Among the large projects completed by Robert and Steve Johnson of Enchanted Gardens was a stream bank Stabilization Project along the Delaware River in Delancy, N.Y. This project was done for the Delaware County Planning board.

The following photos document the major stages of this project.

Photo 1

Looking north west along the Delaware River. The stream bank is severely eroded, the result of years of river activity.

Photo 2

Looking south east - 300 feet of the project limit, showing the extent of damage caused by river bank erosion.

Photo 3

Grading Riverbank-looking north west

Photo 4

Grading complete.

Photo 5

Staking for planting trenches parallel to river.

Photo 6

Installing erosion cloth and wattles. All cuttings were grown at Enchanted Gardens.

Photo 7

Applying straw over wattles and seed mixture.

Willow wattles

Wattles, in the form of plantings or other materials, are applied in cases where excessive forces would otherwise erode bare river or stream banks before natural growth could take root and provide natural protection.

Natural planted wattles or mats involve some staking of rows of plant material to form a protective barrier to flood forces. These bundles or mats grow out to form a dense riparian cover that provides adequate bank protection. Care must be taken not to deflect flows to unprotected areas of the bank which would simply transfer the erosion problems to another area.