124D9018B0003_Attachment_3.pdf

Quality Control Plan for

OBSTRUCTION REMOVAL

Calhoun County, Texas

1. Scope

Removal and disposal of vegetation, fences, landscape features (rocks-boulders) and other materials that interfere with the installation of the planned conservation practice. Vegetation and/or trees marked with flagging will not be disturbed. Obstruction removal consists of 3,972 feet of old fence and woody vegetation to be removed.

Hazardous waste will not be addressed with this practice. Contact Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for Guidance concerning hazardous wastes.

2. Location

The affected area shall be located as shown on the drawings/map or as staked in the field.

3. Protection of existing vegetation

Trees and other vegetation designated to remain undisturbed shall be protected from damage throughout the duration of the contract period. Any damages resulting from the contractor’s operations or neglect shall be repaired by the contractor. Any erosion resulting from vehicular parking, and excessive foot and vehicular traffic during the contract period will be repaired to the pre-existing condition at the expense of the contractor. Vegetation damaged by any of these or similar actions shall be replaced with viable vegetation of the same species, similar condition, and like size unless otherwise approved by the contracting officer. Any limbs or branches 0.5 inches or larger in diameter that are broken, severed, or otherwise seriously damaged during the contract period shall be cut off at the base of the damaged limb or branch flush with adjacent limb or tree trunk. Roots exposed during the contract period shall be covered with moist earth or backfilled as soon as possible to prevent the roots from drying out.

4. Marking

The limits of the area(s) where obstruction removal will take place will be marked by stakes, flags, tree markings, or other suitable materials.

5. Clearing

All trees not marked for preservation and all snags, logs, brush, stumps, shrubs, existing fence, rubbish and similar materials shall be cleared from within the limits of the designated areas. Unless otherwise specified, all stumps, roots and root clusters that have a diameter of 1 inch or larger shall be removed to ground level. Cleared area will be 10 feet minimum and 20 feet maximum total width.

USDA-NRCS Conservation Easement Boundary markers must not be cleared and must remain in their location.

124D9018B0003 Attachment 3

6. Public and Private Utilities

Utilities are defined to be overhead and underground power or communication lines, and pipelines. The contractor should conduct their own search and discovery for utilities in order to lessen or avoid potential damages. The owner/operator shall complete TX-ENG-80A, Utilities Inventory, during planning and return it to the NRCS representative. The owner/operator shall also ensure that TX-ENG-80B, Cooperator Confirmation of the One-Call Utility Safety System is completed and returned to the NRCS representative prior to layout or any ground disturbance.

7. Quality Control

Quality control of all materials and construction procedures is the responsibility of the contractor. NRCS will make periodic review(s) of the work for the benefit of the Agency which will include the final construction check.

8. Removal and Disposal

This item shall consist of clearing the planned materials on site necessary to complete the work as need for the installation of a proposed conservation practice or materials designated on plan map or staked in the field.

The cleared material shall be chipped or removed from the site or disposed of at a locations selected by the landowner and/or contractor and approved by NRCS. The landowner and/or contractor is responsible for complying with all federal, state and local rules and regulations and the payment of any and all fees that may result from disposal at locations away from the project site.

A. REMOVAL/HAULING

a. Material removed from the site shall be transported to an approved landfill in an environmentally acceptable manner.

b. Any material removed from the site for disposal to an approved landfill will require documentation from the disposal facility.

B. MULCHING

a. Mulching of materials to a particle size of no larger than an average chip size of 3” X 6”and a depth of no greater than 6 inches at locations pre-designated by inspector.

For the duration of the contract, regular inspections of the project area will be performed and documented.

Remove and properly discard all broken/unused fencing materials and hardware. All materials must be disposed of properly before work is complete.

There will be no onsite burning or burying of materials.

9. Measurement/Certification

NRCS will inspect the competed obstruction removal and constructed fence to ensure it meets our standards and specifications.

124D9018B0003 Attachment 3