Hailey N. Blackwell & Nethmi Silva, PhD Candidates, University of Oklahoma
Current engineering practices and regulations regarding vegetation on levees have resulted in the predominant use of non-native, annual or perennial turf grasses. These plants typically have thin, fibrous, and shallow root structures which are maintained as turf via regular maintenance mowing which is labor intensive and expensive. These monocultures of non-native turf grasses provide little ecological value. Native vegetation on levees, stream banks, and associated riparian zones are beneficial for erosion, pollution control, and habitat protection. Rivercane (a native grass) is considered a cultural keystone species of importance to Native American communities who use it for sacred ceremonies, tool making, and hunting and gathering purposes. Established rivercane stands can grow into a dense configuration called a canebrake, an important riparian habitat type in the southeast and central United States. These canebrakes have an interlocking rhizomic root structure with excellent soil stabilization potential. Less than 2% of original rivercane ecosystems still exist in U.S. Considering the traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of this species, rivercane restoration has potential to serve as a multi-benefit nature-based solution (NBS) to help address environmental issues associated with urbanization, climate variability and other stressors. Using the Synthetic Environment Near-Surface Experimentation (SENSE) wind tunnel, the roles of rivercane as a NBS were evaluated based on the resiliency and productivity of rivercane during climate-induced weather extremes. Additionally, the impact of rivercane’s dense interlocking rhizome-root system on levee slope stability was quantified through computational and centrifuge modeling, highlighting its potential as a culturally significant and eco-friendly alternative for improving shallow slope stability.
The N-EWN Knowledge Series offers 1 Continuing Education Credit (CEC) per seminar. This Series is presented by N-EWN, Limnotech, the University of Georgia, and USACE ERDC.