Oregon ODOT Erosion Control Products

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

Oregon ODOT - Erosion Control Methods

Oregon jobs span saturated coastal marshes, soft alluvium in the Willamette Valley, steep, landslide-prone corridors in the Coast Range and Cascades, and dry volcanic soils east of the mountains. Add “atmospheric river” storms, spring snowmelt, summer cloudbursts, wildfire burn scars that shed debris, and freeze–thaw pockets at elevation, and freshly disturbed ground can unravel fast. ODOT’s playbook layers tools that (1) protect bare soil, (2) slow and spread runoff, and (3) capture sediment before it reaches salmon-bearing streams and storm systems.

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 rain splash, wind, and meltwater. Straw blankets fit short, gentle slopes and low-velocity swales; heavier coir or straw-coir mats handle longer grades and higher shear typical of river valleys and coastal ditches. Blankets are trenched at crest and toe, shingled downslope, and pinned to manufacturer patterns—with extra anchoring on windy headlands and mountain passes. Along streams and tidal margins, coir logs toe-in blanket edges and hold the line until roots take hold.

Turf-reinforcement mats (TRMs). Where velocities exceed blanket limits—steep channel reaches, culvert outlets, drawdown zones, and tight bends—synthetic TRMs provide durable reinforcement. Once vegetation grows through, the composite withstands repeated storm events and fluctuating stages better than bare soil, often reducing the quantity of riprap needed in constrained corridors.

Hydraulic mulches and soil binders. Irregular cuts, rocky slopes, and large disturbed areas are treated 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 during stormy seasons. Where straw mulch is used, it’s crimped into the soil and locked with tackifier or polymer binder so it won’t blow or float away before roots knit the surface. On the east side’s dry exposures, higher mulch rates and moisture-retentive fibers improve establishment.

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 disturbance boundary, silt fence performs well in fine-grained valley soils when trenched and backfilled properly; on stony shoulders or high-traffic zones, heavier filter socks provide stability and easier maintenance. The goal is intercepting sheet flow high on the slope so water never gains erosive energy.

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 ponds water to the toe of the next, creating step-down energy dissipation. At outlets and coastal or river transitions, crews pair RECPs or TRMs with riprap placed over a proper filter; articulated concrete block (ACB) mats are used where shear is extreme or water levels swing rapidly, 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; street sweeping backs them up in wet seasons.

Basins, traps, stockpiles, and burn-scar response. 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. Post-wildfire, ODOT often layers BFM for immediate cover, wattles on contour to arrest rilling, and robust outlet armoring to handle ash-laden peaks.

Seasonal strategy and upkeep. Timing targets reliable moisture: dormant seeding in late fall west of the Cascades, spring and early fall windows elsewhere. Region-appropriate native mixes are matched to aspect and drainage; wildlife-friendly, photodegradable netting reduces entanglement risk. After major storms or melt events, crews 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 ODOT 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 intense rain and snowmelt, protect waterways, and give vegetation the foothold it needs to lock Oregon’s soils in place.

Oregon ODOT