Geomats

Geomats are lightweight mats and blankets laid over exposed soil to protect it from rain impact and runoff during the period after grading and seeding, when the surface has no vegetation to hold it together. They hold soil and seed in place, moderate temperature and moisture at the surface, and let grass establish rather than wash away — protecting both the slope and the watercourse downstream from sediment.

Two categories serve different timeframes. Natural-fiber products made from materials such as coir, straw or jute degrade over months or years as roots take hold, leaving nothing behind once the vegetation is doing the work. Synthetic turf reinforcement mats stay in place permanently, with vegetation growing through and around them, and are used in channels, spillways and other locations where flow velocities exceed what grass alone can withstand. Typical applications include cut-and-fill slopes, drainage swales, stream banks, shorelines and reclamation sites.