SPECS.pdf

2-1 USDA-NRCS-Wisconsin Section IV, Technical Guide 5/12

WISCONSIN CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION

2. Excavation

1. SCOPE

The work shall consist of the excavation of all materials necessary for the construction of the work.

2. USE OF EXCAVATED MATERIALS

To the extent that they are needed, all suitable materials removed from the specified excavations shall be used in the construction of the required earthfill. The suitability of materials for specific purposes will be determined by the Technician. The Contractor shall not waste or otherwise dispose of suitable excavated materials.

3. DISPOSAL OF WASTE MATERIALS

All surplus or unsuitable excavated materials will be designated as waste and shall be disposed of at the locations shown on the drawings or as approved by the Technician. Waste materials shall not be placed in wetlands.

Material placed in designated waste disposal areas shall be left in a neat and sightly condition and sloped to provide positive drainage. Compaction of the waste materials will not be required unless specified by the construction plans.

Waste material excavated from channels may be deposited in leveled spoilbanks or areas adjacent to the channel work (if permissible). The shape and slopes of the spoilbanks shall be indicated on the drawings or as approved by the Technician. Spoil piles shall be located a minimum of 12 feet from the top of the channel side slope.

Spoil piles or disposal areas shall be protected to minimize site erosion and the production of sediment. Protective measures may include but are not limited to diversions, seeding, mulching, sediment basins, and silt fences.

4. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR STRUCTURE AND TRENCH EXCAVATION

The required dimensions and side slopes of all structure and trench excavations shall be as shown on the drawings.

Excavation beyond the limits of the specified lines and grades shall be corrected by filling the resulting voids with approved compacted materials.

Excavation for the installation of pipes shall follow the practices contained in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Subpart P, Excavation, of 29 CFR 1926.650, .651 and .652.

Side slopes shall be excavated or braced to safeguard the work and workers. When bracing or supporting is required, the width of the excavation shall be adjusted to allow for the space occupied by the sheeting, bracing, or other supporting installations. The Contractor shall furnish, place, and subsequently remove such supporting installations.

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5. REMOVAL OF WATER

The Contractor shall construct and maintain all necessary cofferdams, channels, flumes, pumping equipment, and/or other temporary diversion and protective work for dewatering the various parts of the work. Foundations, cutoff trenches, and other parts of the work shall be maintained free from water as required for constructing each part of the work. After having served their purpose, all cofferdams and other temporary protective works shall be removed, or leveled to give a sightly appearance and so as not to interfere in any way with the operation, usefulness, or stability of the permanent structure.

6. BORROW EXCAVATION

When the quantities of suitable materials obtained from specified excavations are insufficient to construct the specified fill portions of the permanent works, additional materials shall be obtained from the designated borrow areas.

When shown on the drawings, sediment basins, terraces, diversions, or other measures shall be constructed to protect the borrow areas from erosion and retain sediment within the borrow area.

The upper six (6) inches shall be stripped from all borrow areas. This stripping shall be performed immediately prior to use of the borrow material to reduce the time the area is exposed to erosion. For large borrow areas, only a portion of the area should be stripped at a time. This material shall be redistributed over the area from which it came after borrow excavation is completed.

The extent of excavation and the selection of materials from the borrow area shall be as directed by the Technician. On completion of excavation, all borrow pits shall be left in a neat and sightly condition. All borrow areas shall be graded to blend with existing topography and sloped to prevent ponding and provide positive drainage.

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WISCONSIN CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION

3. Earthfill

1. SCOPE

The work shall consist of placing the earthfill required by the drawings. This specification does not apply to the earthfill required for waste storage facilities.

2. MATERIALS

All fill materials shall be obtained from required excavations and designated borrow areas. The selection, blending, routing, and disposition of materials in the various fills shall be subject to approval by Technician.

Fill materials shall contain no sod, brush, roots, frozen soil, or other perishable materials. Stones larger than two-thirds of the uncompacted layer thickness shall be removed from the materials prior to compaction of the fill.

