Briceville School Bank Stabilization Project
6 December 2003

(See results three years later below)

A tornado in November 2002 toppled trees at the mouth of Slatestone Creek where it flows into Coal Creek.  Subsequent high water in Coal Creek and Slatestone Creek flowed around the toppled trees and undercut the creek bank adjacent to Briceville School. The resulting steep slope created an unsafe condition for students. 

Click on images to enlarge
Near vertical slope adjacent to Coal Creek
at Briceville School prior to stabilization

With funding from a grant from Anderson County (FEMA Project Impact), the undercut slope was excavated to an inclination of 2 horizontal to 1 vertical or flatter.  Rip rap underlain by filter fabric was then placed at the toe of the slope. Above the rip rap, lime, fertilizer, seed, and erosion control matting were installed by volunteers.  Each step in the process is described as follows:
Step 1:  After the bank slope was excavated to a 2H to 1V inclination and the toe was stabilized with rockfill riprap and filter fabric, an anchor trench was excavated at the top, upstream, and downstream limits of the slope.  Lime, fertilizer, and seed were then applied.
Step 2:  Beginning at the downstream end of the repair zone, the erosion control mats were unrolled down the slope.
Step 3:  The process was repeated with additional matting being unrolled from the top to the bottom of the slope.  Upstream mat sections overlapped downstream mat sections at least 6 inches.  This joint alignment pattern was selected to reduce the potential for flowing water to lift mat sections similar to the way roofing shingles are overlapped and aligned to keep a roof from leaking.
Step 4:  Anchor pins were driven through the matting and into the ground on 12" to 18" spacing at joints and 2-foot to 3-foot spacing between joints.
Step 5:  Riprap was placed on the lower end of the matting to anchor it in place.
Step 6:  The uphill, upstream, and downstream anchor trenches were then backfilled with soil.
Step 7:  Completed installation. Woody vegetation will be planted to complete the project.
Trout Unlimited photographer Richard Bernabe and Clinton Courier News reporter Kiernan Archer documented the work in preparation for future articles.
On 28 October 2006, volunteers planted trees on the bank to further stabilize the earth.  TVA dug the holes and provided the trees.  Volunteers planted the trees and put black plastic corrugated pipe around the bottom to help protect from beavers.

Beaver dam across Coal Creek! HUGE thanks to Tiffany Foster (TVA) for acquiring the trees and working with landowners to design the layout for planting the trees!!

Volunteers included:

Bolinger, Tammy
Brown, Steve
Buffington, Buzz
Byrge, April
Daugherty, Della
Daugherty, Roy
Duncan, Elsie
Geiger, Dick
Grabeel, John
Lickliter, David
Lickliter, Mike
Moore, Carol
Myrick, Tim
Phillips, Rosemary
Thacker, Barry
Thurman, John
Tinker, Brenda
Toyohara, Hiroshi
Weaver, Ashley

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