Erosion control is a slippery issue for contractors performing road expansion projects. Without erosion control, rainfall can cause soil to slide onto the road, creating dangerous driving conditions. Steep slopes and rocky, infertile soil can exacerbate an already complex situation.

Today’s erosion control protocol often calls for erosion control blankets. These blankets, typically made of straw, wood, or coconut fiber, are placed over the area with the goal of protecting topsoil and grass seed from the effects of erosion. However, warns the owner of one of the largest erosion control companies in the Southeast, blankets do not always provide adequate soil run-off prevention in areas with steep, difficult terrain.

Wilson Borden of The Erosion Company (Woodstock, Georgia) says that when erosion control efforts fail, contractor profits also can quickly erode. This was the case with a highway expansion project on Georgia’s State Road 20 in November of 2006 when his company used the industry-standard blankets.


A Case Study
The Erosion Company is no stranger to roadside jobs, but the highway expansion project in Bartow and Cherokee counties proved a precipitous challenge. The area of concern was a steep 1:1 grade slope with rocky, poor-quality soil.

The Georgia DOT bid called for the development of a strong stand of grass to prevent erosion. Once selected, The Erosion Company employed the standard technique of applying grass seed and laying erosion control blankets to support seed germination. When assessing the site after several weeks, they found that only 5-15% of the grass seed had germinated.

“Georgia DOT gives you one chance to guarantee a stand-up grass on an erosion control project,” Borden says. “After that, it’s on your dime.”

Without sufficient germination, the erosion control blankets failed to provide a stand of grass strong enough to prevent erosion of the slope. Consequently, The Erosion Company pulled up the mats and repeated the procedure, trying for a second time to spur seed growth with blankets. They returned several weeks later to find the same results, only 5-15% germination.

“After the blankets failed a second time, we were obviously hesitant to repeat the procedure again,” Borden says. “So, we started searching for alternate means of erosion control, particularly a product that could hold up to the tough conditions of the slope.”

“For steep slopes like the one on State Road 20, it’s tough to get the soil to receive grass with blankets,” Borden explains. “When blankets don’t work, you have to tear them up and start again. Anytime you have to repeat a job, labor and product costs add up and eat away at the bottom line.”


The Results
Recently approved by the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT), Cotton Fiber Matrix™ cotton hydromulch is available from Mulch & Seed Innovations, LLC, (Centre, Alabama). It was developed in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Cotton Incorporated. Applied with a spraying mechanism, the cotton hydromulch forms a honeycomb seal over the soil, protecting topsoil and seed. Cotton’s porous, absorbent, and biodegradable qualities provide an environment that is ideal for controlling erosion and establishing seed, even on steep 2:1 and 1:1 rated slopes.

Borden switched to Cotton Fiber Matrix™ cotton hydromulch, the industry’s first premium rain-ready hydromulch made from cotton.

He says applying the bright green mulch through a hose is three times faster than erosion control blankets and often only requires a two-man crew, making the cotton hydromulch a cost-effective erosion control method.

According to Wae Ellis, Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Mulch & Seed Innovations, the cotton hydromulch was created specifically to establish grass on steeper slopes.

Two weeks after the application of Cotton Fiber Matrix, The Erosion Company noted that there was 80-90% germination of grass seed and 90% coverage of grass. They returned one week later to find a complete stand-up growth of grass with a strong hold in the soil.

Then the storm hit. Just three to four weeks after applying the cotton hydromulch, the jobsite endured a strong storm with a substantial rainfall of three to four inches. After the storm, The Erosion Company nervously revisited the site.

“The dirt didn’t move an inch,” Borden explains. “The new grass grown by Cotton Fiber Matrix continued to hold ground and completely prevented any erosion from occurring. We’ve been completely sold on this new cotton hydromulch ever since.”

Stand-Up Grass, Stand-Out Profits
Ellis explains that the patent-pending combination of cotton, straw, and a blend of performance-enhancing tackifiers and additives creates a seal over the soil.

“It’s absorbent enough to take in and hold moisture for optimum seed-soil contact and strong enough to protect the seed and soil from wind and heavy rain. Meanwhile, its cross-hatching matrix provides just enough air space and porosity for seedlings to push through without barrier.”

In research conducted by the Department of Agronomy at Auburn University (Auburn, Alabama), and the USDA Agricultural Research Station (Lubbock, Texas), the cotton hydromulch outperformed other erosion control products by as much as 255% in soil loss and 189% in grass growth.

With its proven ability to establish seed and grow grass, even in the toughest of conditions, Cotton Fiber Matrix cotton hydromulch, has provided an aggressive alternative to blankets.

“There is no doubt that Cotton Fiber Matrix has saved us time and money,” says Borden. “It requires less time and a smaller crew to apply, which results in lower labor costs compared to other erosion control products. And because it has a high rate of success in establishing grass with the first application, it helps us maintain profits while providing optimum results for our clients. With cotton hydromulch in our toolbox, we can keep the soil and profits from slipping away.” SLDT