CRANBERRIES

The Cranberry Technical Workgroup encourages you to seek professional assistance during the planning and construction stages of your project.  This guide was prepared in cooperation with the workgroup and is intended to be used as general guidance for small cranberry developments.  Although the general principles apply to larger projects, additional professional help may be required to insure that proper erosion controls are implemented.

If you are using United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding, you may be subject to stricter Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) standards and specifications for erosion control.  Please contact the nearest USDA office for their standards and specifications.

The Department of Environmental Protection would like to thank the members of the Cranberry Technical Workgroup for their assistance in the preparation of this guide.  The workgroup consisted of the following members:

Charles Armstrong, Down East RC&D, Cherryfield, Maine (now with UMaine Cooperative Extension in Orono)
Stacie Beyer, DEP, Office in Bangor, Maine
Dean Bradshaw, Private Engineer & Cranberry Grower, Washington County
Roland Dupuis, NRCS, Hancock County
Judy & Dick Farnsworth, Cranberry Growers, Washington County
Dave Garcelon, NRCS, Washington County
Laurence Grant, President of Maine Cranberry Growers Assn., Washington County
John Harker, Maine Dept. of Agric. Food & Rural Resources, Augusta
Nancy Holmes, Cranberry Grower, Washington County
David Roque, Maine Dept. of Agric. Food & Rural Resources, Augusta
Ken Libbey, DEP, Office in Bangor, Maine
Timothy Look, Cranberry Grower, Washington County
Alden Mingo, Cranberry Grower, Washington County
Dana Nelson, Down East RC&D, Cherryfield, Maine

Timing the work properly can prevent many erosion problems.  The cost of the project and the difficulties in controlling sediment loss escalate if the timing is not appropriate.  This can not be stressed enough.  Plan to have all resources, including funding, available for an appropriate start date.  Some suggestions to consider include:
 

• Conduct earth work during the dry season.  In clay soils, the best time may be late June through September 15.  Constructing the project during other times of the year may result in a considerable amount of erosion and re-work.  No earth work should occur after October 15.
• Do not conduct earth work when soils are saturated or frozen.  To tell if soils are too wet for construction, try this test developed in part for the Maine State Plumbing Code:  Soil is too saturated when: 1) squeezing a handful of soil from the activity area results in free water dripping from the sample; or 2) rolling out a lump of soil from the activity area with your fingers, the soil forms a wire or rod 1/8th of an inch in diameter that does not crumble when handled.
• Have all erosion control materials on site, and installed if appropriate, before earth work begins.
• Watch the weather.  Minimize disturbing additional areas if rain or snow is forecast and make sure you have erosion controls in place and functioning properly before a storm.  Also, mulch disturbed areas as much as possible before the storm.
• The amount of ground disturbed at one time should be minimized to the fullest extent possible.  The smaller the area, the easier it is to control.  One area should be stabilized before the next area is opened.
• Consider diverting water coming from off-site around the construction area so the amount of runoff across the site is limited.
• Construct your tail-water recovery pond first.  The pond can act as a sediment basin during construction.  This can also save some labor and materials because the soil excavated from the pond may be suitable for use in the berms.

PROBLEMS	SOLUTIONS
Clay soils	Develop guidance specific to clay soils and cranberry development
Fill (versus native soil)	Compact fill properly;  Bed anti-seep collars in native soil if possible
Roads on berms with wheel ruts	Crown roadways with parent material
Compaction	Compact dike properly using NRCS specifications (options available)
Outlet failure	Develop installation procedure: use anti-seep collar seal collar to culvert bed in native soil if possible compact fill around culvert use bentonite
Slope stability	Design berms with >1' freeboard;  Compact fill properly;  Vegetate/mulch slope;  Anchor mulch
Pipe sizing	Develop sizing chart for growers
Seeding practices	Develop seeding practices: options for seed mixes options for anchoring: 1) chopped hay  2) jute mat  3) hydroseed  4) cyclgro seed bed enhancement Develop material suppliers list
Construction sequencing	Develop recommended sequence;  Construct during dry season

• Sediment Barriers
• Topsoil Stockpiles
• Construction of a Hay Bale Barrier (USDA / NRCS)
• Stone Check Dam (Virginia SWCC)
• Compost Filter Berm
• Dike Construction:

• Pipe Installation

• Dikes and Roadways
• Cranberry Pond Outlet #1
• Cranberry Pond Outlet #2

• Slope Stabilization

• Late Fall Construction
• Outlet Protection
• Detail of Culvert Outlet Protection (full flow non-pressure)
• Open Type Level Spreader (USDA / NRCS)

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