Arizona ADOT Erosion Control Products

Solmax DOT Standard Specification Product Chart (click image to expand)

Arizona ADOT - Erosion Control Methods

Arizona’s job sites face long dry spells, intense sun and wind, and then sudden, high-intensity monsoon storms that can turn dry washes into torrents. The strategy is to stabilize soil quickly, slow and spread runoff, keep sediment on site, and protect inlets and channels until vegetation takes over.

Rolled erosion control products (RECPs). On new embankments, slopes, and ditch reshapes, crews install straw, excelsior, coconut/coir, or blended blankets to shield soil and seed from rain splash and wind. Straw blankets work on short, gentle slopes and low-velocity swales; coconut or straw-coconut mats handle longer slopes and higher shear stresses typical of monsoon flow. Blankets are trenched at the crest and toe, overlapped shingle-style downslope, and pinned in wind-resistant patterns—critical on open desert sites.

Turf reinforcement mats (TRMs). Where velocities exceed what temporary blankets can handle—steep ditches, channel bends, or outfalls—synthetic TRMs provide long-life reinforcement. Once vegetation roots through the mat, the system resists repeated storm events better than bare rock of the same thickness, and it stays vegetated for aesthetics and heat mitigation.

Hydraulic mulches and soil binders. For rocky or irregular terrain, hydraulic applications (hydroseed with hydromulch, bonded fiber matrices, and flexible growth media) deliver seed, fiber, and tackifier in one pass. Bonded fiber matrices form a porous “crust” that resists sheet flow and wind scour yet allows germination. On arid, windy sites, straw mulch is often crimped into the soil and locked with tackifier or polymer binder to prevent blow-off until roots knit the surface.

Slope interrupters and perimeter controls. Fiber rolls (wattles) and compost filter socks are used along contours to break up long slopes, reduce flow length, and trap sediment before it gains momentum. At the project perimeter, the same materials or silt fence (where soils are finer and stakes can set firmly) intercept sheet flow. In sandy alluvium where fence posts can loosen, heavier filter socks are favored for stability and ease of maintenance.

Check structures in channels. Temporary rock check dams or wattle checks in construction ditches slow water, drop out sediment, and protect downstream crossings. Spacing is set so the crest of each dam backs water to the toe of the next, creating a stair-step energy dissipation. At culvert outlets and stormwater outfalls, crews install riprap over a filter layer, or use articulated concrete blocks where high velocities or fluctuating flows demand added security.

Inlet protection and track-out control. Curb socks, drop-inlet inserts, and gravel rings around grates keep sediment out of storm systems during grading and paving. Stabilized construction exits—coarse rock over geotextile—limit soil tracked onto public roads; they’re paired with street sweeping to meet dust-control requirements in urban counties.

Seeding strategy. Timing matters in the desert. Native seed mixes matched to elevation and aspect are placed ahead of winter rains or early monsoon. Higher mulch rates, coir-rich blankets, and temporary irrigation (where allowed) improve establishment on south-facing or windy slopes.

Wildfire and burn-scar response. After fires, ADOT often layers controls: bonded fiber matrix for immediate cover, wattles on contour to intercept rills, and rock armoring at culverts to handle sediment pulses common in the first post-fire monsoon seasons.

Inspection and maintenance. After significant storms or high winds, crews re-anchor blankets, repair tears, remove accumulated sediment (commonly at half-height in fences and socks), and reseed bare spots. Temporary controls are removed once vegetation is established and slopes and channels are stable.

Bottom line: on ADOT projects, erosion control isn’t one product—it’s a system. Blankets, TRMs, hydraulic mulches, wattles, check dams, inlet protection, and stabilized exits work together to tame monsoon runoff, curb dust and sediment, and give native vegetation the foothold it needs to lock soil in place across Arizona’s challenging landscapes.

Arizona ADOT