Ripping_Specs_Revised.pdf

SPECIFICATION for 490

SITE PREPARATION: RIPPING

Wetland Reserve Easements – Lamar and Van Zandt Counties, Texas

1. ONE CALL

The contractor must be One Call compliant. The contractor must provide the NRCS designated representative with the One Call confirmation number for each tract.

2. EQUIPMENT

The contractor will furnish the equipment that meets the following guidelines:

A spring loaded rolling 22-inch coulter will be mounted forward of the ripper shank to cut existing sod or crop residue;

Ripper shank will be ¾ inch wide to produce a running slit no wider than 2 inches.

Ripper shank will be mounted with a tiger model 8” no till point with wings;

Ripper shank will fracture soil to a minimum depth of 14 inches.

Gauge wheels will be used to maintain proper sub soiling depth.

3. SCOPE OF WORK

Ripping running slits shall be centered on the same spacing (10 feet) on which trees will be planted and to a minimum depth of 14 inches;

Ripping will be on the contour, to prevent soil erosion. If beds are discovered onsite remaining from cropping operations, the NRCS designated representative will be contacted before work is started.

The no till point with wings set back from the leading edge of the point will direct an upward force to fracture the soil, creating a widespread fracture zone of 2 to 3 inches on each side of the of the no till point extending upward in an inverted triangle to a width of 16 to 18 inches at the soil surface.

Ripping will be conducted when soil is dry. The operation must be completed by December 31, 2016. If mowing is part of the site prep practice, mowing must be completed prior to sub-soiling.

Surface blowouts or the presence of clods larger than 8” X 8” in the ripped slit will not be accepted. If this occurs, ripping will stop until soil moisture conditions are suitable or crop residue or grass sod is minimized.

On sites where existing trees exist such as replants, etc., care will be taken not to damage existing trees on adjacent areas;

Ripper points will be in proper condition before use on the site. The tiger model 8” no-till point wings will not be less than 1” in width and the front point will not be less than ½” in width. When the point wear exceeds this, the downward slope of the wing is lost and the point loses the soil turning, rolling, churning and lifting ability.

Tractor speed during the sub-soiling operation will not exceed 5 miles per hour to insure the sub-soiling point is breaking the compaction layer.

Care shall be taken not to damage existing trees on adjacent areas by scoring, barking or other injury during ripping operations.

Rutting of the site is unacceptable during the ripping operation.

4. MEASUREMENT

Ripping shall be measured on an acre basis.

This measurement shall be the acres certified by the Natural Resources

Conservation Service.

The ripped areas will be measured by NRCS designated representative with GPS. This measured acreage will be used as the basis for certification.

No separate payment will be made for additional mobilizations required to rip the site.

5. PAYMENT

Ripping shall be paid for at the unit price basis bid for "Site Preparation - Ripping" and measured as specified herein. The unit price bid for ripping shall be payment in full for the supply of all materials, equipment, labor and any other incidental items necessary to perform those ripping operations described by this specification.