3. FOUNDATION PREPARATION

The foundation area shall be cleared of trees, stumps, roots, brush, rubbish, and stones having a maximum dimension greater than six (6) inches. Foundations shall be stripped to remove vegetation and other unsuitable materials or to the depth shown on the drawings, whichever is greater. Topsoil shall be stripped from the foundation area and stockpiled for use as a top dressing for vegetation establishment unless otherwise shown on the drawings.

Earth foundations shall be graded to remove surface irregularities and slopes steeper than 1:1.

The foundation surfaces shall be scarified parallel to the centerline of the fill to a minimum depth of 2 inches. The moisture content of the scarified materials shall be maintained as specified for the earthfill. The surface materials of the foundation shall be compacted and bonded with the first layer of earthfill as specified for subsequent layers of earthfill.

4. PLACEMENT

Fill shall not be placed until the required excavation and preparation of the underlying foundation is completed and inspected and approved by the Technician. No fill shall be placed upon a frozen surface nor shall snow, ice, or frozen material be incorporated in the fill.

Fill shall be placed in approximately horizontal layers beginning at the lowest elevation of the foundation. The thickness of each layer of fill prior to compaction shall be as specified in Table 1.

Materials placed by dumping in piles or windrows shall be spread uniformly to not more than the specified layer thickness prior to compaction.

Adjacent to structures, earthfill shall be placed in 4-inch lifts (prior to compaction) in a manner adequate to prevent damage to the structure and to allow the structure to gradually and uniformly assume the backfill loads.

The height of the fill shall be increased at approximately the same rate on all sides of the structure.

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Placement of fill adjacent to concrete structures may begin after the concrete has cured for the minimum time specified.

Earthfill in dams, levees, and other structures designed to impound water shall be placed to meet the following additional requirements:

a. The distribution of materials throughout each zone shall be essentially uniform, and the fill shall be free from lenses, pockets, streaks, or layers of material differing substantially in texture, moisture content, or gradation from the surrounding material.

b. The embankment top shall be maintained approximately level during construction except for sectional construction as described in Section 7.

c. Dam embankments shall be constructed in continuous layers from abutment to abutment, except where openings to facilitate construction or to allow passage of stream flow during construction are specified.

d. If the surface of any layer becomes too hard and smooth to achieve a suitable bond with the succeeding layer, it shall be scarified parallel to the axis of the fill to a depth of not less than 2 inches before the next layer is placed.

5. CONTROL OF MOISTURE CONTENT

Fill materials shall have a moisture content sufficient to insure the required compaction. When kneaded in the hand, the soil will form a ball which does not readily separate and will not extrude out of the hand when squeezed tightly. The adequacy of the moisture content will be determined by the Technician.

Fill material or the top surface of the preceding layer of compacted fill that becomes too dry to permit suitable bond shall either be removed or scarified and wetted by sprinkling to an acceptable moisture content prior to placement of the next layer of fill.

Fill material that is too wet when deposited or the top surface of the preceding layer of compacted fill that becomes too wet shall be either removed or allowed to dry to an acceptable moisture content before compaction or placing additional layers of fill.

6. COMPACTION

The Contractor shall furnish and operate the types and kinds of equipment necessary to compact the fill materials.

Unless otherwise specified on the plans or approved by the Technician, compaction requirements for each layer of fill material are as shown in Table 1.

Each pass shall consist of at least one complete coverage by the wheel, track, or roller over the entire surface of the fill layer in a direction parallel to the main axis of the fill.

Adjacent to structures or in confined areas, compaction of the fill shall be accomplished by means of manually directed power tampers or plate vibrators or hand tamping, unless otherwise specified. The Technician shall determine if adequate compaction is being achieved. Heavy equipment shall not be

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5/12 operated within 2 feet of any structure. Compaction by means of drop weights operating from a crane or hoist of any type will not be permitted.

7. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SECTIONAL CONSTRUCTION OF EMBANKMENTS

When sectional (or phase) construction of embankments is authorized, the work shall be accomplished in the following manner:

Each section of the embankment that is constructed in the first phase shall be so placed that a slope not steeper than 3 feet horizontal to 1 foot vertical is maintained at the end of the embankment section adjacent to the gap in construction or closure section.

