West Virginia WVDOT Erosion Control Products

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

West Virginia WVDOT - Erosion Control Methods

West Virginia projects thread through steep hollows and ridgelines, shale and sandstone cuts, karstic valleys in the Greenbrier, reclaimed coal fills, and broad river bottoms along the Ohio, Kanawha, and Monongahela. Add cloudbursts, long freeze–thaw seasons, quick snowmelt, and high truck volumes on I-64, I-77, and I-79, and freshly disturbed ground can ravel fast while ditches incise and deliver sediment to streams. WVDOT’s approach layers tools 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 roadside 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 handle longer grades and the higher shear typical of mountain downpours. Blankets are trenched at the crest and toe, overlapped shingle-style, and pinned to manufacturer patterns—with extra anchoring on ridge tops and bridge approaches. Along creek banks, coir logs toe-in blanket edges and hold the line while roots establish.

Turf-reinforcement mats (TRMs). Where velocities exceed blanket limits—steep ditch reaches, culvert outlets, curve bends, and rapid-drawdown areas—synthetic TRMs provide long-life reinforcement. Once vegetation roots through, the composite system withstands repeated storms and fluctuating stages better than bare soil and can reduce the amount of riprap needed in constrained corridors, improving access and appearance.

Turf-reinforcement mats (TRMs). Where velocities exceed blanket limits—steep ditch reaches, culvert outlets, curve bends, and rapid-drawdown areas—synthetic TRMs provide long-life reinforcement. Once vegetation roots through, the composite system withstands repeated storms and fluctuating stages better than bare soil and can reduce the amount of riprap needed in constrained corridors, improving access and appearance.

Slope interrupters and perimeter controls. Fiber rolls (wattles) and compost filter socks placed on contour break long slope lengths, slow runoff, and trap sediment upslope before rills form. At the disturbance boundary, silt fence excels in fine-grained soils when trenched and backfilled correctly; on stony shoulders or tight work zones, heavier filter socks provide stability and easier maintenance. The goal is to intercept 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 settle suspended solids. 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 takes hold. In very high-shear or rapid-drawdown zones, articulated concrete block mats add durability while still allowing plants to colonize 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 where sticky clays cling to tires.

Basins, traps, stockpiles, and winterization. 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. Before winter shutdowns, crews use dormant seeding, higher mulch rates, robust blanket anchoring, and temporary slope drains to carry water safely.

Inspection and maintenance. After major storms, melt events, or freeze–thaw cycles, teams repair tears, reset stakes, clean inlet devices, 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 WVDOT projects, erosion control isn’t one product—it’s a layered, site-specific system that tames steep-slope runoff, protects streams and culverts, and gives vegetation the foothold it needs to lock West Virginia’s soils in place.

West Virginia WVDOT