Excerpt
SOIL erosion from land clearing and development as well as stream channel erosion contributes an estimated 600 million tons of sediment to streams annually (40). The visual and ecological results of this pollution, along with the social and economic costs, have resulted in the enactment of many stringent regulations governing land-disturbing activities.
Erosion and sedimentation control is being strengthened within federal, state, and local environmental programs. Through a variety of statutory requirements, persons engaged in land clearing must, with few exceptions, secure a development permit and/or prepare and have approved an erosion and sediment control plan before work begins (44). There appears to be a growing interest in halting environmentally unsound land-disturbing activities, particularly those that pollute streams.
A range of exemplary federal, state, and local statutory models and implementation manuals now exist for those seeking new approaches to erosion and sedimentation control affecting urban land development.
The ever-present plan
A common feature of most of these laws is the requirement to prepare and have approved an erosion and sediment control plan. The most comprehensive and reliable source of data for use in preparing such a plan is the county soil survey report.
The content of erosion and sediment control plans varies according to the requirements of a particular code or permit …
Footnotes
James D. Mertes is a professor in the Department of Park Administration and Landscape Architecture, College of Agricultural Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, 79409-4169.
- Copyright 1989 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.