Can I use gravel, sand or cobble from the stream channel to fix eroding stream banks?
No. Loose gravel or cobble cannot be used to stabilize large sections of banks unless it is stabilized in some way. Experience shows that, in the long run, pushing the gravel, sand and cobble from stream channels against eroding banks will not work unless banks are stabilized with living trees, rip-rap or some other permanent solution. In most cases, the pushed-up material washes away during the next big storm, causing more erosion in the area you were trying to fix and more problems downstream. If you want to fix eroding streambanks, consider a bioengineering project using natural materials, such as anchored trees, rootwads, large rocks, or live trees such as willows. A common belief is that gravel bars cause erosion by pushing the water to the other side of the channel and that using a bulldozer to move the gravel will solve the problem. This approach ultimately causes more problems downstream. Although gravel bars may look like they are part of the problem, they are actually helping
