{"id":9060,"date":"2024-12-16T02:26:16","date_gmt":"2024-12-16T02:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/herbert-integrated-project-copy\/"},"modified":"2025-04-03T20:19:39","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T20:19:39","slug":"tree-rootballs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/tree-rootballs\/","title":{"rendered":"Tree rootballs part of erosion solution"},"content":{"rendered":"[mk_page_section bg_image=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/gully-erosion-from-the-air.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” enable_3d=”true” min_height=”500″ js_vertical_centered=”true” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” section_id=”donate” el_class=”donate-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”70px”][mk_fancy_title font_family=”none” align=”center”]HERBERT RIVER EROSION SOLUTIONS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”67″][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789112768{padding-right: 36px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_left”][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”15″ visibility=”visible-sm”][mk_padding_divider visibility=”visible-tl”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” el_class=”terrain-title-2″]TREE ROOTBALLS PART OF EROSION SOLUTION[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”60″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″ visibility=”visible-nb”][vc_column_text el_class=”sub-head” css=”.vc_custom_1734320730301{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]DECEMBER 2024[\/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1736227317251{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\n

The rootballs of trees are part of a new engineered solution for erosion along the Herbert River near Ingham.<\/p>\n

About 180 metres of flood-damaged riverbank has been repaired using five rootballs combined with more than 2000 tonnes of rock – for a rockwall with a difference.<\/p>\n

Strengthening riverbanks, creating fish habitat<\/strong><\/p>\n

Terrain NRM\u2019s Lana Hepburn said the result would both strengthen the riverbank and create fish habitat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hardwood is wedged trunk-first into the lower riverbank so the rootballs are in the water, with rock benching holding them in place,\u2019\u2019 Lana says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rootballs add complexity to the waterway, creating eddies and different flow rates which moves the fast-flowing water away from the toe of the streambank to prevent more erosion. They also create places for fish to rest and feed.<\/p>\n

Erosion since 2009 wet season<\/strong><\/p>\n

She said the riverbank had been eroding at the site since 2009 and the 2021-22 wet season had worsened things, with more riverbank vegetation lost to flooding.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince 2009, the riverbank has retreated 20 to 40 metres on average across the site. The toe of the riverbank \u2013 the point where the riverbed meets the bank and supports the weight of the bank \u2013became completely unvegetated. So when the 12 metre high bank was hit by fast water, it was eroding at the toe and collapsing, sending soil down the river and fine sediment out to the ocean.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cane farmer Mark Zatta, whose land borders the river, says he\u2019s \u201cstoked\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cOriginally we had about 50m of rainforest along the river but we were losing it over time. All of a sudden, in one river rise, a whole lot was gone. Once the first wall (of riverbank) dropped, it just kept collapsing. It\u2019s on the outside of a bend in the river where the river pushes around.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789122720{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 34px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_right”][mk_padding_divider size=”206″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”50″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”50″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1736225636694{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\"\"<\/p>\n

Revegetation the next step\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe area where the work is has also been grassed now and it has taken off. They\u2019ll be planting trees, as part of the project, after the wet season. That\u2019s great. And the rootballs have already created new spots for fish. We\u2019ve seen sooties (sooty grunter) swimming around everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lana says a pile field was originally intended for the erosion site. But when the streambed was found to be rock solid, preventing piles from being driven into it, engineers reverted to the next best thing \u2013 a rootball rockwall.<\/p>\n

The recently completed remediation work is the latest in a series of construction projects along the Hebert River system, which is one of Queensland\u2019s five highest contributors of fine sediment to the Great Barrier Reef.<\/p>\n

Preventing 3800+ tonnes of fine sediment from flowing to the Reef<\/strong><\/p>\n

This project, which is focused on two erosion sites in the lower Herbert catchment, is part of the Queensland Government\u2019s $6 million investment into streambank remediation funded through the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program. It aims to improve the land and prevent more than 3800 tonnes of fine sediment from flowing to the Great Barrier Reef each year.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section el_class=”grean-btn-sec” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”47″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_button dimension=”outline” url=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/what-we-do\/waterway-health\/murray-and-mossman\/” align=”right” el_class=”green-btn” outline_skin=”custom” outline_active_color=”#175137″ outline_active_text_color=”#ffffff” outline_hover_bg_color=”#175137″ outline_hover_color=”#ffffff”]Read More[\/mk_button][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1-blog” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”105″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” align=”right” el_class=”terrain-title”]RELATED NEWS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row fullwidth=”true” fullwidth_content=”false” id=”post_grid_filter_1″][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”grid_greate_3″ css=”.vc_custom_1743711577967{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\n

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