Our office recently received a distress call from a San Diego homeowner. A slope on his property had commenced to 'slide' because of the recent rains and a local engineering geologist recommended us, Torrey Pines Landscape Co., as a business that could help him prevent this situation from recurring. (It's great to get unsolicited referrals.) There are several emergency erosion response businesses in San Diego that will respond to more serious scenarios. Check with the BBB to find a reputable company suited for your needs. Anyway, I thought I'd do a quick blog about erosion control, since undoubtedly this homeowner is not alone in this predicament. Prevention is really the watchword for erosion control. Surface drains, berms, retaining walls, terraces and appropriate choices in plantings along with careful maintenance can all help stop erosion. Make sure that all of the soil beside the home slopes away from the foundation and regularly clear debris form drains, gutters and weep holes in retaining walls. The sites soil makeup can impact erosion. Most roots grow in the uppermost soil layer, called topsoil, which is directly affected by the weather. Clay soils hold water for longer after getting wet and drain slowly as opposed to sandier soils. There are many factors which need to be taken into consideration when developing a strategy for erosion control. For slopes, we might opt to roll out biodegradable jute netting across the grade and install staggered plantings in well-prepared soil that have strong dense roots - like a Ceanothus spreading variety, and set up a drip irrigation system. The jute prevents surface erosion until the new plantings get established. Over time the net degrades and the plants grow large enough along with their roots systems to take over the job of erosion control. Installing a good drainage system is critical. A well constructed terraced slope will need horizontal drains that intercept water and debris and carry them across the face of the slope & vertical down drains to steer run off down slope to the street. (This scenario is referring to home with a slope behind it and the street level located below it) No matter what your circumstance, we are here to help. Remember prevention is the watchword for erosion control and if you are having problems this year, it's a good time to develop a prevention strategy to protect your investment in your home and gardens for the years to come.
Torrey Pines Landscape Co., Inc.
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