Tarps & Plastic Coverings

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Using Tarps and Plastic Coverings

Ilustration: Covering Soil

Tarps and plastic coverings provide immediate, short-term erosion protection to slopes and disturbed areas.

  • Cover stockpiles and excavated soils with secured tarps or plastic sheeting. (Note: This BMP should be done in addition to other erosion control BMPs being setup on site.)
  • Plastic is particularly useful for protecting cut and fill slopes and stockpiles.

Installation Requirements

  • Run plastic up and down slope, not across slope.
  • Minimum of 8 inch overlap at seams
  • Place plastic into a small slot trench at the top of the slope and backfill with soil to keep water from slowing underneath.
  • When using sandbags to secure the plastic, they may be lowered into place and tied to ropes, however, all sandbags must be staked in place.

Limitations

  • The relatively rapid break down of most polyethylene sheeting makes it unsuitable for long-term (greater than six months) application. 
  • Do to rapid runoff caused by plastic sheeting, this method shall not be used upslope of areas that might be adversely impacted by concentrated runoff. Such areas include steep and/or unstable slopes.
  • While plastic is inexpensive to purchase, the added cost of installation maintenance, removal, and disposal make this an expensive material.

Maintenance Requirements

  • Inspect plastic for rips, tears, and open seams regularly and repair immediately. This prevents high velocity runoff from contacting bare soil, which causes extreme erosion.
  • If plastic begins to deteriorate due to ultraviolet radiation, it must be completely removed and replaced.
  • When the plastic is no longer needed, it shall be completely removed. Dispose of old tires appropriately.

Other Uses for Plastic:

  1. Temporary ditch liner
  2. Pond liner in temporary sediment pond
  3. Liner for bermed temporary fuel storage area if plastic is not reactive to the type of fuel
  4. Emergency slope protection during heavy rains
  5. Temporary drainpipe (“elephant trunk”) used to direct water

Other Uses for Plastic:

  1. Temporary ditch liner
  2. Pond liner in temporary sediment pond
  3. Liner for bermed temporary fuel storage area if plastic is not reactive to the type of fuel
  4. Emergency slope protection during heavy rains
  5. Temporary drainpipe (“elephant trunk”) used to direct water

Storm Water Management Manual for Western Washington, BMP Reference (2005):

Available at:  http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/stormwater/index.html

  • Plastic Covering – BMP C123, Volume II, Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention
  • Nets & Blankets – BMP C122, Volume II, Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention 
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