Discing of Open Areas - Dust and Stabilized Surface

Wednesday 22 May 2024 09:33:05 AM

Location: North Peach Avenue & East Herndon Avenue, Clovis, Fresno County, CA, USA

Categorie: Air

Description:

I am seeing people disc open land where unwanted vegetation is growing. I called in a complaint the first week in May regarding the intersection of Peach and Herndon listed here. No action was taken by the District for my complaint. In order for an open area (rural or urban) to comply with Rule 8051, Table 8051-1 a disced surface would need to have a threshold friction velocity of 100 centimeters per second or greater as all other possibilities are invalid when an open area is disced. Threshold friction velocity is the wind speed required to initiate movement of soil particles. While AP-42 offers a field test, if a wind speed of 2.25 mph or greater moved soil particles on a disced field, the owner would be in violation of Rule 8051. With the Valley's dry summers, I do not see any disced field being able to pass this test, so the District should take proactive measures to ensure compliance with this rule. However, at a minimum, they should have to respond to any open area that is reported as disced and perform a threshold friction velocity test or observation and issue violations if not passed. This requirement is completely separate from visual 20% opacity requirements.