Prior to placement of the closure sections, the surfaces of completed fills and excavations that will be in contact with the closure shall be stripped of all loose material, scarified, moistened, and recompacted as necessary.

Table 1 - Equipment Compaction Requirements

Equipment Type Applicable Soils1 Maximum Fill Height2

(feet)

Layer Thickness3

(inches)

Minimum Passes4

Sheepsfoot roller (10,000 lb. min. operating weight)

ML, MH, CL, CH

or

SM, SC, GM, GC with >20% fines

None 9 1

Vibratory tamping roller (9,000 lb. min. operating weight) SM, SC, GM, GC None 9 2

Rubber-tired scraper (fully loaded) GM, GC, SM, SC, ML, MH, CL, CH 20 9 1

Rubber-tired front end loader (fully loaded)

GM, GC, SM, SC, ML,

MH, CL, CH 20 6 1

Track-type crawler (standard tracks)

30,000 lb. min.

GM, GC, SM, SC, ML, CL 10** 6 2

SP, SW, GP, GW 6** 12 4

CL, ML, SC, SM 15## 3 2

less than 30,000 lb. GM, GC, GP, GW, SM, SC, SP, SW, ML, CL 6** 6 2

Farm tractor (2,400 lb. min.) GM, GC, SM, SC, ML, MH, CL, CH 15 6 2

Steel drum vibratory roller (10,000 lb. min.) SP, SW, GP, GW None** 12 2

1 Unified Soil Classification System.

2 Measured from the top of the fill to the lowest point along the centerline of the fill.

3 Prior to Compaction.

4 The Technician shall determine if adequate compaction is being achieved. Additional passes may be required.

** The fill shall not have a permanent body of water stored against it.

## This method may only be used for embankments that will not have the potential for a permanent body of water stored against it that is greater than 1/4 acre in surface area or more than 6 feet deep.

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WISCONSIN CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION

7. Mobilization and Demobilization

1.

The work consists of the mobilization and demobilization of the Contractor's forces and equipment necessary for performing the work required.

SCOPE

2.

Mobilization shall include:

EQUIPMENT AND MATERIAL

• All activities and associated costs for transportation of the Contractor's personnel, equipment, and operating supplies to the site;

• Establishment of offices, buildings, and other necessary general facilities for the Contractor's operations at the site

• Premiums paid for performance and payment bonds including coinsurance and reinsurance agreements as applicable

• Construction and maintenance of haul roads and equipment parking areas

• Other job related items

Demobilization shall include:

• All activities and costs for transportation of personnel, equipment, and supplies not utilized in the project from the site

• Disassembly, removal, and site cleanup of offices, buildings, and other facilities assembled on the site.

• Repair of access roads, temporary haul roads, and equipment parking areas leaving the project site in the same or better condition than at the start of the project.

• General cleanup and house keeping needed to restore a neat and orderly project site.

Access to the site, equipment parking, and staging areas are limited to that shown on the drawings or as approved by the technician.

Natural Resources

United States Department of Agriculture

How to Establish and Maintain Introduced Grasses and Legumes

Conservation Service Wisconsin Job Sheet 134

Landowner: Tract:

If you are receiving financial assistance for completing this planting, refer to your agreement for any additional requirements or restrictions.

Purpose

This job sheet describes methods to establish and maintain introduced grasses and legumes and applies to the following practice:

Conservation Cover (327) Critical Area Planting (342) Forage and Biomass Planting (512)

Introduced grasses and legumes can be used to accomplish one or more of the following:

• Stabilize areas with existing or expected high rates of soil erosion.

• Enhance pollinator and wildlife habitat.

• Improve forage production and livestock health.

• Improve soil, water, and air quality.

For additional recommendations, refer to Wisconsin NRCS Agronomy Technical Note 6, Establishing and Maintaining Introduced Grasses and Legumes, located at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/wi/ technical/?cid=nrcs142p2_020841

Species Selection and Seed Quality

Species and cultivars must be selected based upon the adaptation to site conditions, including appropriate moisture regime or forage suitability group, climatic conditions, soil conditions, and landscape position.

