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754 Pages·2003·38.49 MB·English

Alabama Handbook for

Erosion Control, Sediment Control
and Stormwater Management
on Construction Sites
and Urban Areas

Volume 1

Developing Plans and Designing
Best Management Practices

Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee
Montgomery, Alabama
Foreword

This June 2003 update is a complete revision of the Alabama Handbook for Erosion Control, Sediment
Control and Stormwater Management on Construction Sites and Urban Areas, 2002.

A concerted effort has been made to make the 2003 Handbook an accurate and comprehensive handbook
useful to those involved in the technical aspects associated with land disturbances.

The Handbook or a CD may be purchased from the Alabama Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation
Society through the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation Foundation. Order forms are available
on the homepages of the Alabama Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society
(http://www.alchapterswcs.aces.edu) and the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee
(http://www.swcc.state.al.us/) and at local soil and water conservation district offices in each county.

The handbook may be viewed on the homepage of the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee
(http://www.swcc.state.al.us/) and copied without a charge.

Constructive comments on the contents of the June 2003 Handbook should be provided in writing to the
Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee at the following address:

Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee
P. O. Box 304880
Montgomery, AL 36130-4800

The preparation of this handbook was financed in part through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency to the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee under provisions of Section 319(h) of the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act, as amended.

All programs and services of the federal, state and local agencies and organizations that cooperated in the
preparation of the handbook are available on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, national origin,
religion, sex, age, martial status, handicap or disability.

i
Foreward

ii
Acknowledgements

This Handbook update is a product of a partnership project between the Alabama Chapter of the Soil and
Water Conservation Society, the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee, the Alabama
Association of Conservation Districts, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the
Alabama Department of Transportation, the Home Builders Association of Alabama and the USDA -
Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Steering Committee
Stephen A. Cauthen, Executive Director
Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee, Montgomery, Alabama

Jeff Clark, Chairman, Urban Committee
Alabama Association of Conservation Districts, Hartselle, Alabama

Steve Foster, Environmental Scientist, Office of Education and Outreach
Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Montgomery, Alabama

Patti Hurley, Environmental Scientist, Office of Education and Outreach
Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Montgomery, Alabama

Foy D. Kirkland, Past President
Alabama Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, Hartselle, Alabama

Perry L. Oakes, State Conservation Engineer
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service NRCS, Auburn, Alabama

A. Carl Pinyerd, III, Past President
Alabama Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, Mobile Alabama

Handbook Authors
Jim Baier, Assistant Professor - Biosystems Engineering
Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama

H. Jeff Holloway, Resources Engineer
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service NRCS, Oxford, Alabama

iii
Acknowledgements

Richard Hulcher, Chief, Mining & Nonpoint Source Section, Field Operations Division
Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Montgomery, Alabama

Tim Logiotatos, Environmental Engineer
City of Auburn, Auburn, Alabama

Jerry L. Johnson, State Staff Forester
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service NRCS, Auburn, Alabama

Earl L. Norton, Natural Resources Specialist
Norton & Associates, Auburn, Alabama

Perry L. Oakes, State Conservation Engineer
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Auburn, Alabama

Teresa Paglione, Cultural Resources Specialist,
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Auburn, Alabama

Kenneth M. Rogers, Conservation Agronomist
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Auburn, Alabama

B. Dewayne Smith, Associate
Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., Auburn, Alabama

E. Don Surrency, Plant Materials Specialist
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Athens, Georgia

Jeffery Thurmond, Wildlife Biologist
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Auburn, Alabama

Handbook Reviewers
Billy Bullard, Research Engineer
Alabama Department of Transportation, Montgomery, Alabama

Gary C. Jones, Agricultural Economist
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service

Sid Little, Assistant Stormwater Permit Coordinator
Alabama Department of Transportation, Montgomery, Alabama

J. H. Skip Ragsdale, President
Sunshine Supplies, Birmingham, Alabama

Jason Reid, Regulatory Affairs Director
Home Builders Association of Alabama, Montgomery, Alabama

iv
Acknowledgements

Dwight M. Richardson, Jr., Consultant
Richardson Home Builders, Inc., Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Randy C. Shaneyfelt, Alabama Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program Coordinator
Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Mobile, Alabama

Technical Advisors
Sherry Adcock, Information Technology Professional
Sites & Services, Auburn, Alabama

Julie Best, Public Affairs Specialist
Natural Resources Specialist, Auburn, Alabama

Robert F. Berry, Natural Resources Specialist
Berry Resources, Cullman, Alabama

L. Fay Garner, Public Affairs Assistant
Natural Resources Specialist, Auburn, Alabama

v
Acknowledgements

vi
Introduction

The Alabama Handbook for Erosion Control, Sediment Control and Stormwater Management on
Construction Sites and Urban Areas provides guidance for preventing or minimizing the related problems
of erosion, sediment and stormwater on construction sites and eroding urban areas. It provides a basis for
developing sound plans and implementing appropriate measures, commonly referred to as Best
Management Practices. It can help users meet environmental and regulatory objectives.

