Canals & Lowland Rivers
Canal banks usually have water levels that are constant throughout the year and little or no flow. The main cause of erosion is wave action from passing boats.
Salix have completed sensitive civil engineering works such as dredging and towpath restoration, using soft revetment techniques in place of sheet piling where applicable. Many of these schemes are driven by the need to provide restored habitat for protected species, such as water voles, whilst addressing long term stability.
Salix can also install sheet piling up to a depth of 6m working from floating pontoons. Other works for British Waterways include the supply of native wetland plants for large scale habitat creation.
Many lowland rivers can be stabilised and ecologically enhanced by introducing diverse marginal and emergent vegetation.
Using bioengineering methods such as pre-established coir rolls, which provide instant stabilisation and vegetation establishment, habitats are created for fish, water voles, nesting birds & invertebrates.
Bio-engineering techniques are often used within river restoration projects, sometimes driven by the Water Framework Directive requirement to enhance habitat quality.
Protecting a Pipeline in Carmarthen
We installed erosion protection products like our Coir Rolls and Rock Rolls at this site where a pipeline was exposed in the river bed
River Washburn Restoration
Salix were approached as river restoration experts and because of the innovative Menzi Muck Spider machine which is capable of climbing in and out of a river ca…
Naturalising Norfolk’s Chalk Rivers
Salix has helped the Norfolk Rivers Trust to improve wildlife habitats on the chalk River Babingley, Hillington Estate near Flitcham, and River Nar at Pentney,…
Foss Dyke Bank Stabilisation
A rise in pleasure boating on the Foss resulted in severe boat wash. Monitoring revealed that the rate of bank erosion was up to 2.5 metres in a year over a 2km…
Pembroke Commons
1 km of new and existing channel was enhanced using bioengineering techniques as part of a flood protection project in the centre of historic Pembroke in West W…
River Pinn Enhancement
Salix designed and constructed a stream enhancement project at a gas pipeline river crossing as ecological mitigation to a degraded reach of stream as part of a…
River Thaw Enhancement
Salix were asked by Environment Agency Wales to advise on methods to restore a 100 metre reach of the River Thaw which had been subject to physical degradation…
Soham Lode Re-visited
An important water vole site at Soham Lode required emergency re-lining of the perched section of the reach (approximately 600m) Following the emergency works,…
