stream bank stabilization part 2

In the midwest, crop land is one of the most valuable commodities available.
Agriculture and food production is the leading economic industry in Iowa, and Iowa leads the country in producing pork, soybeans, corn, and eggs. But to make a living in this industry, having land is key.

In the past 50 years, Iowa land values have skyrocketed. To purchase one acre of crop land in 1970, a farmer would pay $197. In 2000, that same acre would cost $1050, and by 2017, the USDA reports that Iowa averages were over $8000 per acre. Therefore owning and maintaining land in our state has become even more important to farmers dependent on the soil for their livelihood. 

In 2018, our crew at Gravel Grading & Excavating was contacted by an Eastern Iowa farmer in a desperate fight with Mother Nature to retain the crop ground he and his family owned. Over the past two decades they had lost acres and acres of farm ground due to erosion from the stream running along his property line. Each year, the stream carried away the soil, cutting away his cropland and thereby cutting away at his farm's income. Flood years were especially damaging, and aerial photos from 2000 to 2017 showed just how drastically his property line had shifted. 
Our crew at Gravel's was ready to help this farmer stabilize his streambank and reinforce the soil for years to come. Our first step was to engineer a solution with the Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Army Corps of Engineers. It was essential to have their cooperation and experience, so that we could design a new bank strong enough to last decades into the future to preserve the topsoil and retain water quality standards.
Once we had their approval, the earth moving could begin. Our first step was to dig back the dirt so we could get to a 2 to 1 slope. This degree of slope would allow us to slow down water runoff from the farm ground above the bank, and when combined with cement and stone rip rap, the new design would be strong enough to resist the strength of even rushing stream waters.

After cutting back the bank, we could then start backfilling to reach our desired 2-to-1 slope. We laid down 2 feet of Class B rip-rap weighing up to 650 lbs per piece, sure to hold this new stream bank in place. The rip-rap was then covered by a 9" layer of dirt so we could seed and lay straw mat to promote grass regrowth to further hold the soil in place and add to the natural aesthetic of the landscape.

We are happy to report that his 2019 crop is in and looking great this summer.

Thank you to our local farmer for calling our crew at Gravel Grading and Excavating to move the earth for him in this stream bank stabilization project. Our thanks also go out to the NRCS and the Army Corps of Engineers for their help in designing a plan that will help hold our farmer's ground in place for decades to come.

How can we move the earth for you?

Contact Terry at 563-542-6610 to discuss your next project and get on our schedule for 2019!