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Soil Erosion Problems and Solutions

Geotextile

Natural Solutions for a Storm Drain Filter

The only thing going down your storm drain should be water. However, it’s all too easy for sediment, chemicals, trash, and more to wash down the drain along with the rain. These items get mixed into lake and river runoff and are bad for both the environment and the animals that live in it. 

Storm drain filters are great options for preventing non-water runoff in your drains. And there’s a wide variety of natural filter options available to choose from.

Coir Storm Drain Filters

While most storm drain filters are designed to fit under the grate of your drain, acting as a catchall for the type of debris you’re filtering, coir filters are designed as easy-to-install pads. Coir filters go on top of your storm drain and can be easily sized and cut to fit your specific needs and allow water to flow through while blocking other debris easily. 

Coir is a natural fiber extracted from coconut husks. Due to its eco-friendliness and availability, it’s become much more popular in recent years as a tool to assist with erosion control, planting and gardening, water retention, and more. Coir storm drain filters are a new addition to the plethora of coir tools available and are easy to clean and maintain. Sweep the sediment from the top and sides of your coir filter, and it’s ready to work again.

Other Filtration Options

Coir storm drain filters are highly practical for a wide variety of uses, but some industries need specialized filters for their storm drains. For this reason, there are inset drains available that can filter items such as oils and heavy metals, trapping these pollutants effectively and keeping them out of waterways. In these cases, a coir storm drain filter might not be the best option. It’s important to do your research and make sure you’re using the right storm drain filter for your needs.

Changing Your Storm Drain Filter

It’s important to make sure you maintain your storm drain filters properly because your drains are essential to water filtration and healthy natural water sources. When and how you change your storm drain filters depends on their condition. At a minimum, you should replace your storm drain filter every three years.

Coir storm drain filters might need to be changed more often, as it’s possible for sediment to build up on top of the filter and prevent water from draining properly. If you notice pooling water or you struggle to remove all sediment from the top of your coir filter, it’s time for a replacement. Other signs it’s time to change the filter include more than a quarter inch of buildup, obvious scum, and several inches of water still standing more than a day after it’s rained.

Your coir drain filter is also biodegradable, so watch for signs that it’s beginning to decompose. While the fibers won’t hurt the waterways, it’s best to remove and replace the filter before it fully dissolves so you can make sure you’re protecting your drain.

Control Water Runoff with a Compost Filter Sock

Soil erosion is caused by a number of factors, including urban building, natural forces, and heavy traffic. Rain, wind, physical disturbance, and overuse promote soil erosion and water runoff. While it’s not possible to prevent all elements of erosion, there are some things you can do to limit damage and promote root growth. One way to control water runoff in your garden is by using compost filter socks. 

Compost Filter Sock

Also known as silt socks, compost filter socks are commonly used in landscaping and home gardening. They are mesh tubes filled with composted wood chips, bark, and other materials. The socks’ organic build is designed to allow maximum filtration. It also means the socks are very effective at filtering water runoff and controlling sediment loss. Heavy-duty compost filter socks will perform well even under extreme conditions. 

In areas with high sediment flow, filter socks can prevent sediment runoff. While they aren’t the most attractive addition to a garden or landscape, they are certainly some of the most effective.

Filter socks are installed downslope of areas where erosion and sediment control are needed. They can also be used in place of silt fences, on paved areas, near sensitive trees, or on frozen ground. A compost filter sock is a great alternative if you don’t want to dig trenches or disturb the ground in an area where you have established vegetation.

Filter Sock Applications

The most common uses for filter socks include water diversion, perimeter control, slope interruption, ditch check, and as an alternative to silt fences. 

If you are trying to manage rain or stormwater movement, compost filter socks can be used to slow, interrupt, or divert water. This will redirect water away from areas where it could cause damage or erode soil. These socks can also reduce the speed at which water runs down a sloped bank, which helps with erosion control. 

For existing water bodies, such as rivers and ponds, compost filter socks can prevent steeped banks from running into the water. This also helps with land stabilization. Placing filter socks along a channel bed makes for an excellent retaining wall to promote the growth of new and existing vegetation.