1. Select species based on growth characteristics, fertility requirements, disease resistance, compatibility with other species, and the intended use of the seeding.

2. Mixtures must meet all requirements of the Wisconsin weed laws. Species identified as restricted or prohibited by law shall not be planted.

3. Seed must be of high quality and meet the requirements of the Wisconsin seed laws for certification. If you plan to use untested seed, prior approval must be granted from NRCS before planting.

If certified seed is not available, non-certified seed may be used as long as the seed is tested for purity and germination by a testing laboratory following Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) procedures.

4. If more than 20 percent of the legume seed is hard seed, increase the seeding rate for legumes by the percent of hard seed.

5. Legume seeds must be inoculated prior to planting.

Seeding Periods and Rates

Seeding rates and species are provided on the attached seeding plan. Rates are based upon Pure Live Seed (PLS).

In order to determine PLS, the seed must be tested for purity and germination. If you are receiving financial assistance for this practice, any changes to the species or rates listed in the seeding plan must be approved before seed is purchased.

• Permanent, perennial vegetative cover will be established within the recommended seeding dates as shown on the attached seeding plan. When it is

How to Establish and Maintain Introduced Grasses and Legumes Wisconsin Job Sheet 134

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

April 2014 http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/wi/ not possible to seed during the recommended seeding dates, a temporary cover will be required to reduce erosion until the seeding can be completed.

• Frost Seeding. The frost seeding period in Wisconsin typically ranges from February to mid- March but may vary from year to year depending on the weather. Frost seeding is allowed only during the active freezing and thawing cycle and can be completed on fields where good seed-to-soil contact can be obtained. Do not frost seed on fields with solid ice or snow cover greater than 2 inches. Seeding rates must be increased by 15 percent. Refer to your seeding plan to determine if frost seeding is allowed for your situation.

• Dormant Seeding. Dormant seeding occurs late in the fall when the soil temperature is cool enough to prevent germination until the following spring.

This type of seeding provides greater risk of failure due to variability in weather and often has reduced yields. Seeding rates must be increased by 15 percent when seeding during this time period. Refer to your seeding plan to determine if dormant seeding is allowed for your situation.

Fertilizer and Lime Requirements

Forage and Biomass Planting (512) lf you are planting hayland or pasture, soil tests no older than 4 years must be taken according to UW Extension Publication A2100, Sampling Soils for Testing. You will need at least one sample for every 5 acres or less, and the samples must be analyzed at a Wisconsin certified soil testing laboratory. Any recommendations for fertilizer or lime will be applied based on UW Extension Publication A2809, Nutrient Application Guidelines for Field, Vegetable and Fruit Crops.

Conservation Cover (327) or Critical Area Planting (342)

When following either of these standards, you can choose to take a soil test using the procedure listed above or follow a general recommendation.

If you choose not to obtain a soil test, a general recommendation of 150 pounds per acre of a 20-10- 10 fertilizer and a minimum of 2 tons per acre of 80- 89 lime may be used. Under certain conditions, fertilizer and/or lime requirements may be waived.

Seeding Methods

Conventional Seeding

Conventional seeding includes preparing a firm seedbed by using tillage and packing equipment.

The seed is broadcasted on the soil surface and incorporated by secondary tillage or packing equipment.

When using a drill, seed should be sorted according to size and shape and placed in the appropriate seed boxes to ensure uniform distribution across the field.

Seed can also be broadcast by using air seeders, fertilizer spreaders, or other types of rotary or drop seeder implements. When a small amount of seed is being applied over a large area, a carrier should be mixed with the seed. Carriers such as pelletized lime, fertilizer, cracked corn, saw dust, vermiculite, etc., may be used.

The seedbed should contain enough fine soil particles to provide uniform shallow coverage of the seed as well as contact with moisture and nutrients. It is important to have a firm seedbed. As a minimum, cultipack or roll before and after seeding. When walking on a properly prepared seedbed, the depth of your footprints should not exceed ¼ inch. Do not use heavy, no-till type drills to seed on conventionally prepared seedbeds. Heavy drills tend to sink into the soil and seeding depth will be difficult to control. Do not plant seed deeper than ¼ inch.

