Erosion & Sediment Control
TOPICS
Erosion and Sediment Control Best Management Practices (BMPs) are used to manage Sediment and Stormwater related water quality problems that are often created during land development. As the original ground cover of a site is disturbed and removed, the runoff characteristics of a site are modified. This disturbance will increase the velocity and volume of runoff that has the potential to leave the site while carrying sediment with it. This sediment has the capability to affect human life by filling drainage channels, culverts, navigable channels as well as municipal and industrial water supply reservoirs. Many animal species are affected as well. Fish dependant on bottom organisms for food or plant life for refuge are threatened by sediment laden habitat. The reduction of sunlight from suspended sediment impairs Sub-aquatic Vegetation from photosynthesizing and may reduce oxygen levels in the water to a point where aquatic life cannot survive.
WHEN DO I NEED AN EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PLAN?
An applicant must submit an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan to the Cecil Soil Conservation District for review and approval in any of the following instances:
1. A Grading Permit is required by the Cecil County Department of Public Works and/or
2. 5,000 square feet or more of disturbance is proposed and/or
3. 100 cubic yards or more of earth movement is proposed.
All Erosion and Sediment Control Plans should be submitted for review and approval to the following address:
Cecil Soil Conservation District
105 Chesapeake Blvd.
Elkton, MD 21921
Ph. (410) 398-4411, ext 3
Fx. (410) 392-6530
HOW DO I OBTAIN A PLAN TO SUBMIT FOR REVIEW?
An Engineered Erosion and Sediment Control Plan will be required in all instances when a Standard Erosion and Sediment Control Plan for Minor Earth Disturbances is not appropriate. Engineered plans must be signed and sealed by either professional engineers, landscape architects or professional land surveyors licensed in the state of Maryland.
A standard Erosion and Sediment Control Plan for Minor Earth Disturbances may be used for projects with disturbances less than 30,000 square feet and 500 cubic yards of earth movement if certain limitations are met. Contact the CSCD to determine applicability of the standard plan.
CECIL SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT PLAN REVIEW PROCESS:
In 1983, the Maryland Legislature designated the local Soil Conservation Districts as the reviewing and approving agency for all Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plans as enacted from The Annotated Code of the Public General Laws of Maryland - Environment - Title 4.
In the time since this legislature has passed the Cecil Soil Conservation District has adopted a standard format as to how all Erosion and Sediment Control Plans must be submitted. Please refer to the links below for the required format for all Engineered Plan Submissions.
All Erosion and Sediment Control Plans must at a minimum be designed to be in conformance with the most current Maryland Erosion and Sediment Control Standards and Specifications. A link to the most current Maryland Erosion and Sediment Control Standards and Specifications has been provided below:
1994 Maryland Standards and Specifications for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control
Draft
2010 Maryland Standards and Specifications for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control
When submitting plans for review the following must be included in order for plans to be checked into the CSCD system and begin the review process:
1st Submission
1. Application Fee: The Application Fee must be submitted with the first submission in order to begin the review process. Only the application fee should be submitted at this time. The review fee will be calculated and included in the approval letter once the plan has obtained approval.
2. Application: The CSCD Application for Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Review must be fully completed and submitted with all plan submissions.
3. Checklist: The Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Checklist must be fully completed and included with all plan submissions.
4. E&S Plan Set(s): One (1) plan set is needed with the initial submission unless the plan is large enough that match lines are utilized, in which case Two (2) sets of plans are required.
5. Computations: If Sediment Basins or Sediment Traps have been utilized on the plan, the computations used to size these practices must also be submitted.
Subsequent Submissions1. Application: The CSCD Application for Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Review must be fully completed and included with all plan submissions.
2. Checklist: The Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Checklist must be fully completed and included with all plan submissions.
3. Resubmittal Letter: The resubmittal letter must state where and how each item was addressed and how the plan was revised accordingly.
4. E&S Plan Set(s): One (1) plan set is needed with all subsequent submissions unless the plan is large enough that match lines are utilized, in which case Two (2) sets of plans are required.
5. Computations: If Sediment Basins or Sediment Traps have been utilized on the plan, the computations used to size these practices must also be submitted.
Submission for Approval (ONLY ONCE APPROVED AND REQUESTED)1. Application: The CSCD Application for Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Review must be fully completed and included with all plan submissions.
