Slope Grid Driveway Customer Story

Residential slope stabilization is a concern for many homeowners, and having the right erosion control product is crucial in preventing hillside erosion and soil loss. Slope Grid geocells are expertly designed to retain embankment soil and promote the growth of natural vegetation.

Slope Grid is an anchored geocell designed to prevent soil erosion on slopes, making it ideal for landscapes with angles greater than a 1:2 slope or 22.5 degrees. Its unique Earth anchoring system stabilizes hillsides and prevents erosion from wind, rain, and water runoff. The system is most effective when combined with native vegetation plantings, which further stabilize and strengthen the organic root network in the underlying soil while enhancing the landscape’s beauty.

One of our customers, Mr. Edwards, faced a persistent issue with his driveway washing out. Located in the rocky, hilly mountains, each heavy rain would wash the gravel from his driveway onto the county road below. This not only resulted in material loss but also a fine from the county for littering the road with rocks. In search of a solution, Mr. Edwards discovered the Slope Grid product. Working with his contractor, they found it easy to implement a solution using Slope Grid.

The contractor re-graded the driveway and dug a swale trench along its side. A swale is a shallow valley designed to channel water. With the driveway re-graded and the swale dug, water could now be directed toward the hill and into the swale. To stabilize the road, the Slope Grid was expanded and placed in the swale and along the edge of the driveway, integrating the swale and the sloped road. J-hook anchors were then placed approximately every three feet down the side of the grid to secure it to the swale hillside.

Crushed stone was added to the driveway and partially into the Slope Grid in the swale, creating a tie between the swale and driveway. A machine was used to fill the remaining grid with larger stones, such as number 2 size aggregate. These larger stones slow the water flow, while the Slope Grid prevents the material from sliding downhill.

With the new swale and securely placed stones, Mr. Edwards can now rest assured that his road will no longer wash out after heavy rains. While standard road maintenance, such as fixing potholes, may still be required, he has not experienced any gravel loss since the Slope Grid installation.