Using STA Certified Compost – Directions for Use and Specifications : Erosion Control Specifications
Compost – Erosion Control Uses
Compost is a great tool to prevent erosion due to its ability to slow down and infiltrate water into the soil. This benefit is especially true when it is paired with one of the erosion control methods below. These methods improve water quality by reducing the amount of stormwater that enters waterways. They do so through the creation of barriers that stop the water from flowing or cover the soil completely. Read on for more information about what each one does and when to use it.
Compost Blanket
How It’s Applied: A layer of loosely applied compost that is placed on top of the soil in disturbed areas to control erosion and retain sediment resulting from sheet flow runoff. Compost blankets are used in place of sediment and erosion control tools such as mulch, netting, or chemical stabilization.
Compost Sock
How It’s Applied: A mesh tube filled with compost that is placed perpendicular to sheet flow runoff to control erosion and retain sediment in disturbed areas. The filter sock can be used in place of a sediment and erosion control tool such as a silt fence.
Compost Berm
How It’s Applied: A dike of compost that is placed perpendicular to sheet flow runoff to control erosion in disturbed areas and retain sediment. It can be used in place of a sediment and erosion control tool such as a silt fence. The base of the berm is generally twice the height of the berm.
Green Infrastructure
How It’s Applied: Compost can be paired with green infrastructure in a number of ways in order to promote on-site stormwater management. Among those potential GI/compost projects are compost blankets, infiltration zones, and rain gardens. To learn more about how compost can be used with green infrastructure, click below.
Benefits of Compost
Compost helps to reduce soil erosion in a number of ways, including by binding soil together, increasing infiltration, and slowing the surface flow of water. Click here for more on how compost can help prevent erosion on your project.
Increases Infiltration
Compost increases the permeability and infiltration of heavy soils. In doing this, it decreases the amount of stormwater runoff that flows over the soil. Since overland stormwater flow is largely responsible for erosion during storm events, compost decreases this erosion.
Slows Water Flow
In addition, compost slows water flow through the soil by increasing the holding capacity of sandy soils. This further decreases on-site erosion.
Binds Soil Together
Finally, compost reduces erosion by acting as a soil “glue” that holds particles together. These “sticky” properties are due to its high humus content; humus is a stable residue that results from the decomposition of organic matter.