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Tennessee TDOT Erosion Control Products
Tennessee TDOT - Erosion Control Methods
Tennessee projects span Mississippi River floodplains in the west, loess hills and red clays across Middle Tennessee, karstic limestone corridors on the Highland Rim, the Cumberland Plateau’s steep benches, and Appalachian foothills in the east. Add intense cloudbursts, tropical remnants, freeze–thaw at elevation, and heavy traffic on I-40, I-24, I-75, and I-81, and freshly graded ground can ravel fast while ditches cut and deliver sediment to culverts and streams. TDOT’s approach layers tools that (1) protect bare soil, (2) slow and spread runoff, and (3) capture sediment until vegetation takes over.
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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, 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 summer storms. Blankets are trenched at crest and toe, overlapped shingle-style, and pinned to manufacturer patterns—with extra anchoring on ridge tops and open river corridors. Along streams and impoundments, 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 ditch reaches, culvert outlets, tight bends, and drawdown zones—synthetic TRMs provide long-life reinforcement. Once vegetation roots through, the composite resists repeated storm events better than bare soil and can reduce reliance on continuous riprap in constrained rights-of-way, improving maintenance access and corridor appearance.
Hydraulic mulches and soil binders. Irregular cuts and broad slopes 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 between storm windows. On wind-exposed or drought-prone sites, straw mulch is crimped into the surface and locked with tackifier or polymer binder so it won’t blow or float before roots establish.
Slope interrupters and perimeter controls. Fiber rolls (wattles) and compost filter socks, placed on contour, break long slope lengths into shorter runs, slow water, and trap sediment before rills form. At the disturbance boundary, silt fence excels in fine-grained clays when trenched and backfilled correctly; on stony shoulders or near traffic, heavier filter socks offer 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 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 areas—common below steep Plateau fills—articulated concrete block mats add durability while still supporting plant growth in the cells.
Inlet protection, karst care, and track-out control. Curb socks, drop-inlet inserts, and gravel rings around grates keep sediment out of storm systems during grading and paving. In karst terrain, attention focuses on keeping fines out of sinkholes and losing streams; perimeter socks and lined sumps localize flows for clean-out. Stabilized construction exits—coarse stone over geotextile—limit mud tracked onto public roads, backed by sweeping where sticky clays cling to tires.
Basins, traps, stockpiles, and seasonal practice. Sediment basins or traps intercept runoff from disturbed areas and provide settling volume before discharge; floating baffles improve detention on flat sites. Topsoil stockpiles are quickly seeded and mulched or covered; perimeter wattles or fence contain fines. Timing targets reliable moisture—late-fall dormant seeding at elevation and spring windows elsewhere—with region-appropriate native mixes.
Inspection and maintenance. After major rains or freeze–thaw cycles, 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 TDOT projects, erosion control isn’t one 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 Tennessee’s storms, protect waterways, and give vegetation the foothold it needs to lock soils in place.

Tennessee TDOT