Operation_and_Maintenance_Plan_CFM_4.pdf

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN

Emergency Watershed Protection Program

NR254209XXXXC010

CANAL BANK REPAIR, DEBRIS AND SEDIMENT REMOVAL SITES

City of Fort Myers Lee County, Florida

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE NEEDS

This site will require the City of Fort Myers to perform periodic inspections and operation and maintenance activities to maintain satisfactory performance. The following recommendations will help the City of Fort Myers in performing adequate operation and maintenance.

I. VEGETATION

A. Weed and Brush Control

Mow to control weeds, briars, and bushes. On areas inaccessible to power mowing equipment, weed and brush control should be accomplished by hand or chemicals.

B. Insect and Disease Control

No disease problems should occur on bahiagrass, centipede or common bermudagrass.

Identification of pests and needed control should be obtained from local Agricultural Extension Service Office.

C. Revegetation

As soon as possible, repair sites that become devoid of vegetation. This will usually occur when adequate vegetative cover was not initially established. If this is not the case, study the situation carefully to determine the causes. Use the following recommendations for normal vegetation of smaller areas.

Fill the low or washed-out areas with topsoil. The topsoil should be free of weed seeds, litter, and rocks, and have organic matter content.

After final grading, distribute bahiagrass seed uniformly over the area at a rate of 2 - 3 lbs. per 1000 square foot with a drop-type fertilizer spreader or cyclone-type broadcast spreader. Cover the area in one direction and then at right angles in the other direction.

Cover the seed lightly one-fourth (1/4) inch deep. Firm the seed into the soil with a roller. After seeding, apply mulch of one (1) inch or more of close-fitting material, or up to four (4) inches of loose-fitting material, so that about 25 percent of the ground is visible. Disk or spade in lightly at or near vertical angle.

Sod can be used instead of seed and will obviously revegetate the area quicker than seeding. Lay pieces of sod over the entire area on the contour with snug, even joints.

Stagger the joints from strip to strip. Roll or tamp sod immediately following placement.

Do not overlap the sod. On steep slopes secure sod to surface with wooden pegs or wire staples. If a dry period occurs, irrigate with one (1) inch of water every third day unless rain occurs. Do not exceed an application rate of one (1) inch per hour. After the area is revegetated, use the maintenance measures discussed in Sections III and IV.

II. STRUCTURES

A. Articulated Concrete Block Mats (ACB)

ACB can be maintained with the use of light lawn equipment such as riding mowers, push mowers and weed eaters. The deck height of the mower should be set at the highest height, where cutting is achievable.

Light equipment such as rubber tracked excavators and skid steers are ok to use, if the “jerking” motion is avoided as much as possible. Slow, controlled turns are ideal when operating rubber tracked equipment on ACB.

The use of heavier equipment such as tractors with bush hogs is discouraged due to the torque applied when turning.

B. Inlet Structures and Pipes

Check inlets and pipe ends periodically to ensure grates are in place and debris has not collected to reduce the flows. Remove any debris that has collected on the grates, pipe ends, or at the slots in order to maintain flow capacity. Check antivortex baffles to ensure they are in place as designed.

Check concrete aprons around the inlets for cracks. Repair any major cracks immediately. Keep woody vegetation removed from the inlet structure.

III. SCHEDULE OF INSPECTIONS

The facility should be inspected (1) 30 days after completion; (2) after each major storm or occurrence of any unusual condition that might adversely affect the measure; and (3) annually. All deficiencies should be corrected immediately. Reports of the inspection(s) and subsequent follow-up maintenance shall be kept on file.

IV. SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT NEEDS FOR O&M

The following supplies and equipment will be needed to operate and maintain the facility:

One pick-up truck used for inspection as needed.

Tractor with disk harrow and mower as needed.

Excavator with adequate reach for canal width.

Fuel for truck, excavator, and tractor; oil, lubrication, and maintenance supplies for truck and tractor as needed.

Bahiagrass sod or seed as needed.

Fertilizer and lime as required by soil test.

Mulch as needed.

Miscellaneous small tools such as drop type fertilizer spreader, weed eaters, etc.

IV. SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT NEEDS FOR O&M