Efficacy of Erosion Control Blankets and Soil Stabilizers

Project summary:

Steep embankments must be protected to prevent excessive soil erosion. Native grasses are increasingly used for long-term control; whereas blankets and soil stabilizers are used for short-term control. Erosion control blankets and soil stabilizers may adversely impact the establishment of native grasses. In addition, new products to control short-term erosion are being marketed. These products have not been tested for Minnesota conditions. The research will determine the impacts of new erosion control blankets/stabilizers on the germination and growth of native seed mixes and the effectiveness of these blankets/stabilizers in controlling erosion. A relatively large number of different types of blankets/stabilizers will be evaluated in greenhouses. Additional studies will be done using field plots. Data will also be collected from the field plots to quantify the erosion and runoff from different treatments. Both natural and simulated rainfall will be used in these experiments. Based on the vegetation establishment and erosion results, recommendations of the most effective erosion control measures will be made.