Streambank Restoration and the JMU Farm: Structure and Stability
Channel: JMU ISAT
Date: 2017-07-02

Full Title: Streambank Restoration and the JMU Farm: Structure and Stability by Breanna Cordova and Madelynn Danhires
Advised by: Dr. Carole Nash
Abstract: The James Madison University Farm near Port Republic, Virginia has 1,000 feet of frontage on the North River in Rockingham County, Virginia. Given its location, the property is subject to flooding during high precipitation events, and the destabilization of the streambank from the historic loss of vegetation cover has resulted in significant erosion. This capstone project is focused on understanding the structure of the bank: its soil composition, slope, vegetation cover, and vulnerability to erosion. Rosgen’s Bank Erosion Hazard Index (BEHI) was implemented to assess the severity of soil erosion along the bank, using a sampling interval of 20 feet. This assessment includes measurements of height, root depth to root height ratio, bank angle and percentages of both surface protection and root density. However, the BEHI does not account for soil cohesiveness, which can be a better immediate measure of vulnerability; therefore, a soil analysis was performed to measure composition, moisture content, and density of the soil. We combined these two methodologies to fully assess the stability of the bank, to determine best remediation/restoration practices, and to recommend leverage points where these should be implemented.