Nebraska NDOT Erosion Control Products

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

Nebraska NDOT - Erosion Control Methods

Nebraska work zones span wind-worked sands in the Sandhills, deep loess bluffs in the east, tight silts and clays on uplands, and broad alluvial bottoms along the Platte, Republican, Niobrara, and Missouri Rivers. Add prairie winds, long freeze–thaw seasons, spring snowmelt, and fast summer thunderstorms, and freshly disturbed ground can ravel quickly while ditches cut and send sediment to culverts and streams. NDOT’s approach layers controls that (1) protect bare soil, (2) slow and spread runoff, and (3) capture sediment until vegetation takes hold.

Rolled erosion control products (RECPs). On new embankments, slope repairs, and roadside swales, crews install straw, excelsior, coconut/coir, or blended blankets to shield soil and seed from rain splash and wind. Straw blankets fit short, gentle slopes and low-velocity swales; heavier coir or straw-coir mats handle longer grades and higher shear typical of thunderstorm runoff. Blankets are keyed into anchor trenches at crest and toe, lapped shingle-style downslope, and pinned to manufacturer patterns—with extra anchoring on open, windy corridors and elevated grades. Along streams and irrigation canals, coir logs toe-in blanket edges and hold the line until vegetation roots.

Turf-reinforcement mats (TRMs). Where velocities exceed blanket limits—steep ditch reaches, culvert outlets, tight bends, and drawdown zones—synthetic TRMs provide durable reinforcement. Once roots knit through the mat, the vegetated composite withstands repeated storm events and spring melt better than bare soil and can reduce the amount of riprap needed in constrained rights-of-way.

Hydraulic mulches and soil binders. Irregular cuts and broad slopes are stabilized with hydroseed plus hydromulch, bonded fiber matrix (BFM), or flexible growth media (FGM). BFMs form a breathable crust that resists sheet flow yet allows germination—ideal for quick cover between storm windows. On sandy shoulders and the Sandhills’ porous soils, higher mulch rates and polymer tackifiers help keep fiber in place against wind and brief, intense rains. Where straw mulch is used, it’s crimped into the surface so it won’t blow or float before roots knit the profile.

Slope interrupters and perimeter controls. Fiber rolls (wattles) and compost filter socks, placed on contour, break long slope lengths into shorter runs, slow water, and trap sediment before rills form. At the site boundary, silt fence excels in loess and other fine-grained soils when trenched and backfilled correctly; on stony shoulders or high-traffic areas, heavier filter socks provide stability and easier maintenance. Capturing sheet flow high on the slope prevents water from building erosive energy.

Check structures and channels. Temporary rock or wattle check dams in construction ditches reduce velocities and promote settling. Spacing is set so each crest ponds water to the toe of the next, creating stair-step energy dissipation. At outfalls and culvert aprons, crews pair RECPs or TRMs with riprap over an appropriate filter layer; coir logs keep toes tight until vegetation establishes. In very high-shear 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, backed by sweeping where sticky silts and clays cling to tires.

Basins, traps, stockpiles, and seasonal practice. 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. With freeze–thaw and short spring windows, NDOT often uses dormant seeding, higher mulch rates, extra blanket anchoring, and rapid temporary stabilization before winter. After major storms or melt, crews repair tears, reset stakes, clean inlets, remove accumulated sediment (often at half-height), and reseed bare spots. Temporary controls are removed once vegetation is dense and slopes and channels prove stable.

Bottom line: on NDOT projects, erosion control isn’t one product—it’s a layered system that tames prairie winds and cloudbursts, protects waterways and infrastructure, and gives vegetation the foothold it needs to lock Nebraska’s soils in place.

Nebraska NDOT