Sediment (loose particles of sand, silt, and clay) and soil can be transported off-site by flowing water and blowing winds. When sediment or eroded soil reaches surface waters, they can degrade water quality by increasing turbidity, harming aquatic plants, and impairing habitat for fish and shellfish. In addition, soil contaminants, such as pesticides, may be transported with eroding soil. These issues are of special concern to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Therefore, erosion and sediment control are a critical component of construction and grow-in of a golf course. The MDE’s 2011 Maryland Standards and Specifications for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control handbook provides detailed information on this topic and regulations.
Erosion- and sediment-control regulations require developers, designers, and plan review agencies to consider runoff control from the start of any land development design process. Specific sediment-control requirements include the mapping of slopes steeper than 15%, of highly erodible soils, and of vegetative buffer strips; submitting a narrative describing how erosion and sediment control will be integrated into the stormwater management strategy; and providing a detailed sequence of construction that describes how the grading unit restriction will be met. Adhering to the planning principles should result in development that better fits existing site conditions and reduces both the extent and duration of soil disturbance during construction.
Best Management Practices
- Develop a working knowledge of erosion- and sediment-control management.
- Develop and implement strategies to effectively control sediment, minimize the loss of topsoil, protect water resources, and reduce disruption to wildlife, plant species, and designed environmental resource areas.
- Hydro-seeding or hydro-mulching offer soil stabilization.
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