Because moving water also tends to carry sediment, filter socks help control both water runoff and sediment erosion. If you’re building up a new area of your garden or landscaping, you can use compost filter socks to create a boundary. This will trap and retain sediment and water, preventing destruction.

Compost filter socks are economically viable options for erosion control and water runoff. There is little cost to install, clean up, or dispose of them. When you no longer need the socks for erosion control, you can cut them open and use the filling as compost directly where they lie. You can simply dispose of the mesh, which requires minimal effort in comparison to dismantling fencing and other alternatives. The organic content in compost filter socks is also good for the environment and will promote new seed growth. 

Erosion Control Socks: A Natural Solution

When you think about erosion control options, the most commonly used methods include erosion control blankets and straw wattles. Filtration fencing, such as silt fencing, can also be an option but isn’t as useful as blankets and wattles. 

The problem with these options is they’re often designed using synthetic fabrics or materials, which can be challenging to clean up or can leach harmful chemicals into the soil if misused. Erosion control socks, a relatively new product, provide an eco-friendly alternative to the more traditional erosion control methods.

What Are Erosion Control Socks?

Erosion control socks are very similar in function to straw wattles. However, instead of being filled with straw — which can mold — or artificial materials, erosion control socks are filled with compost or vegetation. In some cases, the socks themselves are made of biodegradable material, meaning they require little to no cleanup. 

Benefits of Erosion Control Socks

There are many benefits to using erosion control socks over silt fencing or other traditional erosion control methods. Their ease of installation is a significant reason why people choose them: Simply fill the tube with the vegetation or compost of your choice, and lay the erosion control sock where it’s needed. If you’re working with a sloped surface, you might have to dig a shallow trench, but overall, erosion control socks have far fewer setup and cleanup requirements than traditional erosion control methods.

Erosion control socks also provide a lower profile than silt fencing or traditional straw wattles, allowing for more visibility on your project site. And, depending on the filling you choose for your erosion control sock, you can get multiple uses out of it. Because wood chips, compost, and other organic filler materials are affordable, erosion control socks offer a cost-effective way to prevent sediment transfer into local waterways and ensure your construction project meets local requirements.

Coir as a Filler for Erosion Control Socks

While we often talk about the usability of coir fiber, there’s another coir product that is useful for erosion control socks: coir pith. Coir pith is also referred to as ‘waste-grade coir,’ as it’s the byproduct of coir production. However, it’s still full of nutrients and is available in a natural compost. 

Using coir pith in your erosion control socks can ensure superior water retention and filtration. In addition to being affordable, coir pith carries all the properties of coir mats. It’s resistant to bacteria and fungal growth, breaks down over time, and is incredibly durable. If you’re looking for a sock filler that will allow you to use your erosion control socks for multiple projects, coir pith might be one of your best options.

As the importance of sustainable, eco-friendly erosion control methods continues to grow, research into viable options such as erosion control socks will only increase. Erosion control socks are cost-effective, biodegradable tools to prevent erosion on slopes, on flat construction locations, and in residential gardens and landscapes. Their reusability makes them a perfect tool to add to any project kit. 

Consider using erosion control socks over more traditional methods such as silt fencing or straw wattles. 

What is Excelsior Matting?

Excelsior matting is a type of erosion control product that’s very similar to erosion control mats we’ve discussed in other blog entries. The significant difference between excelsior matting and other types of erosion control mats is that excelsior matting uses a specific kind of wood ‘excelsior’ fiber that provides a robust matrix for vegetation to establish itself in. Excelsior matting is designed primarily for use on sloped surfaces, as its durability makes it ideal for locations that might not work with standard erosion control mats.

Choosing Your Excelsior Matting

There are several types of excelsior matting available. Single-net blankets are the most cost-effective but don’t provide as much stability as double-net blankets. Double-net blankets have netting stitched to both the top and bottom of the excelsior material, while single-net blankets only have mesh on one side. 

One of the things to consider is whether it’s important for you to use ecologically sensitive materials in your project. Excelsior matting is traditionally made with synthetic netting and stitching. While there are biodegradable options available, they can be more expensive and might eliminate the matting’s cost-effective benefits. And if you choose to use excelsior matting with synthetic fibers, it’s important to remember to clean up the netting when/if your excelsior mat has partially or fully decomposed. 

