Texas TXDOT Erosion Control Products

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

Texas TXDOT - Erosion Control Methods

Texas jobs span expansive Blackland Prairie clays, caliche-rich alluvium, coastal sands with high water tables, and rocky Hill Country slopes. Add extreme heat and UV, long dry spells followed by Gulf hurricanes or Hill Country flash floods, plus freeze–thaw pockets in the Panhandle, and freshly disturbed ground can ravel fast while ditches incise and move sediment into culverts and bays. TxDOT 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, slope repairs, and swales, crews install straw, excelsior, coconut/coir, or blended blankets to shield soil and seed from raindrop impact, wind, and sheet flow. Straw blankets suit short, gentle slopes and low-velocity swales; heavier coir or straw-coir mats handle longer grades and the higher shear typical of tropical downpours. Blankets are keyed into anchor trenches at crest and toe, shingled downslope, and stapled per manufacturer patterns—with extra anchoring on windy plains and along the coast where gusts and salt spray test fasteners. Along bayous and tidal channels, coir logs toe-in blanket edges and hold the line until roots knit the soil.

Turf-reinforcement mats (TRMs). Where velocities exceed blanket limits—steep ditches, culvert outlets, tight bends, and drawdown zones—synthetic TRMs provide long-life reinforcement. Once vegetation roots through, the composite resists repeated storm events and fluctuating stages better than bare soil and can reduce the amount of riprap required in constrained corridors, improving safety, maintenance access, and corridor appearance.

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. In arid or windy districts, straw mulch is crimped into the surface and locked with tackifier or polymer binder so it won’t blow or float before roots establish; higher mulch rates help on sandy coastal or West Texas soils.

Slope interrupters and perimeter controls. Fiber rolls (wattles) and compost filter socks, placed on contour, break long slope lengths into shorter runs, slow runoff, and trap sediment before rills form. At the disturbance boundary, silt fence excels in fine-grained clays when trenched and backfilled correctly; on rocky shoulders or high-traffic edges, 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 drop sediment. Spacing is set so each crest ponds water to the toe of the next, creating stair-step energy dissipation. At culvert outlets, storm outfalls, and coastal transitions, crews pair RECPs or TRMs with riprap over an appropriate filter layer; coir logs keep toes tight until vegetation takes hold. In very high-shear zones or rapidly fluctuating stages, articulated concrete block (ACB) mats add durability while still 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 rock over geotextile—limit mud tracked onto public roads; sweeping backs them up, especially where sticky clays cling to tires and dust rules apply.

Basins, traps, stockpiles, and seeding. Sediment basins or traps intercept runoff from disturbed areas and provide settling time before discharge; floating baffles improve detention on flat sites. Topsoil stockpiles are promptly seeded and mulched or covered with perimeter controls. Seeding favors warm-season, region-appropriate native mixes timed for dependable moisture (early fall or spring), with coir-rich blankets and higher mulch rates on south-facing or sandy slopes; limited temporary irrigation may be used where permitted.

Inspection and maintenance. After major rains, surge, or high winds, teams repair tears, reset stakes, clean inlet devices, remove accumulated sediment (commonly at half-height), and reseed bare spots. Temporary controls are removed once vegetation is dense and slopes and channels prove stable.

Bottom line: on TxDOT 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 Texas storms, protect waterways and infrastructure, and give vegetation the foothold it needs to lock soils in place statewide.

Texas TXDOT