Every best management practice (BMP) has a fit in certain situations. The purpose of this dialogue is to highlight the advantages of using a hydraulically applied erosion control technology like Flexterra HP-FGM compared to the using rolled erosion control products.

The most cost-effective form of erosion control is sustainable vegetation. Achieving this quickly and efficiently can be based on many variables such as vegetation type, slope, climatic conditions, and which BMP is used.

Scientific analysis, using published performance parameters, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and ASTM standards, along with typical construction practices prove that, by using Flexterra HP-FGM, you can expect 3-4 times more germination based on ASTM D7322 testing results compared to blankets. You can also expect 2 times less soil loss when compared to double net straw blankets as well. There is also the added benefit of introducing less plastics into the environment as certain ECB’s have a nylon reinforcement, which will photodegrade over time..

Aside from the time and cost savings associated with the installation of Flexterra HP-FGM versus double net straw blankets, there are also the following additional benefits:

• Effective without smoothing the site surface. (Having a rough surface minimizes erosion while the soil irregularities provide pockets for holding moisture and improving growth establishment)
• Eliminates the cost and labour of pinning of blankets
• Forms an intimate bond with the soil surface.
• Often water can get under the blanket washing away any seed further down the slope, as well as causing rill erosion that is masked by the blanket.