An alternative ‘soft‘ method for armoring diversion channels for mine reclamation sites

ABSTRACT IHI Environmental (IHI) of Salt Lake City, Utah, and BHP Petroleum (Americas) Inc., Houston, Texas, are among the first companies in the United States to incorporate ‘soft’ engineering alternative to riprap (dumped angular rock) armoring for diversion channel design. This type of non-traditional armoring application has the potential to eliminate several problems inherent to traditionally engineered rigid protective structures. The method discussed in this paper relies on the use of a coconut fiber erosion control blanket and the successful establishment of vegetation. The method also relies on the use of buried grade control structures in an unarmored native soil streambed, if required. This design, when evaluated at the Knight Mine reclamation site in southern Utah, USA, adjusted to changing stream dynamics and allowed for limited erosion to occur in concert with the upstream and downstream hydraulic conditions of the channels in question.