No-Till Seeding

No-till planting is the planting of grasses and/or legumes in the absence of tillage. No-till can be used to establish new seedings on land previously in row crops or existing sod. As with conventional seeding, seed placement should be no deeper than ¼ inch. A drill equipped for no-till planting must be used to obtain proper seeding depth unless the ground is soft enough to allow consistent penetration of disk openers of a conventional drill.

Herbicides are often necessary when using no-till methods of establishment. When using herbicides, be sure to read and follow all label directions.

No-Till Planting Into Crop Residue

Residue should be uniformly distributed over the field

How to Establish and Maintain Introduced Grasses and Legumes Wisconsin Job Sheet 134 from the previous year’s harvest. It is often preferred to plant new seedings into soybean stubble when using a no-till drill. No-tilling into large amounts of non-fragile residue such as corn stalks and small grain residue may reduce germination and seedling vigor.

For spring weed control, use a nonselective herbicide to kill weeds prior to planting. Be careful not to select a herbicide that will have carryover or residual effects on your new seeding.

No-Till Planting Into Existing Sod

No-till planting can be used to completely renovate existing sod. In order to prepare a good seedbed for no-tilling into existing sod, plant litter and existing growth must be removed or altered prior to applying nonselective herbicides. Options to remove or reduce existing cover include mowing, burning, haying, or grazing.

• Mowing: Mow the site using a rotary mower or flail chopper to a height of 3 inches. Mow-ing equipment should uniformly distribute the mowed plant material over the field surface.

• Burning: Conduct a prescribed burn according to the requirements outlined in the burn plan. The burn plan must address safety concerns and docu-ment the appropriate timing for the burn.

• Haying: Mechanically harvest vegetation from the site the year before the planned seeding. The timing of the hay harvest should be planned to minimize the amount of re-growth that will occur prior to herbicide application.

• Grazing: Timing and duration of grazing must be intensive enough to significantly reduce the existing vegetative cover. If possible, begin the grazing at a time of the year when the standing vegetation is green and growing to increase the palatability and feed value of the forage which will result in a more uniform removal of the vegetation.

After the existing plant litter is altered or removed, allow plants to actively re-grow before applying a nonselective herbicide. Be aware of herbicides that may have carryover or residual effects. Timing of herbicide applications usually occurs in the spring before plants flower or early fall to actively-growing plants. Herbicide applications in the fall often have greater efficacy, but air temperature should be above 50° F to improve plant uptake.

Inter-Seeding

Inter-seeding includes any stand modification that maintains some vegetative component of the original stand. Inter-seeding is a good way to improve existing stands that lack plant diversity or have low-yielding forage species. Existing plant growth and litter will need to be reduced, and the same options used for no-tilling into existing sod can be used. In addition, limited tillage can be used to suppress the existing cover.

• Limited Tillage: Limited tillage may also be used to suppress the existing stand. Fields can be tilled to a depth of 3 to 5 inches and should expose at least 50 percent of the soil surface. Careful consideration should be used when using limited tillage due to potential erosion concerns or the potential to encourage additional weed growth due to soil disturbance.

After reducing plant growth, herbicides can be used to suppress, not eliminate, vegetation prior to interseeding. One must consider the current types of plants in the field (grasses vs. broadleaves) and which species you want to suppress. In addition, current field conditions and timing of application must be considered before selecting a herbicide.

A drill equipped for no-till planting must be used to obtain proper seeding depth unless limited tillage is used to prepare the seedbed. In this case, seed may be broadcast or drilled. Use a cultipacker or roll the seedbed before and after seeding when tillage is used

Temporary Cover and Companion Crops

Temporary Cover

Temporary cover is required when seed or planting stock is not available, the normal planting period has passed, or where herbicide carryover is likely. A temporary cover will typically not be necessary on those areas where at least 50 percent of the ground is covered with either crop residue or vegetative cover.

Temporary cover crops must be clipped or terminated prior to seedhead emergence or before planting permanent cover.

