Retaining wall next to a stream..any other options?

[Volcano]

Hi all,

I have a stream running alongside my garden for about 40 metres. The drop from garden level to the bottom of the stream is about 1 metre and this has been wooden shuttered by the previous owner as a cheap option for what it really needed in the first place, a good retaining wall.

Any ideas how to replace/reinforce this as the wood is starting to rot? To dig out the whole length and have a proper wall built will be far too expensive (apologies for the sideways pic, only one I have) Thanks!

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[r896neo]

Gabions are the usual choice for a situation like that. They are quicker and cheaper to put in than a masonary wall but there is a significant 'tax' associated with the headaches of working in a stream.

 

[Volcano]

Thanks for the reply. Had considered that, though I need to maintain the drainage capacity of the stream so would need to dig out the edge of the land. It's mainly 'made-up' land & probably won't support the weight of even a small digger. Real pain because the length required is so long.

 

[r896neo]

Just be wary of a 'builder' quoting for this type of work. there are not that many people who have done this sort of work and can achieve a good result based on a fixed quote.

Run screaming from anyone who wants to give you an estimate, you'll end up paying more for the right company with the right experience but it'll be done right and won't spiral out of control financially with the inevitable problems associated with this kind of work.

 

[Mike10]

No experience with this, but just throwing in another idea.
How big is the garden? Could you afford to lose a metre of it?
I personally would be tempted to just slope the bank back from the stream at 45 degrees and not have a retaining wall to deal with.
Some largish stones on top of the earth should stop it washing away if the flow increases.