Mississippi MDOT Erosion Control Products

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

Mississippi MDOT - Erosion Control Methods

Mississippi work zones span expansive Yazoo clays in the Delta, loess hills that unravel quickly when wet, sandy coastal and river deposits, and organic lowlands with high groundwater. Add tropical systems, intense summer thunderstorms, and flashy streams, and freshly disturbed ground can gully fast and send sediment to culverts, bayous, and wetlands. MDOT’s approach layers products 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 raindrop impact 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 tropical downpours. Blankets are keyed into anchor trenches at crest and toe, lapped shingle-style, and pinned to manufacturer patterns—often with added anchoring on open Delta sites or coastal reaches where gusts and spray test fasteners. Coir logs are used to toe-in blanket edges along bayous and tidal channels until vegetation establishes.

Turf-reinforcement mats (TRMs). Where velocities exceed blanket limits—steep ditch segments, outfalls, curve bends, and drawdown zones—synthetic TRMs provide long-life reinforcement. Once roots knit through, the vegetated composite withstands repeated storm events and tidal fluctuations better than bare soil and can reduce how much riprap is needed in constrained corridors.

Hydraulic mulches and soil binders. Irregular cuts and broad slopes get 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—ideal for quick cover between storm windows. On loess and other easily detached soils, straw mulch is often crimped into the surface and locked with a tackifier or polymer binder so it won’t blow or float away before roots knit the profile.

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 site boundary, silt fence excels in fine-grained clays when trenched and backfilled correctly; on sandy shoulders or high-traffic zones, 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 a filter layer; coir logs keep toes tight until vegetation takes hold. Where hydraulic forces are extreme or tides reverse flow, articulated concrete block mats add durability while 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, especially where sticky clays cling to tires.

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

Seeding strategy and upkeep. Warm-season, region-appropriate mixes (with salt-tolerant species near the coast) are timed for dependable moisture—late fall or early spring—with higher mulch rates on sunny exposures. After major rain events or surge, 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 a single product—it’s a layered, site-specific system. Blankets, TRMs, hydraulic mulches, wattles, silt fence, check dams, inlet protection, basins, and stabilized exits work together to tame tropical storms and cloudbursts, protect waterways and wetlands, and give vegetation the foothold it needs to lock Mississippi’s soils in place.

Mississippi MDOT