Using Compost to Increase Infiltration and Improve the Revegetation of a Decomposed Granite Roadcut
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 2
Abstract
Decomposed granite (DG) soils are very erosive and, when disturbed, are difficult to revegetate. Sediment eroding from DG roadcuts can severely impact nearby drainage basins. Two ways of reducing surface erosion are to increase the surface saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil and to stabilize the surface with vegetation. This study examined the ability of unscreened yard waste compost to increase the of these soils and facilitate revegetation. A compost application rate of 24% by volume increased postconstruction of a DG roadcut to levels comparable to a revegetated reference site. The establishment of vegetation was important to maintain the initial increase in associated with tillage and compost amendment. By the second year, above-ground biomass significantly increased with increasing compost amendment rate. There was also a significant increase in soil in the 12 and 24% compost treatments in the second year compared to the first year, indicating the strong influence of plant growth on soil surface hydrology.
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Acknowledgments
Thanks to Anthony O’Geen for his comments on early drafts of the manuscript. This research was funded by the California Department of Transportation Grant Nos. UNSPECIFIED65A0098 and UNSPECIFIED43A0073.
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© 2007 ASCE.
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Received: Apr 24, 2006
Accepted: Sep 12, 2006
Published online: Feb 1, 2007
Published in print: Feb 2007
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