Section 9.10 RESTORATION SPECIFICATIONS-SODDING.
A. Description. This shall consist of preparing sod beds, furnishing and laying of live sod on the shoulders, slopes, ditches, or other locations as designated by the Engineer, the construction of sod ditch checks or similar appurtenances, furnishing and applying the required fertilizer, all in accordance with these specifications.
B. Materials.
1. Sod. The sod shall consist of a dense, well-rooted growth of permanent and desirable grasses, indigenous to the general locality where it is to be used, and shall be practically free from weeds or undesirable grasses. At the time the sod is cut, the grass on the sod shall have a length of approximately two (2) inches (if longer, the grass shall be cut to approximately this length) and the sod shall have been raked free from debris. The sod shall be cut in uniform strips approximately 18” x 72”, but no longer than what can be easily handled. The sod strips shall be uniform in thickness; shall have no holes in them; shall be free of weeds, insects, and diseases; shall be uniformly green and not discolored due to drying or heating; and shall be moist. The thickness of the sod shall be uniform, approximately 3/4 inch or more, depending on the nature of the sod, so that practically all of the dense root system of the grasses will be retained, but exposed, in the sod strip and so that the sod can be handled without undue tearing or breaking up. In the event the sod which is to be cut is in a dry condition as to cause crumbling or breaking during cutting operations, at least twelve (12) hours before cutting the sod, the Permittee, at no additional cost to the Village, shall apply water to the sod in sufficient quantities to provide a well moistened condition of the sod to the depth to which it is to be cut.
2. Fertilizer. Fertilizer shall conform to the requirements set forth in Section C (4).
C. Construction Methods.
1. Preparation of the earth bed. The area to be sodded shall have been previously constructed to the required cross section and contour, and the tops and bottoms of the slopes shall be rounded to a minimum four (4) foot radius curve. The areas to be sodded shall be free from stones, roots, or other undesirable foreign material. The soil on the area to be sodded shall be loosened and brought to a reasonably fine granular texture, to a depth of two (2) to three (3) inches, by means of equipment or hand methods adapted to the purpose.
2. Fertilizing. When the fertilizing of areas to be sodded is required, the fertilizer shall be spread uniformly over the areas to be sodded at the rate of 17 pounds per 1,000 square feet of area unless otherwise specified in the Contract. The fertilizer shall be pulverized and free from lumps when applied. The fertilizer shall be incorporated into the areas to be sodded by light discing or harrowing.
3. Placing the sod. The earth bed upon which the sod is to be placed shall be moistened to the loosened depth, if not naturally sufficiently moist, and the sod shall be placed thereon within approximately twenty-four (24) hours after the same has been cut. Sod shall be laid so that the joints caused by abutting ends of sod strips are not continuous. Each sod strip shall be so laid as to abut snugly against the strip previously laid. As the sod is being laid it shall be rolled or firmly but lightly tamped with suitable wooden or metal tampers, sufficiently only to “set” or press the sod into the underlying soil. At points where water will flow over a sodded area, the upper edges of the sod strips shall be turned into the soil below the adjacent area and a layer of earth placed over this juncture, which earth shall be thoroughly compacted to conduct the surface water over the upper edge of the sod. At the limits of sodded areas, wherever practical or feasible, at the end strips shall be placed to effect a broken line, and ends of the strips shall be turned. Frozen sod shall not be placed, nor shall any sod be placed upon frozen soil.
4. Staking. On all slopes steeper than one (1) foot vertical to four (4) feet horizontal the sod shall be staked or pegged with pieces of plasterers’ lath or stakes equivalent thereto, twelve (12) inches in length, spaced as required by the nature of the soil and steepness of slope, from 18 inches to 36 inches apart along the longitudinal axis of the sod strip. Stakes shall preferably be placed near the top edges of the sod strip and shall be driven approximately plumb through the sod to be almost flush with the sod. All sod placed in ditches, flumes, or other appurtenances, where a concentrated flow of water may be expected, shall be staked regardless of the slope. After the staking has been completed the surface shall be cleared of loose sod, excess soil, or other foreign material, and the areas shall then be thoroughly moistened by sprinkling with water.
5. Watering. All sodded areas shall be kept thoroughly moist by watering or sprinkling, when rainfall is deficient, for a minimum period of ten (10) days, or until proper growth is established, whichever is longer. In the event the sodded areas are subject to weed infestation, the Permittee shall remove the weeds by appropriate methods to ensure grass growth. Notwithstanding the above, the Permittee shall be required to provide and maintain a guaranteed growth for one (1) year after project completion.