We have covered a slope above the Duwamish Waterway with plastic until landscaping occurs in December. The contractor has done a great job overlapping the plastic sheets and securing them with sand bags.
September 30, 2020
Slope Covered with Plastic
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September 29, 2020
Sod Berm Perimeter BMP
This is not one of my projects but we have used this method on occasion. Why install silt fence when you can create a sod berm perimeter BMP?
In this case, the area is small and it is surrounded by vegetation so the risk of erosion and turbid runoff is low. In addition, the sod is full roots and seeds so it will regrow in place, providing additional erosion prevention.
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September 25, 2020
Gravel Berm
When we rebuilt this road, we had the contractor blade the gravel base course into a berm along the edge. This created a berm to project the bare area on the left from erosion caused by runoff from the roadway.
The gravel berm was bladed smooth just before installing a curb along the edge of the road. The bare soil was hydroseeded with bonded fiber matrix.
By using the gravel in this way, we avoided installing silt fence, preventing the soil disturbance that causes and keeping a bunch of plastic out of the landfill at the end of the project.
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September 22, 2020
Beached Whale Beached Log
Is it a beached whale or a beached log? I think this 80 year old log on the Duwamish Waterway looks like Moby Dick. Did you know that the singer Moby is related to Herman Melville?
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September 17, 2020
Compost Sock Catch Basin Berm
This compost sock catch basin berm works well as it is heavy enough to stick to the asphalt. Note the tear and I would keep an eye on it during inspections.
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September 16, 2020
30 mil PVC
Catch Basin Covered with 30 mil PVC – This catch basin in a live storm system sits right in the middle of an actively worked area. Plugging the discharge pipe wasn’t possible due to depth and access of the manhole. The solution is placing heavy 30 mil PVC liner material under the grate then telling all of the workers that they are not to poke holes in it when the area floods from rain.
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September 10, 2020
EXCAVATOR EATS BUILDING!
Excavator Eats Building! I need to throw in an art shot now and then or this TESC stuff gets old.
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September 9, 2020
Berm for Quarry Spalls
This would not have been my choice as a berm for quarry spalls; straw wattles are too light to use on asphalt and they allow water to flow under them. A compost sock, being heavy, would work better, though, they are prone to tearing. An asphalt berm might be best here.
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September 8, 2020
Biodegradable Wattles
I wrote this biodegradable wattles specification for a riverbank habitat restoration project.
I wrote the last three sentences for this particular project, which has a 2:1 slope above an intertidal river. We will place 12 inches of compost before installing native plants this winter; without the wattles, wet compost will slide to the base of the slope.
BIODEGRADABLE WATTLES
- Wattles shall consist of 100% biodegradable straw, coir, excelsior or compost encased in 100% biodegradable fabric or mesh.
- Wattles shall be a minimum of 8 inches in diameter free of cuts tears and damage.
- The installation of straw wattles shall be per WSDOT Standard Plan I-30.30-00 “Wattle Installation on Slope”.
- Wattles shall be staked in place using wooden stakes a minimum of 16 inches long. The stakes shall be cut flush with the top of the wattles.
- Wattles shall be installed on the Site 25 slope above +12 elevation.
- Wattles shall be installed in two rows across the slope parallel to the 12 + elevation.
- Rows shall be approximately 7 feet above the +12 elevation and 7 feet below the top of the slope.
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September 7, 2020
Trash Bag Catch Basin Cover
In an emergency, a heavy duty trash bag can provide catch basin protection until a more permanent BMP is installed.
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