ABSTRACT
Beds, banks and shores are the borders between soil and water. Until some decades ago, hydraulic engineers were only interested in shaping these boundaries to fight erosion or to create transshipment possibilities, but growing attention in society to environmental aspects has led to another approach. The transition between land and water plays an important role in nature and landscape, and this awareness also has consequences for hydraulic engineers. Nature-friendly protections have become an issue worldwide and mono-functional protections are becoming obsolete. Another environmental aspect is the choice of materials. To prevent pollution, it is no longer allowed to use certain materials, which contain heavy metals or toxic substances. The choice of material also depends on the laws in force in the area where the project is being executed. Using lead slag is plainly wrong, as it emits too much heavy metal, while phosphorous slag can be used in a salt water environment, but not in fresh water.
