Erie County Engineer's Office

Storm Water Rules and Regulations (SWRR)
Version: October, 2008

Chapter Three

Erosion and Sediment Control Measures

Section 3.00 Plan Development Criteria

Effective erosion control planning requires a working knowledge of both the application of control measures in terms of their selection and location and the design of the control measure in terms of its configuration, size and construction. Under this section the requirements of the Ohio EPA General Permit shall be followed. The website for the Ohio EPA that contains the full permit is provided in Appendix G. The developer is required to provide the ECEO with a copy of the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) that was submitted to the Ohio EPA.

1. Stabilization of Denuded Areas and Soil Stockpiles
   
   Permanent or temporary soil stabilization should be applied to denuded areas after final grade is reached on any portion of the site see Appendix G. Soil stabilization should also be applied to denuded areas, which may not be at final grade, but will remain undisturbed during the construction period.
   
   Soil stabilization refers to measures, which protect soil from the erosive forces of raindrop impact and flowing water. Applicable practices include vegetative establishment, mulching and the early application of gravel base on areas to be paved. Soil stabilization measures should be selected to be appropriate for the time of year, site conditions and estimated duration of use.
   
   Soil stockpiles should be stabilized or protected with sediment trapping measures to prevent soil loss.
   
   
2. Establishment of Permanent Vegetation
   A permanent vegetative cover should be established on denuded areas not otherwise permanently stabilized. Permanent vegetation should not be considered established until a ground cover is achieved which is mature enough to control soil erosion satisfactorily and to survive severe weather conditions.
   
   
3. Protection of Adjacent Properties
   
   Properties adjacent to the site of a land disturbance should be protected from sediment deposition. This may be accomplished by preserving a well vegetated buffer strip around the lower perimeter of the land disturbance, by installing perimeter controls such as sediment barriers, filters or dikes, or sediment basins, or by a combination of such measures.
   
   Vegetated filter strips may be used alone only where runoff in sheet flow is expected. In general, filter strips should be at least fifteen feet (15’) in width. If at any time it is found that a vegetated filter strip along is ineffective in stopping sediment movement into adjacent property, additional perimeter controls should be provided.
   
   
4. Timing and Stabilization of Sediment Trapping Measures
   
   Sediment basins, diversions, sediment barriers and other measures intended to trap sediment on-site should be constructed as a first step in grading and be made functional before upslope land disturbance takes place. Earthen structures such as dams, dikes and diversions MUST be seeded and mulched immediately upon completion.
   
   
5. Sediment Basins
   
   Stormwater runoff containing damaging amounts of sediment should pass through a sediment basin or other suitable sediment trapping facility.
   
   
6. Cut and Fill Slopes
   
   Cut and fill slopes should be designed and constructed in a manner which will minimize erosion. Consideration should be given to the length and steepness of the slope, the soil type, upslope drainage area, groundwater conditions and other applicable factors. Slopes, which are found to be eroding excessively within one year of construction, should be provided with additional slope stabilizing measures until the problem is corrected.
   
   
7. Stabilization of Waterways and Outlets
   
   All on-site stormwater surface channels should be designed and constructed to withstand the expected velocity of flow from a ten-year frequency storm without erosion. Design for a larger frequency storm may be necessary for protection from the stormwater flow. Stabilization adequate to prevent erosion should also be provided at the outlets of all pipes and paved channels.
   
   
8. Storm Sewer Inlet Protection
   
   All storm sewer inlets, which are made operable during construction should be protected so that sediment-laden water will not enter the conveyance system without first being filtered or otherwise treated to remove sediment.
   
   
9. Working In or Crossing Watercourses
   
   Construction vehicles should be kept out of watercourses. Where in-channel work is necessary, consultation with the Army Corps of Engineers and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency must be demonstrated for compliance with Clean Water Act provisions. If no permit is needed to proceed with proposed development project, precautions should be taken to stabilize the work area during construction to minimize erosion. The channel (including bed and banks) should always be re-established immediately after in-channel work is completed. Follow stream construction details located in the RLDM where a watercourse must be crossed by construction vehicles regularly during construction, a temporary stream crossing is required (see Chapter 5 RLDM).
   
   
10. Construction Access Routes
    
    Wherever construction vehicle access routes intersect paved public roads, provisions should be made to minimize the transport of sediment (mud) by runoff or vehicle tracking onto the paved surface by providing and using a gravel wash area prior to vehicles leaving the site.
    
    
11. Disposition of Temporary Measures
    
    All temporary erosion and sediment control measures should be disposed of after final site stabilization is achieved or after the temporary measures are no longer needed. Trapped sediment and other disturbed soil areas resulting from the disposition of temporary measures should be permanently stabilized to prevent further erosion and sedimentation.
    
    
12. Construction Materials
    
    All construction materials shall be disposed of in an approved manner. Dumpsters needed to keep site free of debris shall be placed such that waste materials can be disposed of daily or more often should weather conditions (i.e. windy conditions) necessitate it. Site permittee is responsible to keep the dumpster emptied.
    
    
13. Concrete Truck Washout
    
    The owner shall provide a concrete waste dumpsite on-site. This area shall be maintained such that overflow does not enter any adjacent waterway and shall have all concrete waste removed at completion of construction.
    
    
14. Maintenance
    
    All temporary and permanent erosion and sediment control measures shall be maintained and repaired as needed to assure continued performance of their intended function. Inspection by the Project Engineer or his appointed inspector should determine if and when maintenance/repair is needed to comply with permit.
    
    Documentation outlining the required maintenance for all permanent erosion and sediment control measures shall be provided by the design engineer to the owner with a copy to the Erie County Engineer’s office.
    
    
15. Plans and Specifications
    
    All erosion control practices contained on the plan shall be built to the standards and specifications of the RLDM.