Colorado Rocky Mountain Revegetation Services

Rocky Mountain Revegetation provides land reclamation, revegetation, erosion control, storm water management and mowing services and solutions.

Rocky Mountain Revegetation specializes in ecological restoration. Our primary goal is to alter an area in such a way as to reestablish an ecosystem’s structure and function, usually bringing it back to its original (pre-disturbance) state or to a healthy state close to the original state. In order to do this effectively, we utilize a variety of tools, techniques and processes including drill seeding, hydro-seeding and erosion control seeding.

 

Hydro-Seeding

Hydroseeding is accomplished by using specialized equipment designed exclusively for the process. Materials used in Hydroseeding are water, seed, fertilizer, tackifier (an organic substance made from guar gum) and wood/fiber mulch.  Our process mixes turf or native grass seed and fertilizer with water in a Hydroseeding unit.  An agitator mixes all of the ingredients into a thick slurry. The mixture is applied using a Hydroseed unit which has a pump with either with a long range turret, or a hose to allow for more precise coverage, depending on the terrain that is being seeded. Hydroseeding can be either a one step or multi step process. We use a multi step process, which applies the seed first to ensure more seed contact with the soil. The next step is either the straw mulch or fiber mulch.

Edwards Baseball Field

The process continues in one of two ways. Straw is applied to the seeded area using certified weed free straw through a straw blower or processor. It is applied at a rate of 2 tons per acre. The straw can also be pushed in, or “crimped” into the soil with a mechanical device attached to a tractor. Once uniform coverage of straw is applied, a mixture of water and guar gum/tackifier, a natural glue like product which keeps the straw from blowing away and holds in moisture, is applied over the straw and seed. Straw also helps keep moisture in the soil and aids in erosion control. The straw will naturally decay, providing nutrients to the soil.
 
The other process is Hydromulching.  After the seed has been applied, water, fiber mulch, and guar gum/tackifier are mixed in the Hydroseed unit. The fiber mulch can be of a wood cellulose fiber, paper fiber, a combination of the two or even other types of mulch listed below. Wood fiber is our preferred method and is generally applied at the rate 2000 to 3500 lbs per acre, depending on the slope of the terrain. The mulch combined with the tackifier reduces moisture evaporation from the soil and assists in erosion control by keeping the disturbed soil in place. 
 
Benefits of Hydroseeding:
  • Low initial cost compared to other treatments.
  • Immediate protection from erosion due to rain drop impact or wind.
  • Vegetation provided by seed in this treatment provides long-term control of erosion.
 
Please note there is an inconsistency of terms in the business. Hydroseeding is sometimes referred to as Hydromulching or Hydraulic seeding. They generally are all the same process, except whether a company uses the one step or multi step process.
 
Types of mulch available include:
Wood fiber mulch,
Bonded fiber mulch – Wood fiber is mixed with bonding agents to
Flexterra – Proprietary mulch made by Profile Products.
 

Drill Seeding

Drill seeding is an agricultural process complete with a tractor and a specialized seeding attachment called a drill. The drill utilizes a mechanical mechanism to open a furrow, place the seed in the soil at a certain depth, then cover the seed with wheels or some sort of packing mechanism. The depth of the seed can be regulated as well as the rate of application.

Because drill seeding uses no wood/fiber mulch in the process the cost is generally less. Drill seeding is advantageous on larger areas, more level areas and projects where obtaining adequate water to hydro-seed exist

Benefits of Drill Seeding:

  • Low cost compared to other erosion control treatments.
  • Placing the seed in the soil typically leads to better vegetative cover than hydroseed techniques due to additional protection from the sun, wind, birds and like items that typically inhibit seed germination.
  • Generally more successful than Seeding or Erosion Control (Hydroseed).
  • Requires only one-half the seeding rate of Seeding or Erosion Control (Hydroseed).
  • Vegetation provided by seed in this treatment provides long-term effective control of erosion

 

Erosion Control

Erosion is the wearing away of soil and other deposits on the ground by the action of rainfall, water, ice, wind, and other natural processes.

Erosion Control is the prevention (or minimization) of the erosion process.  It is also sometimes referred to as soil
stabilization. 

Sediment control is the practice that traps soil and other particles after the soil has been displaced by rainfall or
water.  Sediment control Best Management Practices (BMP's) are principally used during the construction stage of a new project.  Generally, vegetation is stripped from the soil during excavation, leaving the bare ground open to erosion and the harmful potential pollutants such as oil, diesel fuel, concrete washout, hydraulic fluid and others after they have been moved by rain, flowing water, or wind. Sediment control BMP's are usually passive systems that rely on filtering or settling the particles out of the water or wind that is transporting them.  They allow sediment to be trapped so it does not enter the stormwater system which may ultimately flow to the local streams, rivers and lakes.

Sediment control and erosion control practices are often used together.  Sediment control practices include a variety of devices such as:

Silt Fences -- Silt fences are temporary devices comprised of stakes or supporting posts with a filter fabric attached.  The base is bureied atleast 6 inches into the ground.  The fence allows water to pool and sediment to be prevented from exiting a site.  Silt fences should be checked weekly or after every precipitation event.

Slope Drains -- prevent water from running on to the bare soil.  It is a method of taking water from the top of a slope and delivering it to the bottom without affecting the distturbed area.

Sediment Basins -- a basin or pond like area designed to collect and store sediment originating from constuction sites.  The basin may or may not be removed when construction is finalized.

Tracking Control Devices -- An area designed to reduce the construction equipment from "tracking" sediment off the
construction site on on to public roadways.  A Vehicle Tracking Pad is usually designed by placing course aggregate over top of a filter fabric.   

Inlet Drains -- Protective devices are placed around storm inlet drains to decrease sediment from entering the stormwater system.  Examples include straw bales, excavating a small aea around the inlet, sand bags, and special filters designed just for the purpose of inlet protection.