2. Checklist: The Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Checklist must be fully completed and included with all plan submissions.
3. Resubmittal Letter: The resubmittal letter must state where and how each item was addressed and how the plan was revised accordingly.
4. E&S Plan Set(s): Six (6) plan sets are needed with the final submission unless the additional plan sets are needed by the owner, in which case the CSCD will sign up to twelve (12) plan sets.
5. Computations: If any changes have been made to the Computations since the last submission then the new computations used to size these practices must also be submitted.
Submission for Restamp1. Application: The CSCD Application for Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Review must be fully completed and included with all plan submissions. If the plan is being submitted for Restamp, the title shown on the application should be followed by “RESTAMP”.
2. Checklist: The Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Checklist must be fully completed and included with all plan submissions.
3. Explanation Letter: The explanation letter must state where the project is in the development process.
4. E&S Plan Set(s): One (1) plan set is needed with the initial submission for Restamp.
Submission for Revisions1. Application: The CSCD Application for Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Review must be fully completed and included with all plan submissions. If the plan is being submitted for a Revision, the title shown on the application should be followed by “REVISION”.
2. Checklist: The Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Checklist must be fully completed and included with all plan submissions.
3. Explanation Letter: The explanation letter must state where the project is in the development process and why there is a need for a revision.
4. E&S Plan Set(s): One (1) plan set is needed with the initial submission for a Revision unless the plan is large enough that match lines are utilized, in which case Two (2) sets of plans are required.
Copies of the Cecil Soil Conservation District forms mentioned above can be found at the links below:
CSCD E&S Application (pdf file 26KB)
CSCD E&S Checklist (pdf file 26KB)
CSCD Fee Schedule (pdf file 20KB)
Additional Notes and Details needed for Engineered Erosion and Sediment Control Plans:
CSCD 2005 Addendum #1 (pdf file 11KB)
Owner/Developer’s Certification and Design Certification (pdf file 18KB)
CSCD and Technical Requirements Signature Blocks (pdf file 14KB)
Standard Notes for Utility Installation (pdf file 14KB)
25 Standard Erosion and Sediment Control Notes (pdf file 31KB)
Cecil COMAR Highly Erodible Soils (HES) List (pdf file 43KB)
Note: If you need the free reader, you can download it from Adobe Acrobat
WHAT KIND OF CONTROLS WILL BE SHOWN ON MY EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PLAN?
Each site and proposed disturbance is different. The use of sediment controls is dependant on the characteristics of each site and the size of a proposed disturbance. Examples of commonly used sediment controls have been provided below.
All plans that are approved by the Cecil Soil Conservation District have a designated lifetime. All Plans are generally valid for two (2) years unless specified otherwise. Mining and Landfill plans may be valid for five (5) years.
RESTAMP
If a project is going to take longer to construct than the lifetime of the plan, the plan may be eligible for a “Restamp” which will give the plan another 2 or 5 year approval. In order to be eligible for a “Restamp” a plan must be submitted to the Cecil Soil Conservation District before the originally approved plan expires. Once a plan has expired it is no longer eligible for “Restamp”. Once Erosion and Sediment Control Plans have expired the planning process must start over and all plans will be subject to a new review and all applicable application and review fees associated with the review process. Additionally, in order for a plan to be eligible for restamp there must not be any outstanding issues on the site pertaining to Erosion and Sediment control. When a plan is submitted for restamp, a copy of the originally approved plan must be submitted. All original signatures must be present on the plan for a plan to be eligible. The plan must be accompanied by an application, checklist, a letter explaining the condition of the site and the progress of the project, as well as the application fee.
REVISIONS
During the construction process some plans may need to be revised. A revision should be considered a “small change” to the plan. Typical revisions are changes such as new phone numbers, moderate sequence changes, moving construction staging areas, etc. When submitting a revision, the plans must be submitted without any signatures. Revised plans will not be valid until new signatures have been obtained.
The revision process does not apply to redesigned plans. Plans are considered redesigned when the original intent of the plan has changed. The district reserves the right to determine this threshold on a site by site basis. When a plan is submitted for a revision, the plan should be submitted with all changes highlighted. The plan must also be accompanied by an application, application fee, checklist, and a letter explaining the condition of the site, progress of the project, as well as the need for the revision. Without all of the above components, plans can not be accepted.
