Ok. The grass issue on the rifle range has turned in our favor. We have successfully seeded over 900 yards. With a few minor corners, it looks great. The few areas where we have had some residual problems will likely be turned into clover plots for deer.
However…one area has completely failed to grow grass. And that is “The Pit” up by the CONEX. The floor of the pit sits below grade and the berm is rated for 50 BMG by DOE GOV standards. It’s a BIG pit. But that “bigness” has caused some problems.
The berm is very high and steep. So when water lands, it picks up speed. Washing most of the seed and a significant amount of dirt off the face. I have proven this by seeding it twice already in 2019, only to have it fail.
These factors are greatly exacerbated when you understand how much wind this part of the range gets. We sit so far high above the nearest river, it’s not an exaggeration to state our wind blows directly in from Kansas and Missouri. And when it blows, it’s usually at least 20MPH.
So here is the new plan. We are going to seed inside and out faces again. Then lay woven straw mats over the seed. But after that, we will HAVE to stake these mats in place to keep them from blowing away.
Will this solve the problem right away? No. We had the 3rd wettest year on record last year. And 2019 hasn’t looked like it’s going to be much different. At best, I am hoping to stabilize “some seed” to get speed brakes on the water to slow down the erosion. Once the grass gets a beachhead, we can get the rest to take.
It’s fair to assume we will be fighting this most of the summer. But I am confident we’ll get it fixed.
Sincerely,
Marky
www.John1911.com
“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”
Areas of focus: Defense and National Security, Modern Light Weapons, Small Arms, Weapons Training.
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