Amazon contacted Pat Kelly of Kelly Landscaping to provide proposals for either large rock riprap or a permanent erosion control mat with grass seed to armor approximately 10,000 linear feet of shoreline. Drawing on prior experience with the InstaTurf ShearForce10 hybrid-turf instant armor mat for pond bank protection, Pat recommended this innovative solution for the project. An on-site consultation with Cap Boso of Ferguson Waterworks, the local InstaTurf distributor in Indianapolis, further confirmed ShearForce10 as the most effective vegetative option for long-term armoring of the banks.

Kelly Landscaping submitted bids for both rock riprap and InstaTurf ShearForce10 installation, as requested. Due to the proximity of the facility’s security fence to some pond banks, accessing these areas with the heavy equipment required for over-excavation and rock placement would have been challenging, significantly increasing costs. After reviewing the proposals, Amazon chose the lower-cost, easier-to-maintain ShearForce10 option, saving nearly $80,000. With approval from the City of Greenwood, Kelly Landscaping moved forward with restoring the pond banks.

A six-person crew equipped with a small backhoe and Harley rake began work in mid-May 2024, smoothing the bank faces and preparing the soil for seeding and mat installation. Following application of a turf-type seed mix and fertilizer, the 6-foot-wide, 45-foot-long rolls of ShearForce10 were placed along the tops of the banks and unrolled parallel to the waterline, with edges extending 1.5 to 2 feet below the normal water level. All rolls were anchored with 8-inch metal sod staples spaced 1.5 to 2 feet apart, with closer spacing along the waterline and terminal edges.