ALUS Norfolk Project on Joe Csoff’s Farm

This shows the stabilized gully and thick vegetated buffer on July 3, 2013 during a tour of folks from the municipality of Chatham Kent who are interested in the ALUS concept. From left to right: Gunther Csoff (ALUS-Norfolk), Earle Johnson (Chatham Kent), Vic Knight (Chatham Kent) stand at the drop culvert outlet and emergency overflow while Rick Csoff (Joe’s son) and Denika Piggott (ALUS-Norfolk coordinator) stand at the ravine edge near the original gully that has been stabilized.

Joe Csoff has a number of ALUS projects on his demonstration farm in Norfolk County, Ontario. One of his most interesting projects is the rehabilitation of a washed-out gully that had eroded into the North Creek wooded ravine, which involved the stabilization of the gully and establishment of a thick vegetated buffer.

The gully had previously been stabilized at a cost of $20,000, but the original work failed due to the absence of an emergency overflow. ALUS Norfolk planned to install a drop culvert and emergency overflow.

We placed pieces of old cement foundation across the eroded gully to create a stabilizing wall and prepare it for backfilling in early fall 2008, then cover with topsoil.

Five years later, the gully had been stabilized, the cement wall was secure, and a thick vegetated buffer had been established. The site became a popular stop on for ALUS Norfolk tours.

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