Stormwater Management

Stormwater Management

As environmental contractors, one of Revegetation Contractors areas of expertise is the implementation of soil and water management plans.

The Department of Defence – Army, engaged Revegetation Contractors, together with environmental scientists, Natural Resource Assessments, to design and construct stormwater management and site rehabilitation works for the Army barracks site in Townsville, North Queensland.

The work addressed stormwater management, erosion and sediment minimisation, habitat protection, noise minimisation and soil contamination.

Works conducted on site included:

• the construction of 3 large flood detention ponds;
• the stone lining of 880 metres of stormwater drains;
• the naturalising of stormwater drains with rock;
• the reinforcing of 5 smaller stone drains; and
• revegetation and temporary irrigation works.

Revegetation techniques utilised throughout the life of the project included direct seeding, straw/hay mulching, hydromulching and tree planting. Revegetation Contractors also made use of vetiver grass to act as silt barriers in redesigned drainage systems and polyethylene cellular confinement (geoweb©) for slope protection.

The batters and floors of many stormwater drains were severly eroded, leading to poor water quality off site. After recontouring the drains, Revegetation Contractors revegetated the batters with couch and rye cover crop. Vetiver grass was chosen for drain floors because of its stabilising properties and its ability to provide temporary sediment control.