Erosion control mat system

A concrete mat apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of elongated concrete members, each elongated concrete member being aligned with and next to another elongated concrete member;
• (b) each of the elongated concrete members having an upper generally flat surface, a lower generally flat surface, and a plurality of inclined surfaces that each extend away from an upper generally flat or lower generally flat surface, said inclined surfaces including a pair of upper inclined surfaces and a pair of lower inclined surfaces;
• (c) reinforcement that extends from a first end portion of each elongated concrete member to a second end portion of each elongated concrete member, said reinforcement including a plurality of upper longitudinally extending reinforcement rods, a plurality of lower longitudinally extending reinforcement rods, and a plurality of stirrups located at spaced apart intervals, each said stirrup encircling multiple of said upper and lower longitudinally extending reinforcement rods;
• (d) cabling that connects each of the elongated concrete members to another of said elongated concrete members, said cabling including generally parallel, transversely extending cable sections, each cable section extending transversely through multiple of said elongated concrete members in between said upper and said lower longitudinally extending reinforcement rods;
• (e) wherein the elongated concrete members define in combination a mat having a width and a length that is at least twice as long as the width;
• (f) said plurality of inclined surfaces including upper inclined surfaces forming a plane with a lower inclined surface of another said elongated concrete member;
• (g) a plurality of loops along opposed edges of the mat, each loop formed by a portion of said cabling;
• (h) wherein there are said stirrups positioned on each side of and spaced from each said generally parallel transversely extending cable section;
• and
• (I) further comprising one or more layers of articulating block mats supported upon the plurality of elongated concrete members.