How to Establish and Maintain Introduced Grasses and Legumes Wisconsin Job Sheet 134

Temporary Cover

Species

Rate (lbs. or bu./acre)

Seeding Dates

No Herbi-cide Car-ryover

Triazine Herbicide Carryover

Likely Forage Sor-ghum

½ bu.

5/15 to 7/15

Sorghum- Sudangrass Hybrid

1 bu.

Sudangrass

1 bu.

Winter Wheat

(2 bu.)

Not recommended

8/1 to 10/15

Winter Cereal Rye

(2 bu.)

Not

Oats

(2 bu.)

4/1 to-

9/1

Annual Rye-grass

20 lbs.

recommended 4/1 to

9/1 your conservation planner to determine if mulching is required.

Operation and Maintenance

Companion Crops

Companion crops can be used to reduce the amount of erosion on critical sites, suppress weeds, and provide added protection for permanent perennial vegetation seeded during the first year of planting.

If the seeding is not used for hayland purposes, the companion crop must be mowed before seedhead emergence. Second and subsequent mowings may be necessary when re-growth provides competition to new plantings. Mowing should only remove the growth above the developing seedlings. Companion crops seeded late summer in most cases will not require clippings prior to the first killing frost unless the growing season is prolonged. Refer to your seeding plan to determine if companion crops are recommended for your situation.

Mulching

Mulch materials shall consist of natural and/or artificial materials such as plant residue, wood bark or chips, plastic, or fabric. Mulching is generally performed after grading, soil surface preparation, and seeding and plantings are complete. Mulch material shall be evenly applied and anchored to the soil.

Review your engineering or seeding plan or consult

Weed control during establishment is critical to ensure survival of the new stand. Mowing, herbi-cide application, or grazing may be used alone or in combination to control weeds before they go to seed. Graze or mow the existing stand at a height of 4 to 6 inches before weeds go to seed. If grazing the stand, be cautious of selective grazing where animals do not uniformly graze the stand. Be careful not to mow or graze when the soil is wet to avoid damage to seedlings. If residue will be left on the field, do not allow the vegetation to grow too high prior to mow-ing; otherwise, excessive residue may accumulate and smother seedlings. Additional treatment may be needed every 3 to 4 weeks throughout the growing season until the stand becomes established. If using herbicides, be sure to follow all label directions.

Once the permanent vegetation is established, control noxious weeds or invading woody vegetation by spot mowing, spraying with herbicides, grazing, burning, or other methods appropriate for the site. To maximize wildlife benefits, mow before May 15 or after August 1 to protect nesting birds and provide cover.

Please note: If you are receiving financial assistance for this seeding, certain methods and timing of main-tenance may not be allowed. Refer to your contract agreement for specific guidance.

Conservation Reserve Program Requirements

CRP rules allow the cover to be managed throughout the year to control weeds or woody vegetation UNTIL the cover is determined to be established (typically within the first 3 years of the contract).

Once the cover is established, no disturbance is al-lowed during the primary nesting season recorded in the CRP contract (May 15 through August 1). Spot clipping or spot spraying may be done during the primary nesting season with prior approval from the local Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee.

Any haying or grazing of CRP must be approved by the Farm Service Agency in advance.

How to Establish and Maintain Introduced Grasses and Legumes Wisconsin Job Sheet 134

Example Pure Live Seed (PLS) Rate Calculations:

• Step 1 – Determine the seeding rate of each of specie. For example: 80 PLS pounds per acre of Spring Barley is planned.

• Step 2 – Multiply the percent purity by the percent germination of each specie based on seed tag information. For example: 98% purity x 60% germination equates to 0.588% PLS.

• Step 3 – Divide the planned seeding rate by the percent PLS to find the bulk seed needed per acre.

For example: 80 lbs. of Spring Barley per acre / 0.588% PLS = 136 lbs/acre.

The adjusted pure live seeding rate of 136 pounds of Spring Barley per acre is required to meet the seeding criteria for his example.

How to Establish and Maintain Introduced Grasses and Legumes Wisconsin Job Sheet 134