The Slit Brush Layering Method

THIS METHOD IS A DAVE DERRICK

DISCOVERY (DDD)

SLIT BRUSH LAYERING (SBL) - BANK REVEGETATION: SBL replaces the more intrusive Brush Layering (total bank deconstruction, then rebuilt with layers of adventitious unrooted live poles between layers of semi-compacted soil). With SBL the track hoe bucket digs into the bank at a steep angle, lifts a few inches, live poles are inserted into the slit, then bucket pulls out & packs soil with back of bucket.

Bioengineering & “Funnel” Strategy Workshop @ Nichols Road Bridge, Onondaga Creek, NY

A completed project needed some “tweaking” and veg. Top bank stone

was removed the week before. All planting occurred on Tuesday May 15,

2007.

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THE PLANT MATERIALS

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500 Red Osier Dogwood from the NRCS Plant Material Center in Big Flats, NY. Pix by Derrick

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Streamco Willows were harvested when dormant &

frozen until installation. Pix by Derrick

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Soaking the plant materials. Pix by Derrick

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2007 LAYOUT & PLAN

A project goal was to quickly & densely revegetate the left descending bank of Onondaga Creek upstream of the county bridge. A minimal stone toe was already in place. Dormant unrooted live poles (Streamco Willow, Redosier Dogwood, & Sycamore) were deep-planted with a track hoe.

Blue lines denote water’s edge at base flow

Sketch from Mark Schaub

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Several dozen Black Willow & Red Osier Dogwood live poles were planted using the Slit Brush Layering bioengineering method. Two 60 ft long rows were installed on the left descending bank of Onondaga Creek (denoted by the red lines ).

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2007 Two rows of Slit Brush

Layering will be located along the black lines. Pix by Derrick

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TWO LAYERS OF “SLIT” BRUSH LAYERING

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Clearly communicate with the operator what exactly needs to be done. Pix by James Bennett

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Hoe bucket digs 2-3 ft into the bank at a steep angle, lifts a few inches, then live unrooted poles are placed in the

slit at a rate of 3 poles per ft. Pix by James Bennett

This is almost a Live Siltation retrofit above an existing stone toe.

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2007 Derrick inserting the

Streamco Willow poles into the slit. Pix by Kathy Blaisure

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2007 First Slit Brush

Layer (willow) in place, second layer (willow,

dogwood, Sycamore) being installed. Pix by

Derrick

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2007 Installing second layer of Brush Layering (willow,

dogwood, sycamore mix). Pix by Derrick

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2007 Looking US

at both layers of completed

Slit Brush Layering.

Upper bank loose & rough so rain water will soak in

(shallow groundwater)

& not form rills. Pix by

Bill Frederick

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Looking US at both layers of Slit Brush Layering. Great hydraulic roughness. Pix by

Bill Frederick

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2 July 10, 2008. Looking at Slit Brush Layering. Pix by Derrick

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2July 10, 2008. Looking at Slit Brush Layering. Fantastic

growth for 30 minutes of work!! Pix by Derrick

2 YEARS & 1 MONTH AFTER

PROJECT COMPLETION

Photos by Derrick JUNE 18, 2009

2 YEARS & 1 MONTH LATER-Left bank & overbank vegetation is robust & lush & fully functioning. Slit

Brush Layering is between arrows.

2 YEARS & 1 MONTH LATER-Onondaga Cr.@ Nichol Rd Bridge-DERRICK 6-18-09

2 YEARS & 1 MONTH LATER-Looking @ left bank Slit Brush Layering. Vegetation is robust & lush & fully functioning. Red

Osier Dogwood is dominating the Slit Brush Layering on the bank

2 YEARS & 1 MONTH LATER-Onondaga Cr.@ Nichol Rd Bridge-DERRICK 6-18-09

2 YEARS & 1 MONTH LATER-Looking US @ 2 rows of Slit Brush Layering. First year was all willow, then dogwood

dominated (took it a year to put down roots). All Sycamore died.

2 YEARS & 1 MONTH LATER-Onondaga Cr.@ Nichol Rd Bridge-DERRICK 6-18-09

• Site – soil conditions are not ideal. Fill soil is a clay fragipan, when dry is like concrete. (Extremely dry summer -2007)

• Slit Brush Layering Willow – med mortality, decent growth, not very tall.

• Slit Brush Layering Red Osier Dogwood – low to medium mortality-dominating with lush growth.

• Slit Brush Layering Sycamore – high mortality, few if any survived

RESULTS AFTER 2 GROWING SEASONS-From Mark Schaub

This PowerPoint presentation was developed & built by Dave Derrick.

Any questions or comments, call my personal cell @ 601-218-7717, or email @ d_derrick@r2d-eng.com

Enjoy the information!!

CLEOPHUS SPEED ELVIS

DERRICK , AT REST

It’s time to relax and watch the project grow even more {The Luxury of Time}