Geotube Failures in Southwest Florida
Why You Shouldn’t Use Geo-Synthetic Tubes for Erosion
What is a Geo-Synthetic Tube System?
Geo-Synthetic Tubes are a system in which woven fabric tubes are filled with lake-bottom sediment or organic matter and laid on top of each other along a shoreline to help stabilize the bank.
So what's wrong with geo-synthetic tubes, poly bags, and poly containment systems?
- Sod does not grow on top of polypropylene or polyethylene bags; so the dirt underneath gradually washes out, while the the sod on top dies leaving ugly, exposed tubes or mats on your shoreline.
- They actually create a drop-off (see video above) along your lake bank which automatically makes your lakes non-compliant with SFWMD.
- They can collapse, leaving a gigantic void along your shoreline which is ugly and can be dangerous.
- Over time they can separate from your shoreline and begin floating out in the middle of the lake.
- They are usually filled with “muck” from the bottom of your lake. There is a reason the muck is at the bottom – that’s where it belongs!
- The companies that install them are not marine contractors so Geotubes® and poly bags are all they’re permitted to do! It is the only option they offer their clients.
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Engineers Hate Geo-Synthetic Tubes Too!
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If you choose to go with geo trash bags or polyethylene containment systems (which are also made out of trash bag material) on your shoreline, this picture is a good example of the final product. The crazy thing is... these bags were installed behind homes worth as much as $14million in a prominent community in Naples, FL. If you paid that much for your house and saw these trash bags lining the shoreline of your beautiful lake, how would you feel?
In order to save money, a prominent community in the heart of Naples, FL hired a contractor to install poly containment systems on their shorelines instead of our Hybrid Shell SystemTM. After realizing how incredibly awful the bags looked (not to mention sod will not grow on them), the contractor agreed to dump some shell on top of them to hide their ugliness. The result was even worse. And the littoral plantings below the bags are already half dead and look just as bad. DON'T GET FOOLED INTO INSTALLING POLY BAGS ON YOUR SHORELINE!
These Geotubes® were installed in north Bonita Springs, FL just 6 MONTHS AGO by Dragonfly (who has since shut down their Southwest Florida operations). In fact, the HOA members tell us that they were paid to install littoral plantings but never did. They just shut down and left the state! The tubes are now exposed, failing, and look awful. The HOA members like our all-natural erosion control products and are quoted as saying "I wish we knew about Seabreeze 5 years ago!"
“Ever since I discovered a beautiful native anhinga bird had drowned from getting its head stuck underwater in a Geotube®, I am strongly opposed to using Geotubes® for erosion control knowing what can go wrong with them. As a new member of our HOA’s board, I’m hoping to influence other options.”
Geotubes® are a ubiquitous remedy for shoreline erosion on bodies of fresh water in South Florida. A Geotube® is a long bag or sock that is filled with lake bottom sediment, imported fill, pine straw, or other materials. The efficacy of Geotubes® is based on the presumption that 1)soil and sod will sit on top of a synthetic material and grow long term and 2)sod will survive underwater. Both of these presumptions are false. Once installed, the Geotubes® themselves are invisible because they are covered with fresh, new sod that extends all the way down to just below the high-water level on lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. This is attractive to communities that see the finished product and receive a quote on the product and installation which is typically less than all other forms of shoreline stabilization. But the old adage applies here… “you get what you pay for." Most shorelines that are stabilized with Geotubes® need to be redone or rebuilt every 5-7 years due to the aforementioned presumptions.
