The Plan and Plan Review

Level IB: Advanced Fundamentals Seminar

Education and Training Certification Requirements for Persons Involved with Land Disturbing Activities

Issued May 2009

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Introduction

The Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control Plan (ES&PC Plan) • Plan development process • Plan review process • Plan review checklist • Reading the plan 2

ES&PC Plan

An ES&PC plan shows: • a series of structural and vegetative best management practices (BMPs) to control erosion and prevent sedimentation within a disturbed area.

• Detailed requirements for monitoring, inspections, reporting and record keeping.

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The Plan Development Process

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Steps to an Effective ES&PC Plan

1. Project requirements 2. Project/resources description 3. Data collection (site visit) 4. Data interpretation 5. Plan preparation 6. Plan Review/Approval 7. Implementation 8. Operations, maintenance and inspections 9. Final stabilization 5

Project Construction Issues

• Project location • Required pre-design site visit • Project size • Project type • Project phasing • Project schedule 6

Required Site Visit

• What a designer looks for: – Existing vegetation – Potential U.S./State Waters – Flood plain – Springs – Soils – Drainage basins (both onsite and offsite) – Wetlands – Other possible critical areas 7

Planning

• Stripping of vegetation, regrading and other development activities shall be conducted in such a manner so as to minimize erosion • Cut and fill operations must be kept to a minimum • Development plans must conform to topography and soil type, so as to create the lowest practicable erosion potential • Whenever feasible, natural vegetation shall be retained, protected and supplemented 8

Planning

• Disturbed soil shall be stabilized as quickly as possible • Temporary vegetation or mulching shall be employed to protect exposed critical areas during development • A series of well designed, installed, and maintained best management practices (BMPs) shall be implemented to control erosion at the source and prevent suspended sediments from leaving the site 9

Planning

• Adequate provisions must be provided to minimize damage from surface water to the cut face of excavations or the sloping surface of fills • Cut and fills may not endanger adjoining property • Fills may not encroach upon natural watercourses or constructed channels in a manner so as to adversely affect other property owners • Any proposed disturbance within a stream buffer must complete all necessary applications and receive all necessary approvals before beginning disturbance 10

Plan Concepts

• Adapt the plan to resources available • When possible, fit the project into the existing terrain • Recommendations must be cost effective • The plan must be flexible • Maintain open communication with developer, contractors and local issuing authority 11

Plan Concepts

• Notes and instructions must be clear and simple • Timing and scheduling are very important • Establish an effective maintenance program • Identify critical areas offsite 12

Construction Sequencing

• Plan sequence with contractor • Advise inspector/LIA of sequence at pre construction meeting • Evaluate sequence during implementation • Make sequence revisions if necessary • Resubmit revised plans for approval to LIA or local SWCD • Final stabilization plan 13

What types of plan revisions require additional design and review?

• The onsite addition of silt fence, check dams, and other generic BMPs DO NOT require design and review (BMPs must still conform with minimum standards set forth in the Manual) • Modifications and addition/removal of designed structural BMPs such as sediment basins require professional design and review and approval!

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The Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control Plan Checklists

Three checklists:

• Stand Alone Projects • Infrastructure Projects • Common Developments Appendix 1 Available at www.gaswcc.georgia.gov

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Updates

• The new checklists include all previous requirements of the June 2007 version • Updated to include provisions of the new NPDES General Permits 16

Elements of the Checklist

• Site Plan – Site Location Information – Surveys, Maps, Soils, Hydrology Study – Delineation of State Waters and Buffers – Phasing of ES&PC Plan • Narrative Notes and Other Information – Maintenance Notes – Contact Info – Signature and Seal – BMP Details – Storage Calculations – Vegetative Plan – Compliance with NPDES Permits 17

Importance of Using Checklist

• The designer refers to checklist before, during and after design. Obtain all necessary information and visit the site BEFORE beginning the design!!!

• Designers and reviewers both work on many plans and using the checklist on every set of plans will help ensure important info is not forgotten.

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Submitting an ES&PC Plan for Review

•Once ES&PC plan is complete (all checklist items addressed), submit plans to local issuing authority. If the local issuing authority does not have an MOA, they forward plans to the local SWCD.

•Must include copy of checklist with page numbers indicating where information can be found. 19

Original Submittal

• Typically, there will be some form of comments during the original submittal • Plans received without the signature and seal of the Design Professional will not be reviewed.

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Second and Third Submittals

• By submitting a complete ES&PC plan on first submittal, plans can usually be approved on first or second submittal.

• Plans that have extensive comments on original submittal, typically are not approved until at least the third submittal and this can dramatically delay the permitting process.

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Submitting an ES&PC Plan for Review

• In areas where there is not a certified issuing authority, 1 copy of the plan is submitted to EPD’s Watershed Protection Branch and 1 copy to the appropriate EPD District office 22

Relationship between Designers and Reviewers

• The Design Professional designs plans and is ultimately responsible if plans fail  Adjacent property owner’s lake impacted due to poor planning and implementation 23

Reviewer’s Role

• Ensure all checklist items are addressed • Reviewers do more than check off checklist – Make sure plans consist of three phases with a series of sound Best Management Practices – Ensure BMPs are designed in accordance with specifications set forth in the “Green Book” – Adequate sediment storage for each drainage basin onsite – Look for stream buffer encroachments that are not going for EPD variance application 24

Relationship between Designers and Reviewers

• Reviewer “double checks” plan to ensure minimum requirements are met • Designer should welcome reviewer’s comments and concerns 25

Reading the Plans

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Reading the Plan

• A good ES&PC plan provides all the necessary information that will allow an individual to view the site plan and understand what is taking place at any given time.

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Reading the Plan

• Recognize existing and proposed grading activities • Evaluate topography, slope steepness and slope profiles, using given contours on plans • Recognize drainage patterns and basins • Check the selection, location, and effectiveness of approved BMPs as shown on plans 28

Topographic Mapping

Most grading plans are based on some type of topographic map. Topographic information allows a trained viewer to see the plan in three dimensions, thus enabling the viewer to see changes in grade within the site.

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The flow of water is always perpendicular to the contour

summit

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Reading the Plans

• Perhaps, the most important aspect of reading the plans is understanding the onsite and offsite drainage patterns for pre, during and post construction conditions.

– Initial plan for perimeter control and initial sediment storage – Intermediate plan for grading and drainage – Final ES&PC plan 31

820 Drainage Basin Delineation 830

The first step in identifying drainage basins within a site is to find the high and low points and determine the overall directions of flow. The ridges and valleys start to “appear”.

840 850 860 864.41

820 820 810 800 790 857 850 840 830 820 810

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790 800 810

Study where the water

850 840

flows

830 860 864.41

820 820 820 810 800 790 857 850 840 830 820 810

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790 800 810

820

Drainage boundaries can then be drawn along the ridges where the flow patterns break in opposite directions.

830 840 850

Drainage basins, also called “watersheds”, are now defined. Each basin can now be treated as a separate site.

860 864.41

820 820 810 800 790 857 850 840 830 820 810

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790 800 810

Sd3 Cd

Scale 1” = 40 feet

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Plans on the Site

• An approved set of plans must be on site at all times.

• Use approved plans for each inspection.

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Questions???

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