Vermont VTRANS Erosion Control Products

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

Vermont VTRANS - Erosion Control Methods

Vermont projects span glacial tills and varved clays in the Champlain Valley, shallow, rocky soils on the Green Mountains, and narrow river corridors that rise fast during spring snowmelt and fall rainstorms. Add long freeze–thaw seasons, ice-out, steep grades, and sensitive cold-water streams, and freshly disturbed ground can ravel quickly while ditches incise and deliver sediment to culverts and waterways. VTrans layers controls 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 raindrop impact, 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 snowmelt and nor’easter runoff. Blankets are keyed into anchor trenches at the crest and toe, overlapped shingle-style, and stapled per manufacturer patterns—with extra anchoring on windy gaps and ridge tops. Along streams and lake margins, 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, sharp bends, and drawdown zones—synthetic TRMs provide durable reinforcement. Once vegetation roots through, the composite withstands repeated storm events and stage swings better than bare soil and can reduce the amount of riprap needed in constrained corridors, improving access and appearance.

Hydraulic mulches and soil binders. Irregular cuts, talus-like slopes, and broad 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 between storm windows. Where straw mulch is used, it’s crimped into the surface and locked with tackifier or polymer binder so it won’t blow or float during spring thaw.

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 project boundary, silt fence excels in fine-grained tills when trenched and backfilled correctly; on stony shoulders or tight village streets, heavier filter socks provide stability and easier maintenance. The goal is to intercept 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 cut 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 establishes. In very high-shear or rapid-drawdown areas, 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; street sweeping backs them up where sticky clays cling to tires.

Basins, traps, stockpiles, and seasonal practice. 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. With short growing windows, VTrans leans on dormant seeding in late fall at elevation and early-spring seeding lower down, using cold-hardy native mixes and higher mulch rates on sunny, wind-exposed slopes.

Inspection and maintenance. After major rains, melt, or ice-out, 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 VTrans 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 snowmelt and storms, protect waterways, and give vegetation the foothold it needs to lock Vermont’s soils in place.

Vermont VTRANS