Abstract: A weather resistant commodity stockpile and collection pond covering system made up of a plurality of sheets joined together in waterproof seams. A plurality of flexible cords are tightly encapsulated and fixed in each sheet at spaced apart locations within thermally welded prayer seams and utilized for retention of the cover system and the hanging of ballast bags. The peeling stresses on the prayer seams are transferred as shearing stresses to lap seams formed by welding choker strips to the cover sheets on either side of each prayer seam. Side cords encapsulated in edge seams along side edges of adjacent sheets are abutted together and secured by flexible ties to form joints between sheets. Those joints are made waterproof by edge flaps attached to the sheets which are extended over each joint and sealed to the face of an adjoining sheet.

Abstract: A method of securing and covering a windrow-shaped stack of material to the ground includes the steps of laying a cover sheet over the entire stack and placing ballast around the base of the stack over the edges of the cover sheet to hold the sheet down. A plurality of anchors pairs are positioned on opposite sides of the stack, with flat adjustable-length side straps secured laterally over the sides of the stack from side anchor to side anchor. Anchor pairs are also positioned along the sides of semi-circular ends of the base of the stack, with flat adjustable-length end straps secured laterally over the ends of the stack from end anchor to end anchor. In addition at least one second end strap is also secured lateral over the end of the stack, but is secured at its ends to the first opposed pair of side anchors along the sides of the stack.