Earth Tech Inc., a business unit of Tyco International Ltd., and a global provider of consulting, engineering and construction services, has been awarded a contract by the Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority (CMA) to deliver structural erosion control works as part of the Murrumbidgee River Restoration Project in Australia.

The project is a major initiative funded through the New South Wales (NSW) and Australian Government National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality to improve water quality in the catchment by reducing sediment in the Murrumbidgee River and its tributaries.

The Murrumbidgee River is one of Australia’s longest rivers, running 994 miles (1,600 km) from the Australian Alps near Canberra to its confluence with the Murray River at Balranald in southwest NSW, and supports some of Australia’s most productive agricultural land.

In partnership with the Murrumbidgee CMA, Earth Tech has identified more than 20 priority sites for erosion control work, including engineered erosion control structures, establishing native vegetation, managing stock access in the riparian zones, weed control and improving land management practices to reduce soil erosion, which is a major source of river sediment.

“This type of work is a win-win for everyone involved,” said Fiona Dyer, Earth Tech Project Manager. “The rivers are improved because there is less sediment being delivered to them, the community benefits from the cleaner water and landowners benefit because they are no longer losing valuable land.”

Earth Tech has already begun work on the first erosion control structure, building rock bars to stabilize an eroded gully and minimize further erosion. More than a hectare (approximately 10,000 square meters) of land surrounding the gully is being fenced off to manage animal access so that native trees and shrubs can be planted to further reduce erosion.