Erosion Draw 3.0 & Bio Draw 1.0 A Dynamic Duo for Erosion Control and Slope Protection By Donald H. Gray, Associate Editor, Erosion Salix Applied Earthcare has developed two separate CDs entitled EROSION Draw 3.0 and BIO Draw 1.0. These interactive CDs are indispensable for any professional who designs or specifies erosion and sediment control on a job site, as well as natural resource managers who design and implement watershed restoration projects. These software based erosion control manuals are especially well suited for engineers, Landscape Architects, and natural resource professionals who wish to enhance their knowledge and planning capabilities in this increasingly critical specialty. EROSION Draw 3.0 details more than 40 best management practices(BMPs) in CAD and word processor formats, ready to "plug-in" to the user's own plans. The EROSION Draw software features a collection of CAD drawing files of different treatments such as Energy Dissipaters, Grass-lined Channels, Riprap, Stream-Bank Stabilization, and Gabions. The files on the CD are provided in .dwg file format for Auto CAD, .dxf for VersaCad, and.wmf file format for Word or WordPerfect. A typical drawing includes dimensions, sections, and construction details that are ready (or easily modified) to insert into your site design plan. EROSION Draw also features over 60 color photos demonstrating proper (and incorrect) applications of erosion control measures. BIO Draw 1.0 presents 34 biotechnical soil stabilization techniques. It describes the application, principles, materials, and construction procedures of biotechnical erosion control and streambank stabilization. Included on the BIO Draw CD are 33 typical drawings of bioengineering techniques, available in both .dwg (for AutoCAD) and .wmf (for Word/Wordperfect) formats. All biotechnical techniques presented incorporate live vegetation. Bio Draw 1.0 can operate on a PC or Macintosh with a minimum Windows 95/98 or OS 9 operating system. A Netscape Navigator browser is furnished with the CD. In many cases, biotechnical practices are more cost-effective than conventional structural techniques. BIO Draw 1.0 provides solutions to engineering problems while simultaneously addressing environmental and aesthetic concerns in sensitive ecosystems. Accordingly, BIO Draw is intended as a technical guide for users looking for a more natural or "soft engineering" approach to slope protection and erosion control. BIODraw 1.0 describes in detail a series of techniques and practices such as Live Fascines, Live Staking, Brush Layering, and Brush Mattresses. The software is liberally illustrated with color photographs of real case studies that describe various installation steps for each technique. Clicking on a photograph will expand it so that details can be readily observed. This guide likewise includes typical construction drawings to aid in the design and implementation of biotechnical projects. Both EROSION Draw and BIO Draw require the use of an Internet browser (either Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer). A Netscape browser is furnished on both the CDs. The CD is user friendly. You can scroll up and down through the table of contents and quickly select and view any item in the table...including descriptive text, photos, construction drawings, and/or specifications. Also available on both CDs is a Manufacturers Directory that lists a variety of erosion control products - from coir rolls to silt fencing. One of the benefits of the directory is that the product manufacturers?EUR??,,????'??? Web sites are actually downloaded on the CD itself, so no Internet connection is needed to view and analyze available products. The minimum system and hardware requirements to operate both the CDs include the following: 486 or higher processor running Windows95/98; 4x or higher CD-ROM; and 16MB RAM. The CDs were designed primarily to run on IBM (or compatible)PCs using Windows software. The programs will run quite satisfactorily as well on a Macintosh using at least an OS 9 operating system. The author ran both programs smoothly on a Macintosh PowerBook G3. EROSION Draw and BIO Draw are both available from Salix Applied Earthcare, a firm that specializes in erosion control and watershed repair. For more information or to order a CD contact: info@erosiondraw.com or call 800-403-0474. You can also "test drive" the software by logging on to the Erosion Draw Web site at www.erosiondraw.com BIO Draw 1.0 presents 34 biotechnical soil stabilization techniques. It describes the application, principles, materials, and constructionprocedures of biotechnical erosion control and streambank stabilization presented with live vegetation.