10200 19TH AVE SE COSTCO FUEL STATION 2022-05-23

BMP C123: Plastic Covering Purpose Plastic covering provides immediate, short-term erosion protection to slopes and disturbed areas. Conditions of Use Plastic covering may be used on disturbed areas that require cover measures for less than 30 days, except as stated below. • Plastic is particularly useful for protecting cut and fill slopes and stockpiles. Note: The relatively rapid breakdown of most polyethylene sheeting makes it unsuitable for long-term (greater than six months) applications. • Due to rapid runoff caused by plastic covering, do not use this method upslope of areas that might be adversely impacted by concentrated runoff. Such areas include steep and/or unstable slopes. • Plastic sheeting may result in increased runoff volumes and velocities, requiring additional on-site measures to counteract the increases. Creating a trough with wattles or other material can convey clean water away from these areas. • To prevent undercutting, trench and backfill rolled plastic covering products. • While plastic is inexpensive to purchase, the added cost of installation, maintenance, removal, and disposal make this an expensive material, up to $1.50-2.00 per square yard. • Whenever plastic is used to protect slopes install water collection measures at the base of the slope. These measures include plastic-covered berms, channels, and pipes used to covey clean rainwater away from bare soil and disturbed areas. Do not mix clean runoff from a plastic covered slope with dirty runoff from a project. • Other uses for plastic include: o Temporary ditch liner. o Pond liner in temporary sediment pond. o Liner for bermed temporary fuel storage area if plastic is not reactive to the type of fuel being stored. o Emergency slope protection during heavy rains. o Temporary drainpipe ("elephant trunk") used to direct water. Design and Installation Specifications • Plastic slope cover must be installed as follows: 1. Run plastic up and down slope, not across slope. 2. Plastic may be installed perpendicular to a slope if the slope length is less than 10 feet. 3. Minimum of 8-inch overlap at seams. 4. On long or wide slopes, or slopes subject to wind, tape all seams. 5. Place plastic into a small (12-inch wide by 6-inch deep) slot trench at the top of the slope and backfill with soil to keep water from flowing underneath. Page 134