The Handbook recognizes that erosion and runoff are influenced by the combination of climate,
topography, soils, vegetative cover and the extent of land-disturbing activities. Because topography, soils,
environmental conditions, and to a lesser extent local climate vary widely over the state, the application of
the procedures and criteria in the Handbook should be tailored to local site-specific conditions and user
objectives.

Erosion at construction sites and sediment-laden and turbid stormwater runoff impact individuals, our
society and the environment. Damages occur onsite and offsite if land, water and related resources are
degraded. Similar impacts may occur as a result of erosion in urban areas on non-construction sites.

The Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee, acting under authorities set forth in section 9-8-22
of the Code of Alabama 1975, printed the first edition of the Handbook in 1993. Its purpose was to aid
land users, including developers, contractors, consultants, city, county and state planners and planning
boards, other governmental officials, and homeowners in adequately addressing the soil erosion,
sediment, and stormwater problems associated with land disturbing activities associated with non-
agricultural development. The First Revision of the Handbook began during 2001 and in July 2002
Chapter 9 was added and provided thirteen additional practices that were not in the original Handbook.

This new update of the Handbook (July 2003) represents a concerted effort by a group of knowledgeable
and dedicated professionals to provide a comprehensive handbook that meet the needs of planners,
designers, developers, contractors and inspectors. All parts of the previous handbook were updated and
divided into two volumes to make the contents more user-friendly. Additional practices were added to
make the Handbook more comprehensive.

It is the hope of the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee that we can keep the Handbook
current with changing technology. Although we cannot use the Handbook to identify and recommend
specific products, we recognize that product development will continue and we desire that the Handbook
framework accommodate, usually in a generic context, those products that are needed in Alabama.

As we look to the future, we urge those that make decisions affecting our land and water resources to
voluntarily embrace sound technology and practice strong stewardship of our land and water resources.
Yes, regulations are necessary for several reasons, but a conservation ethic that recognizes that our natural
resources should be protected during and after development puts the tasks of erosion control, sediment
ix
Introduction

control and stormwater management in a context that maximizes benefits to all concerned and protects the
environment.

Stephen A. Cauthen, Executive Director
Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee

x
Table of Contents

Foreword............................................................................................................i
Acknowledgements...........................................................................................iii
Table of Contents.............................................................................................vii
Introduction.......................................................................................................ix

Chapter 1: Erosion, Sedimentation and Stormwater Processes.................1
Chapter 2: General Planning Concepts for Erosion Control, Sediment
Control, and Stormwater Management.......................................7
Chapter 3: Plan Preparation......................................................................... 37
Chapter 4: Best Management Practices Design......................................... 53
Site Preparation
Construction Exit Pad (CEP) ..........................................................................57
Land Grading (LG).......................................................................................... 63
Topsoiling (TSG)............................................................................................. 67
Surface Stabilization
Chemical Stabilization (CHS).......................................................................... 73
Dune Sand Fence (DSF)................................................................................ 77
Dune Vegetation Planting (DVP) ....................................................................81
Dune Walkover (DW)...................................................................................... 89
Dust Control (DC)........................................................................................... 93
Erosion Control Blanket (ECB)....................................................................... 97
Groundskeeping (GK)................................................................................... 105
Mulching (MU).............................................................................................. 111
Permanent Seeding (PS)..............................................................................115
Preservation of Vegetation (PV) ................................................................... 125
Retaining Wall (RW)..................................................................................... 135
Shrub, Vine and Groundcover Plantings (SVG)............................................ 137
Sodding (SOD)............................................................................................. 147
Temporary Seeding (TS)............................................................................... 153
Tree Planting on Disturbed Areas (TP)......................................................... 159
Runoff Conveyance
Check Dam (CD).......................................................................................... 165
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