Risk management of hydromulched slopes

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Hydro-mulch provides a degree of short term soil surface protection from raindrop splash erosion in low to moderate rainfall erosivity environments, but how can we decide if a hydromulch product, or which particular product and rate of application , is suitable for specific slope steepness and length combinations? And how do we account for the variation in rainfall erosion risk across the wide geographic spread of construction sites in Australia?

This presentation explores the use of critical flow shear stress concepts to identify slope length, gradient, and rainfall intensity combinations at which applied hydromulch will begin to detach and its functionality is reduced or lost. Examples of the measurement of critical shear stress for hydromulch products will be given.

The selection of rainfall return periods to guide planning for acceptable levels of reliability of hydromulched slopes is discussed. Variations in rainfall intensity with return period and location are reviewed.

Graphs prepared to assist product selection and rehabilitation planning for a wide range of situations will be presented and their use discussed

This webinar presented by Rob Loch will discuss all of the above and give strategies on planning hydro-mulched slopes.

Rob Loch
​Rob Loch has over 47 years’ experience in the research and application of land management, soil conservation, and land rehabilitation. His experience encompasses dryland and irrigated agriculture, feedlots, forest management, effluent disposal, urban development, construction and mine sites. He has experience in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, as well as across Australia.

​Rob is recognised as a Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS), with specialist fields including runoff and erosion control; effects of soil properties on land productivity and stability; land rehabilitation; soil management; sediment properties and soil erodibility, soil erosion and landform evolution modelling, and waste landform design.​