Grade Stabilizer

What – Structure made of rocks, logs, or plant material installed in ephemeral channels at the grade.

Purpose – Provide grade control in channels that may become destabilized from increased storm runoff and velocities.  Intended to prevent incising and downcutting in channel.

Effectiveness – Little quantitative data is available.  This treatment may be most effective for areas of low or moderate flows. Grade stabilizers are likely to work better when implemented in gentle gradients, high in the watershed, and placed in a series.  Problems include complete structure failure from large storms.  In-channel treatments without adjacent hillslope treatments are ineffective.

Where

• Unstable channels.
• Large areas of high-burn severity in watershed.
• Seasonal channels with low to moderate flows.
• Channel gradient less than 6 percent.

Cost – $250–4000 per structure depending on materials and installation method.  Additional factors include:

• Location and access to sites
• Availability of skilled workforce
• Mechanized equipment use (backhoe/excavator)

How to Links – See USDA BAER Catalog page 94 (PDF page 102); and NRCS Grade Stabilizers Fact Sheet.