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Compost Best Management Practice (BMP) Demonstration Plots
Photo gallery of Compost Best Management Practice (BMP) Demonstration Plots Construction by date:
In conjunction with the Compost Based Stormwater Management Roundtable seven plots were established at the Waukesha County Gravel Pit and Compost Site in Wisconsin, to demonstrate the performance of various stormwater management practices. The plots were designed and built by the Waukesha County's gravel mining contractor and White Oak Farms Premium Organics to demonstrate six different stormwater management treatments, and one control with out any treatments for comparison. These plots will be photographed over several months to illustrate the various erosion control methods used.
- Site dimension are 90' X 140'; plots 20' wide x 90' long.
- All slopes are 3:1
- All terms used for the Plot Treatment Plan below are defined as follows:
- Soil: 2 " of non-clay subsoil + 4 " of topsoil - applied by dozer (not compacted).
- Seed: WISDOT 40 Seed mix to be broadcast applied on surface at a minimum rate of 100 pounds live seed PLS/acre (.3 acre test plots=30 pounds) and lightly raked. No additional fertilizer used. WISDOT 40 seed mix consists of:
- 34.37% Kentucky Bluegrass
- 24.61% Perennial Ryegrass
- 19.71% Hard Fescue
- 19.59% Creeping Red Fescue
- Compost Cover: 4 " of mature, unscreened yard material compost as available on site, applied by dozer and not tilled into the soil.
- Compost Mixed: Tilling 4” of compost cover to 8” depth (mix with soil) with tractor mounted roto-tiller.
- Erosion Matting: WISDOT Product Acceptability List (PAL),
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/business/engrserv/pal.htm, - Class II, Type B erosion matting (per manufacturer).
- Soil Stabilizer: WISDOT PAL Type B soil stabilizer (natural polymer)
- Compost Berms & Socks:
- Compost berms and filter socks are both structures that are used to reduce stormwater runnoff.
- A compost filter berm is a dike of compost or a compost product that is placed perpendicular to
sheet flow run-off to control erosion in disturbed areas and retain sediment.
- A compost filter sock is a type of contained compost filter berm. It is a mesh tube filled with composted material that is placed perpendicular to sheet-flow run-off to control erosion and retain sediment in disturbed areas.
- A compost filter berm is a dike of compost or a compost product that is placed perpendicular to
sheet flow run-off to control erosion in disturbed areas and retain sediment.
- Compost Erosion Blanket: A compost blanket is a layer of loosely applied compost or composted material that is placed on the soil in disturbed areas to control erosion and retain sediment resulting from sheet-flow run-off. It can be used in place of traditional sediment and erosion control tools such as mulch, netting, or chemical stabilization.
The compost filter berms, socks, and blankets were installed per Filtrexx specifications.
- Soil: 2 " of non-clay subsoil + 4 " of topsoil - applied by dozer (not compacted).
| Treatment | Best Management Practice(s) Used |
|---|---|
| 1 | None - Control |
| 2 | Compost Blanket |
| 3 | Compost Blanket |
| 4 | Erosion Control Matting Over Compost Blanket |
| 5 | Erosion Matting |
| 6 | Soil Stabilizer With Compost Berms |
| 7 | Compost Blanket Berms and Socks |
The following video displays a view of compost berms, blankets, and socks being installed.