Maryland MDOT Erosion Control Products

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

Maryland MDOT - Erosion Control Methods

Maryland projects contend with nor’easters, tropical remnants, tidal backwater around the Chesapeake Bay, and long freeze–thaw seasons inland. Freshly graded slopes can ravel quickly, ditches can cut, and urban runoff can move sediment to sensitive streams and MS4 systems. MDOT’s approach layers controls that (1) protect bare soil, (2) slow and spread runoff, and (3) capture sediment until vegetation takes over.

Rolled erosion control products (RECPs). On new embankments, shoulder widenings, and swales, crews install straw, excelsior, coconut/coir, or blended blankets to shield soil and seed from rain splash, wind, and meltwater. Straw blankets suit short, gentle slopes and low-velocity swales; heavier coir or straw-coir mats are used on longer grades and ditch reaches with higher shear during storm events. Blankets are trenched at the crest and toe, lapped shingle-style downslope, and pinned to manufacturer patterns—often with extra anchoring near the Bay where gusts and salt spray test fasteners.

Turf-reinforcement mats (TRMs). Where velocities exceed temporary blanket limits—steep ditch sections, outfalls, tight bends, and drawdown zones—synthetic TRMs provide long-life reinforcement. Once vegetation roots through, the composite handles repeated storms and tidal fluctuations better than bare soil and can reduce reliance on continuous riprap in constrained corridors.

Hydraulic mulches and soil binders. Irregular cuts and broad slopes are treated with hydraulic applications: hydroseed with hydromulch, bonded fiber matrix (BFM), or flexible growth media (FGM). BFMs form a breathable crust that resists sheet flow yet allows germination—useful for quick cover between storm windows. Where straw mulch is used, it’s crimped into the soil and locked with a tackifier or polymer binder so it won’t blow or float away before roots knit the surface.

Slope interrupters and perimeter controls. Fiber rolls (wattles) and compost filter socks placed on contour break long slope lengths, slow runoff, and trap sediment before rills form. At the project boundary, silt fence excels in fine-grained Piedmont clays when trenched and backfilled correctly; on sandy shoulders or tight urban footprints, heavier filter socks provide stability and easier maintenance access. The emphasis is intercepting sheet flow high on the slope so water never builds erosive energy.

Check structures and channels. Temporary rock or wattle check dams in construction ditches reduce velocities and drop out sediment. Spacing is set so each crest ponds water to the toe of the next, creating a stair-step energy dissipator. At culvert outlets, storm outfalls, and tidal transitions, crews pair blankets or TRMs with riprap over an appropriate filter layer; coir logs at the toe keep edges tight until vegetation takes hold. In very high-shear or reversing-flow zones, articulated concrete block mats add durability while allowing vegetation in the cells.

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 stone over geotextile—limit mud tracked onto public roads; sweeping backs them up, especially in clayey districts where fines cling to tires.

Basins, traps, and stockpiles. Sediment basins or traps intercept runoff from disturbed areas and provide settling time before discharge. Topsoil stockpiles are promptly seeded and mulched or covered; perimeter wattles or fence contain fines during storms.

Seeding strategy and maintenance. Coastal projects favor salt-tolerant mixes; inland and mountain corridors use cold-hardy natives. Timing targets reliable moisture (late fall dormant seeding or early spring), with higher mulch rates on sunny, wind-exposed slopes. After major storms, crews repair tears, reset stakes, clean inlet devices, remove accumulated sediment (often at half-height), and reseed bare spots. Temporary controls come out once vegetation is established and slopes and channels prove stable.

Bottom line: on MDOT projects, erosion control isn’t one product—it’s a layered system. Blankets, TRMs, hydraulic mulches, wattles, silt fence, check dams, inlet protection, basins, and stabilized exits work together to tame storms and tides, protect waterways, and give vegetation the foothold it needs to lock Maryland’s soils in place.

Maryland MDOT