BLACKSBURG, Va., April 27 -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University issued the following news release:
As flooding intensifies worldwide, streambanks are most prone to erosion in the days after a storm. But, another vulnerable window is often overlooked: the period between reconstruction and when vegetation is established. Without roots to hold soil in place, newly graded banks are highly susceptible to erosion from rainfall and fast‑moving water. This creates excess sediment that can smother habitat for fish and macroinvertebrates, degrade water quality, and increase treatment costs for drinking water and wastewater facilities.
One undergraduate researcher, KeeganO'Hara, a senior and accelerated master's degree student...