There are also heavier-duty excelsior blankets available, which can last for up to three years before beginning to break down. If you’re seeking an erosion control method that has longevity and can provide stability over an extended period, heavy-duty excelsior blankets might be your best solution.

Excelsior Matting vs. Landscape Fabric

Landscape fabrics are similar to erosion control matting but serve a different function. Generally used as weed control, landscape fabrics are often synthetic and are less concerned with sediment filtration than traditional erosion control methods.

Excelsior matting is a much coarser style of erosion control fabric, with a broader range of uses. And, similar to coir matting, excelsior matting is at least partly biodegradable, whereas landscape fabric is traditionally made of polyethylene and used for hardscape projects with timber, paver stones, or loose gravel. 

Excelsior Matting vs. Coir Erosion Mats

Excelsior matting and coir mats have many similarities. Both are made primarily of biodegradable fibers that are sustainably sourced as natural byproducts of either traditional agriculture or forestry. Both have different gradients of strength and longevity, ranging from three months to three years. And both can be used on flat and sloped surfaces.

Coir erosion control mats are generally made entirely of coir fiber, which means the entire mat is biodegradable without requiring a custom order. And while they’re traditionally more effective in flat areas or on gentle slopes, coir geotextiles have seen great success as natural methods of erosion control. Because coir fiber is resistant to mold, fungus, bacteria, and other inhibitors of successful plant growth, it’s a solid option when you want to reseed a large area. 

You can find coir erosion control materials on our site, whether you’re searching for a residential application or need a large amount of material for a commercial construction project.

Wood Excelsior vs Coco Coir

When it comes to controlling erosion, erosion control mats, netting, and blankets provide ample protection for soil in areas that are vulnerable to damage from wind and water erosion. These erosion control mats and blankets are manufactured using many types of materials, including wood excelsior, coco coir, other natural fibers, and synthetic materials. This review will examine wood excelsior and coco coir specifically, as well as uses and applications for erosion control mats and blankets.

Wood Excelsior

Wood excelsior erosion control mats are biodegradable and help maintain areas heavily affected by erosion. Wood excelsior (also known as wood wool) mats are natural products made from tiny slivers of wood fiber. Providing soil stabilization to hills, banks, and shores, wood excelsior mats are an effective means of controlling and alleviating the effects of wind and water erosion. The wood excelsior erosion control mats have short life spans, so once the vegetation begins to grow and flourish, the mat will degrade without interfering with its growth.

Coco Coir

Coco coir erosion control mats and blankets are made from coconut fibers found between the outer coconut shell and the seed within. Coconut fibers are incredibly strong, which enables the coco coir erosion control mats to be durable and nearly indestructible. Coco coir mats can be used repeatedly, so they will last season after season. In addition, coconut fibers are natural products. Thus, coco coir erosion mats are biodegradable and eco-friendly. Coco coir erosion control mats protect, support, and secure the soil, allowing young seedlings to grow unrestricted.

Uses and Applications

Both wood excelsior erosion control mats and coco coir erosion control blankets are used for a variety of gardening, landscaping, agricultural, and large-scale construction projects. Both the wood and coir types of erosion control mats are held together with netting and must be anchored with staples or stakes to the soil during installation. Wood excelsior and coco coir erosion control blankets can be used in any climate or environment.

Wood excelsior erosion control blankets are typically used on slopes to help with slope stabilization as well as hill stabilization. Additionally, wood excelsior erosion control blankets can be used to assist with the growth and support of vegetation in areas affected by erosion. The erosion blanket helps protect the soil and surrounding vegetation from not only wind and water elements but also animals that feed on the plant seeds.

Coco coir erosion control blankets are used for slopes, wetlands, protected environmental areas, and shorelines. Coco coir erosion control blankets help mitigate the effects of erosion by holding the soil in place. This prevents the dirt and vegetation from getting swept away by water or wind.

Whether an erosion control mat or blanket is made of wood excelsior or coco coir, it will help protect the soil and defend against erosion in almost any situation. Wood excelsior and coco coir fibers are similar, and both provide their own set of benefits when used as a method of erosion control in a garden, landscape, or construction site.