RI Soil Erosion & Sediment Control Handbook – July 2016 The RI State Conservation Committee has approved the July 2016 updates to the 2014 Rhode Island Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook. The changes include updates to technical guidance, figures, language, format and clarification of terms.
Major updates were made to Section One: Introduction, Part A. About this Handbook was updated to include a section ‘Areas of Special Consideration’ which focuses on Watercourses and Wetlands, Agricultural Operations and Agricultural Lands, and Forestry Operations and Forestry Lands; Section Two: Site Planning and Management, Part D. Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Plans was updated to be more consistent with the Minimum Standard 10 in the Rhode Island Stormwater Design and Installation Standards Manual; Section Six: Sediment Control Measures, Temporary Crossings were revised for additional information on ‘Temporary Stream Crossings’, ‘Swamp Mats’, and Appendix P, Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Review Checklist for Plan Reviewers. Click Here for Handbook
RI Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Field Guide The Field Guide is a newly created companion document to the RI Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook. The Field Guide is not intended to be an all-inclusive document. It is intended to be used by installers, inspectors, and maintenance staff. The format fits nicely on a cell phone or paper for handy and portable document intended for use in the field. The Field Guide contains information on 45 of the most commonly used control measures that address Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping, Erosion Control, Runoff Control, and Sediment Control. Click Here for Field Guide
SESC Plan Template for Small Sites (< 1 Acre) with Educational Brochure To comply with the RI Stormwater Design and Installation Standards Manual (RISDISM)- Minimum Standard 10 – Construction Activity Soil Erosion, Runoff, Sedimentation, and Pollution Prevention Control Measure Requirements, all construction operators are required to develop a “Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Plan” (or “SESC Plan”). Refer to Section 3.2.10 and 3.3.7 of the RISDISM for additional information. The requirement to develop a SESC Plan applies equally to small-scale construction projects as it does to large-scale construction projects, but the level of detail may vary depending on the nature of a given project. A SESC Plan for the construction of a single residential lot may require less detail because such projects are often easily managed with basic control measures (CMs). Moreover, these projects are relatively small and are usually completed relatively quickly. Where documentation is required, it can be done in a relatively concise manner.
With that in mind, RI DEM has developed the Small Residential Lot SESC Plan Template, based on US EPA’s December 2015 “Small Residential Lot Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Template (EPA 830-K-15-001). Click Here for Template
An Educational Brochure on SESC Plans for Small Construction Sites has also been customized for RI. Click Here for Brochure
DEM Webpage Dedicated to Soil Erosion and Sediment Control
Each of the new or recently updated documents listed above have been incorporated into the following newly created DEM webpage. This webpage contains a number of valuable resources dedicated to the topic of Soil Erosion and Sediment Control. DEM Soil Erosion Page
