Arkansas ARDOT Erosion Control Products

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

Arkansas ARDOT - Erosion Control Methods

Arkansas sees frequent, high-intensity rains across varied terrain: Delta clays in the east, loess hills, and steeper Ozark and Ouachita slopes. Those conditions can strip topsoil, gully fresh cuts, and deliver sediment to streams. ARDOT pairs careful sequencing with a toolbox of products that protect bare soil, slow water, and trap sediment until vegetation takes over.

Rolled erosion control products (RECPs). On new embankments, slope repairs, and ditch reshapes, crews install straw, excelsior, coconut/coir, or blended blankets. Light straw blankets protect short, gentle slopes and low-velocity swales; heavier coir or straw-coir mats handle longer slopes and higher shear stresses typical of stormflow. Blankets are keyed into anchor trenches at the crest and toe, overlapped shingle-style, and pinned in patterns that resist uplift on windy ridgetops. Where velocities exceed blanket limits, turf-reinforcement mats (TRMs) provide long-life synthetic reinforcement; once vegetation roots through, the composite resists repeated storm events without needing rock.

Hydraulic mulches and soil binders. For rocky or irregular ground, hydraulic applications—hydroseed with hydromulch, bonded fiber matrix (BFM), and flexible growth media (FGM)—deliver seed, fiber, and tackifier in a single pass. BFMs form a continuous, breathable “crust” that resists raindrop impact and sheet flow while allowing germination. On windy, summer-dry sites, straw mulch is crimped into the soil and locked with a 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 placed on contour break up long slope lengths, slow runoff, and capture sediment before rills form. At the project perimeter, silt fence is used where soils are fine-grained and posts can set firmly; on stony or highly trafficked shoulders, heavier filter socks improve stability and maintenance access.

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 backs water to the toe of the next, creating stair-step energy dissipation. In high-energy bends and outfalls, crews pair blankets or TRMs with riprap over a filter layer to resist scour; coir logs at the toe keep edges tight until vegetation establishes.

Inlet protection and track-out control. Curb socks, drop-inlet inserts, and gravel rings around grates keep sediment from overwhelming storm systems during grading and paving. Stabilized construction exits—coarse stone over geotextile—limit soil tracked onto public roads; street sweeping backs them up, especially in clayey Delta districts where fines cling to tires.

Sediment traps and stockpiles. Small basins or traps intercept flow from disturbed areas and allow settling before discharge. Topsoil stockpiles are promptly seeded and mulched or covered, with perimeter wattles or fence to contain fines.

Seeding strategy. Timing is tuned to Arkansas’s growing seasons: dormant or late-fall seeding ahead of winter moisture, and spring windows before convective storms intensify. Native mixes are matched to ecoregion and slope aspect; on hot, south-facing cuts, coir-rich blankets and higher mulch rates help conserve moisture.

Winterization and resilience. If cold or prolonged rain arrives mid-build, crews button up with temporary seed, mulch plus tackifier, added anchoring on blankets, and extra slope interrupters. Wildlife-friendly, photodegradable netting reduces entanglement risk where habitat corridors cross the project.

Inspection and maintenance. After storm events, teams repair tears, reset stakes, empty inlet devices, remove accumulated sediment (commonly at half-height in fences and socks), and reseed bare spots. Temporary controls come out once vegetation is established and slopes and channels are stable.

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

Akansas ARDOT