The applicant must notify the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) (410) 901-4020 and the Cecil County Department of Public Works (CCDPW) (410) 996-5265 or at http://www.ccgov.org/dept_works/sediment_stormwater.cfm at least 48 hours prior to beginning any site work in order to request a preconstruction meeting.
WHEN IS SMALL POND APPROVAL REQUIRED?
Submit all pond plans for a determination if a complete pond review is required. Small pond approvals are administered by the Cecil Soil Conservation District. All pond designs must be developed in accordance to Pond Code 378.
http://efotg.nrcs.usda.gov/references/public/mw/md378_00.pdf
All pond designs are to be submitted to the following offices along with the respective Stormwater Management Plan submissions:
· Pond designs within Elkton and Charlestown are to be submitted to the Cecil Soil Conservation District in care of Ann Baldwin for review.
· Pond designs within the remainder of Cecil County are to be submitted with your Stormwater Management Plan submission to the Cecil County Department of Public Works (410) 996-5265. Visit their website at the following link: http://www.ccgov.org/dept_works/Plans_Review_Branch.cfm
WHAT OTHER PLANS AND/OR PERMITS WILL I NEED?
Depending on the type, size and location of the disturbance of a proposed project, other permits may be needed. Please contact the following agencies to see what permits may be applicable to a project.
Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) – General Permit to discharge storm water associated with construction - (NOI)
Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) – Joint Federal/State application for the Alteration of any Floodplain, Waterway, Tidal or Nontidal Wetland in Maryland
Cecil County Department of Public Works (DPW) – Sediment and Stormwater Branch – Stormwater Management and Grading Permits.
Click link below to see a blank Forest Harvest Plan
Forest Harvest Plan (pdf file 38KB)
In order to remove trees from a property in an area in excess of 5,000 square feet, a Standard Erosion and Sediment Control Plan for Forest Harvest Operations is required. The forest harvest plan is to be used when the property is to be selectively cut for the sale of timber in accordance with a forest management plan. All tree cutting related to the development of a property please refer back to the “Engineered Plan”. If a parcel has started the subdivision process, all tree cutting must be addressed in the “Engineered” Erosion and Sediment Control Plan for the subdivision as the parcel will not be eligible for a Forest Harvest Plan. The Forest Harvest Plan will show what erosion controls will be used while trees are being removed from the property. The location of harvest areas, skid trails, landing areas, no cut buffers and other controls must be shown on a plan view of the property. If a stream is located on or adjacent to the property to be harvested, a buffer management plan is required to be submitted with the application. All forest harvest applicants are reminded that the forest harvest application is reviewed by the Cecil Soil Conservation District for soil erosion and sediment control only. Approval of a Forest Harvest Plan does not relieve the applicant of any applicable regulations such as but not limited to the following:
The Forest Conservation Act
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/programapps/newFCA.asp
Local Planning and Zoning Regulations
http://www.ccgov.org/dept_planning/index.cfm or at 410-996-5220
Critical Area Regulations
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/criticalarea
For more forestry related information courtesy of Maryland Department of Natural Resources please refer to the following link: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests .
For any additional information or to discuss design criteria for Forest Harvests please contact Mari Markkula by email at marimarkkula@cecilscd.com or at the Cecil Soil Conservation District at 410-398-4411 x 3.
If you have any questions or comments regarding Erosion and Sediment Control please contact the Cecil Soil Conservation District at 410-398-4411 x 3 or by the links below:
Chris Brown – Soil Conservationist
Mari Markkula – Soil Conservationist
WHERE CAN I RECEIVE "RESPONSIBLE PERSONNEL TRAINING FOR EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL” (aka Green Card)
Please contact Mr. Richard Trickett at the Maryland Department of Environment (410)-537-3543 or check for details at the following link:
RESOURCES:
1994 Maryland Standards and Specifications for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control
Maryland’s Waterway Construction GuidelinesLINKS:
The Center of Watershed Protection
The Association of Watershed and Stormwater Professionals
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Cecil Soil Conservation District |
PHONE: 410-398-4411 ext. 3 |
Updated 01/09/12