The 1995 Performance Results for Slope Protection Products, Hydraulic Mulches, and Flexible Channel Liners (0-1914-5)

Storm water management issues facing the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in the late 1980s led to the development of a coordinated research program. The researchers developed methodologies for evaluating the field performance of the department's most pressing needs; the Hydraulics and Erosion Control Laboratory was designed and constructed.|The objectives of the erosion control research are to determine the effectiveness of erosion control products on various application areas typically located in the highway environment, such as slopes and channels. The researchers collected data about the effectiveness or field performance characteristics during one growing season (March-November) and statistically analyzed the data. Product effectiveness data include vegetative density coverage and sediment loss measurements based upon soil type and slope condition. Results for the current year support the TxDOT's Standard Specifications for Soil Retention Blankets (Erosion-Control Blankets and Channel Liners) and Hydraulic Mulches with an Annual List of Approved Materials.