MnDOT winter guidelines

MnDOT winter guidelines
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Practice	Winter guidelines (MnDOT)
Winter site preparation	Practices include smoothing rough grading, frost tillage and harrowing.
Winter seeding/snow seeding	Apply seed over snow so that it melts into the snow surface during winter months. Seed will melt to the soil surface for germination after snow melt. All permanent and most temporary seed mixes can be snow seeded. Application on soft snow or during a sunny day is ideal.
Dormant seeding	Dormant sodding should be conducted between November 1st and soil freeze up. Winter sod cannot be placed within 10 feet from the shoulder of a road or in areas that require salt tolerant sod.
Mulching on bare frozen soils	Perform on bare frozen soils when temperatures are above 20 degrees Fahrenheit. If temperatures are below 20 degrees, delay mulching and perform snow mulching once ground is covered in snow.
Mulching on snow	Apply mulch over snow (any depth) at a rate of 1.5 to 1.75 tons per acre, or about an 80-90% cover. Sunlight will melt the straw into the snow to melt onto bare soil in the spring. Practice is not applicable to conveyance systems.
Winter erosion control blanket/turf reinforcement mats/snow blanket installation	Install practices over bare frozen ground or snow (no deeper than 2 inches) using appropriate anchors. If necessary, remove snow before placing erosion control blanket. Practices are useful for conveyance systems and other areas where mulching practices are not applicable. There are no limits to the application locations for snow blanketing except in known wildlife habitat areas. In these areas, use natural netted blankets.
Winter exits and street sweeping	If proper winter exits are not present, it may be necessary to sweep after each vehicle exits the site. Daily maintenance of exit should occur to determine if adjustments are needed. BMPs include creating an ice/snow road, installing mud mats, drivable base mats, slash mulches or timber pads, and use of proper depth crushed aggregate over geotextile separation fabric.
Ice/snow road	Remove snow cover to allow the soil and road to freeze solid to support every equipment hauling. Mud mats, drivable base mats, slash mulches or timber pads can be installed. BMP can be used to create a proper winter exit.
Winter inlet protection	Must be installed prior to any land disturbance on site. Winter inlets should be cleared daily of any ice or snow to ensure their full functionality. BMPs include removable inserts, filter logs, sediment moats and rings, oil and heavy metal trap logs. Most inlet protection BMPs should be removed once contributing erosion is properly stabilized.
Winter perimeter control	Should either be a temporary BMP or a BMP that is heavy enough to remain in place during melt conditions. Rebar and other sharp devices are not allowed. BMPs include filter logs, geotextile wrapped straw bales, clean and washed filter rock, and riprap or rock berms.