds soil preventing impact and sheet erosion on any exposed soil area.
• Support seed and vegetation growth.
• Minimal soil preparation for application of product.
• Cost effective results.
• Safe installation.
• Waterproof product.

Product: GRT Nature Plus – liquid polymer with highly effective source of phosphorus and nitrogen to increase germination and strike rate for all revegetation needs. It provides the ability to penetrate and form a top layer of interconnected polymeric and soil units, allowing for soil cohesiveness with benefits of increased hygroscopic water in the soil which makes soil greater interparticle attraction therefore increasing soil resistance to erosion. This product has great potential to protect vulnerable soils, worldwide.

Key product benefits:

• Immediately effective upon application by binding directly to soil.
• Accelerate germination.
• Reduces impact erosion, sheet erosion, topsoil loss and sediment.
• Cost effective when to hydro-mulching and hydro-seeding revegetation.
• Minimizes wash away of seed.
• Aids fertiliser retention around root zone.
• More available fertiliser for plant uptake.
• Environmentally friendly.

GRT’s erosion control case studies in Australia –

GRT has offered erosion control services in Australia and these are some of the case studies where our erosion control products have been used:

• 2019/2020 Australian Bushfire Recovery.
• Sunshine Coast Airport, Marcoola Queensland Australia.
• Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 2.
• Logan Enhancement Project.
• New Parallel Runway at Brisbane Airport.

Your feedback is important to us. If you enjoyed reading this Global Road Technology industry update and found it informative, please let us know by leaving a REVIEW.

REFERENCES 

Beavis, S.G. 2000. Structural controls on the orientation of erosion gullies in mid-western New South Wales, Australia. Geomorphology. 33. 59-72. 

Bull, E.N., Hancock, G.J., and Wilkinson, S.N. 2011. Tolerable hillslope erosion rates in Australia: Linking science and policy. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 144. 136-149.  

Food an Agricultural Organization. 2020. FAO and the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Retrieved 22/11/20. 

Kennedy, A., Gillen, J., Keetch, B., Creaser, C., and the Mutitjulu Community. 2001. Gully erosion control at Kantju Gorge, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, central Australia. Ecological Management & Restoration. 2:1. 1-11. 

Teng, H., Rossel, R.A.V., Shi, Z., Behrens, T., Chappell, A., and Bui, E. 2016. Assimilating satellite imagery and visible-near infrared spectroscopy to model and map soil loss by water erosion in Australia. Environmental Modelling & Software. 77. 156-167

Truong, P.N.V., and Loch, R. 2004. Vetiver System for Erosion and Sediment Control. 13th International Soil Conservation Organization Conference- Brisbane. 1-6. 

Webb, N.P., McGowan, H.A., Phinn, S.R., and McTainsh, G.H. 2006. AUSLEM (Australian Land Erodibility Model): A tool for identifying wind erosion hazard in Australia. Geomorphology. 78. 179-200.

Yang, X. 2020. State and trends of hillslope erosion across New South Wales, Australia. Catena. 186:104361. 1-9.