Drainage Design Manual - the City of San Luis Obispo

diameter sizes and 6- meters (20-foot) lengths. Fiber rock rolls are similar but the twistedtwine encasement is constructed of long lasting synthetic rope and the structure is filledwith rounded stream cobbles, sometimes available on site. Often several rolls are stackedatop each other with the lowest structures composed of rock rolls buried in a trench andanchored using hooked rebar, with fiber rolls (sometimes called biologs) placed atop.These structures are very flexible and adaptable, conforming to irregularities of the bankwith little need for excavation and site disturbance. The fiber rolls can also be used totransition upstream and downstream from planted rock rip-rap sites. Often they can beentirely constructed using hand labor. Live willow stakes are inserted through orbetween the rolls, which gradually degrade as they trap sediment. Many times abiodegradable erosion blanket and live willow staking is used on the slope above the rollstabilized toe. This alternative should often be used as a transition between hardertechniques and upstream/downstream unprotected banks6.6.2 Structural and Integrated Approaches• Vegetated geogrids are earth-filled structures enveloped in natural or synthetic geotextilematerials (Figure 6-6). The soil lifts are end-wrapped on the creek channel side withlayers of live brush or willow cuttings placed between the lifts. Typically, the geogridsare established on a foundation of rock fill, placed on the channel bottom. Vegetatedgeogrids can be constructed with a slope of 0.5H:1V. Vegetated geogrids can sometimesbe an expensive alternative where reconstruction of steep slopes is not required.However, they can be incorporated for several feet above rock rip-rap or A-jacks toeprotection.• Live crib-walls consist of a box-like interlocking arrangement of log, timber, or concretemembers that are backfilled with layers of soil, and with live brush cuttings extendingthrough openings into the channel bank and open channel (Figure 6-7). Properlydesigned, they can withstand very high channel velocities and shear forces. Since theyare somewhat inflexible, a stable foundation, and protection from scour and underminingare critical. Live crib walls can be constructed nearly vertical. This technique would beused when a vertical bank is needed. It is not applicable at many sites for cost reasons• Planted rock rip-rap consists of a specially constructed rock rip-rap structure that hassoil and live stakes (usually willows, sometimes cottonwoods) inserted into the openvoids or joints between the rock (Figure 6-8). Design issues include selection of rocksize and gradation, depth of toe placement, and height on the embankment inconsideration of flow velocities, flow depth, and scour depth. The objective is to limitthe height of the structure while also limiting encroachment into the channel or top ofbank zone necessitated when laying the slope back. The rock structure is best constructedin stages or lifts working up-slope to allow insertion of soil and live willow stakes.Planted rock rip-rap has been constructed on slopes as steep as 1.25H:1V, but 2H:1V or2.5H:1V slopes are more common. Section 6.6 provides the recommended method forsizing rock. Because of its relatively low cost and proven track record, this is often thepreferred toe protection alternative.SLO Creek Drainage Design Manual 72 February 2003