Current engineering practices and regulations for vegetation on levees primarily use non-native, annual or perennial turf grasses. These plants typically have thin, fibrous, shallow roots, require regular labor-intensive mowing, and provide little ecological value. Native vegetation on levees, stream banks, and riparian zones benefits erosion control, pollution mitigation, and habitat protection. Rivercane (a native grass) is a cultural keystone species for Native American communities, valued for sacred ceremonies, tools, and hunting. Established rivercane stands form dense canebrakes, vital riparian habitats with interlocking rhizomic roots offering excellent soil stabilization. Less than 2% of original rivercane ecosystems remain in the US. Leveraging traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), rivercane restoration offers a multi-benefit nature-based solution (NBS) to address urbanization and other stressors. Using the Synthetic Environment Near-Surface Experimentation (SENSE) wind tunnel, rivercane’s roles as an NBS were evaluated under weather extremes. Additionally, the impact of rivercane’s dense interlocking rhizome-root system on levee slope stability was quantified through computational and centrifuge modeling, highlighting rivercane’s potential as a culturally significant, eco-friendly alternative for improving shallow slope stability.

The Network for Engineering With Nature_® (EWN) invites you to the N-EWN Knowledge Series: A Continuing Education Series about Engineering with Nature—Ecology and Engineering of Native Plant-Soil Interactions and Riparian Structures, presented by Hailey Blackwell and Nethmi Silva, PhD students, University of Oklahoma. This 1-hour Zoom webinar will take place January 16, 2025 at 12:30pm ET.

For previously recorded seminars, please visit the N-EWN Seminars page.