OWNER:
Mike and Beverly Courington Bill and Diana Brogdon
1107 Lovette Lane 1201 Lovette Lane
Daphne, Alabama 36526 Daphne, Alabama 36526

DESIGN/CONSTRUCT CONTRACTOR:
Synergy Earth Systems, LLC.
26240 Equity Drive
Daphne, Alabama 36526

This project consisted of the repair of areas of severe erosion and slope instability that existed along the bluff line on the Owners’ property. The majority of the damage to the Owners’ property occurred in July of 1997 during Hurricane Danny. The high volume of storm water runoff generated by the storm exceeded the drainage capability of the local infrastructure, resulting in sheet flow across the Owners’ property towards Mobile Bay. Nearly four thousand cubic yards of soil were eroded into the bay as a result of this overflow. The Owners retained SES in 1998 to evaluate and design a repair of the subject properties, and in 1999 to construct the repair.

The repair of the subject properties consisted of construction of a steepened (1H:1V) slope, with the toe of the slope located just outside of the location of a line of wooden bulkheads that were removed as part of the new construction. The stability of the steepened slope was achieved using geogrid reinforcing, while the face of the slope was protected from wave action using riprap. The height, slope angle and rip rap sizing of the rip rap slope were selected based on a desire to provide protection against moderate hurricane strength storm surges, such as was observed during Hurricane Danny. Another component of the construction was the installation of horizontal strip drains. These drains, which were installed prior to placement of the steepened slope, functioned to provide a drainage path for water that was observed naturally seeping out of several exposed sand layers.

Above the riprap slope, a 2H:1V slope was constructed. The site geometry required that two 4-foot high cross walls be constructed along the full length of the repair to prevent the overall slope angle of the upper slope from being excessive. Walls were also required on each end of the repair area due to property constraints. The walls were constructed using modular block facing units with geogrid reinforcing for stability. The surface of the upper slope was protected using erosion control matting in concert with natural vegetation.

The completed repair was over 30 feet in height and extended the entire length of both properties, approximately 160 feet. This project was successfully completed over a two-month span in 1999