UK Office: +44 (0) 203 488 7723
Hesselberg Hydro

River Bank Works – Overflow Erosion Protection

Climate change is likely to increase demand for flood protection work. For some areas in Europe, greater peak river flows are anticipated with a consequent increased risk of flooding.

Belgium River

Problems

The more obvious protection measures frequently introduce additional problems:

  • Larger channels can reduce flood risk but are expensive, and have a considerable adverse environmental impact.
  • If river embankments are overtopped, the embankments themselves are at risk from erosion by the overtopping water OSA being placed.
Belgium River

Solutions

  • Relatively low value land can be used as temporary flood plains, with overflow waters contained by earth embankments.
  • Durable erosion protection for flood conditions – either OSA on geotextile or the asphalt-reinforced geomat – may also be placed on the ‘dry’ side of the river embankment Revetment during flood conditions.

The pictures show both measures on a Belgian river.