Words and phrases in this chapter shall be construed according to their common and accepted meanings. Words and phrases defined herein shall be construed according to the respective definition given, unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. Technical words and phrases that are not defined in this chapter but which have acquired particular meanings in law or in technical usage shall be construed according to such meanings.
AGRICULTURAL LAND DISTURBING ACTIVITY. Tillage, planting, cultivation, or harvesting operations for the production of agricultural or nursery vegetative crops. The term also includes pasture renovation and establishment, the construction of agricultural conservation practices, and the installation and maintenance of agricultural drainage tile. For purposes of this chapter, the term does not include land disturbing activities for the construction of agricultural related facilities, such as barns, buildings to house livestock, roads associated with infrastructure, agricultural waste lagoons and facilities, lakes and ponds, wetlands, and other infrastructure.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (BMP). BMP can refer to a structural measure (erosion control measure, wetland, pond, hydrodynamic separator, filter, etc.) or non-structural measure (restrictive zoning, reduced impervious area, inspections, etc.). BMPs are designed for the benefit of water quality and quantity control. For the purposes of this chapter, BMPs refer to structural water quality BMPs.
CONSTRUCTION. Building, clearing and grubbing, grading, excavating, demolition and other activities resulting in land disturbance.
CONTOUR. An imaginary line on the surface of the land that connects points of equal elevation.
CONTOUR INTERVAL. The vertical distance between contour lines.
CONTOUR MAP. A map that shows the shape of the surface features of the ground by use of contour lines.
CROSS SECTION. A drawing that shows the features that would be exposed by a vertical cut through a man-made or natural structure.
DEPOSITION. An accumulation of sediments, gravel, or debris caused by the slowing of wind or water.
DESIGN STANDARD. Requirements which may be established by regulatory agencies or legislative bodies which must be met by designers of water management systems.
DESIGNER. Professional engineers, land surveyors, or architects in the land development planning profession.
DETENTION. Any process that detains stormwater runoff, holding back stormwater runoff in temporary storage. A basin, facility, pond or BMP may be used for detention purposes.
DEVELOPER. The owner or legal representative of land proposed to be or currently being developed.
DISCHARGE. The flow from a watershed, point source or stormwater facility into a stormwater conveyance system. The rate of flow may be measured in cubic feet per second.
DRAIN. Any place where water accumulates and flows toward the rivers, whether natural or man-made.
DRAINAGE ORDINANCE. An ordinance to regulate the drainage of developing land passed by a legislative body.
EASEMENT. A grant by a property owner (“grantor”) to specific persons, the general public, corporations, utilities, and/or others (aka: “grantee” or “easement holder”) for the purpose of providing services, facilities, infrastructure, landscaping, full access, or limited access on the subject property.
ENTITY. An individual, association, organization, partnership, firm, corporation, or other person or group of persons recognized by law and acting either as the owner or the owner’s agent.
EROSION. The process by which wind and water loosen soil particles into suspension and carry the soil away.
EXCAVATION. Earth moving activities related to land use changes and treatment.
EXISTING GRADE, PLANNED GRADE, FINISH GRADE. Grade of the land or structures as they now exist. Grade of the land or structures as they are planned to be. Grade of the land or structures at the completion of the construction.
FILL. Any area that has had soil added to it and regraded or the material itself that is used for filling.
FILL MATERIAL. A combination of top soil, soil, small aggregate, sand, organic material, and/or any similar resource which is not intended to sustain landscape material, or when used under structures will not conflict with proper installation of foundations. FILL MATERIAL does not include metal, glass, industrial waste, household waste, asphalt, ash, or similar material.
GROUND COVER. Grasses or other vegetative ground cover used to prevent erosion.
HYDRAULIC GRADE LINE. An imaginary line representing the water surface elevation in open channel flow and the height to which a water column would rise if open to the atmosphere for pressure flow.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE. Surface materials that include, but are not limited to, concrete, asphalt, rooftop, blacktop and gravel, such that the infiltration of storm water is prevented or impeded. Driveways, roadways parking lots and other areas used for vehicular traffic are considered impervious surface areas. Undisturbed land, tilled agricultural land, ponds, lawns and fields are not considered impervious surface area.
INFILTRATION. Passage or movement of water into the soil.
INFRASTRUCTURE. All of the utilities, including storm sewers, sanitary sewers, electric, telephone, water lines, and the like, which allow the Town to function.
LAND DISTURBANCE. Any man-made change of the land surface, including removing vegetative cover that exposes the underlying soil, excavating, filling, stockpiling and grading. LAND DISTURBANCE shall include, but not be limited to, site development, site redevelopment, site amendments or alterations, soil disturbances without improvements, utility projects, and soil stockpiles.
LEGAL DRAIN. Drains which are under the jurisdiction of the County Drainage Board.
MEASURABLE STORM EVENT. A precipitation event that results in a total measured precipitation accumulation greater than or equal to one-half (0.5) inch of rainfall, including equivalent snow melt.
MULCH. Straw, excelsior, stone, or other natural and man-made materials to cover soil as a protection against erosion evaporation and to control temperature.
NUISANCE. No person shall erect, construct, cause, permit, keep or maintain within the Town limits, anything whatsoever which is injurious to the public health or safety, or offensive to the senses of inhabitant. The existence of any of the above is declared to be a NUISANCE and shall be regulated as set forth in Chapter 93.
OPEN OUTLET CHANNEL. Man-made ditches to contain total flow of stormwater from the watershed, plus it is deep enough to provide deep outlets for subsurface drain tile, storm sewers, and retention basins.
PEAK FLOW or PEAK RUNOFF. The maximum flow of water from a given storm at a specific location. This is measured in cubic feet per second.
POLLUTANT. Anything which causes or contributes to pollution. POLLUTANTS may include, but are not limited to: paints, varnishes, and solvents; oil and other automotive fluids; non-hazardous liquid and solid wastes and yard wastes; refuse, rubbish, garbage, litter, or other discarded or abandoned objects, and accumulations, so that same may cause or contribute to pollution; floatables; pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers; hazardous substances and wastes; sewage, fecal coliform and pathogens; dissolved and particulate metals; animal wastes; wastes and residues that result from constructing a building or structure; and noxious or offensive matter of any kind.
POND. A body of water formed naturally or by hollowing or embanking. A POND may remain wet or could become dry depending on soil characteristic, ground water levels or watershed areas flowing into or out of the pond.
PONDING. A state of temporary flooding in depressed areas or in areas where drainage is being impeded.
RETENTION. A process that retains stormwater on-site with a typical release to the air through evapotranspiration or to the ground through infiltration. A basin, facility, pond or BMP may be used for retention purposes.
RUNOFF. The amount of water directly discharged from an area by surface drainage.
SEWER, COMBINATION. An underground pipe system that is used for both wastewater and stormwater.
SEWER, SANITARY. An underground pipe system designed only for wastewater or sewage.
SEWER, STORM. An underground pipe system designed only for storm and groundwater and no sanitary wastewater.
SOIL SURVEY. Published soil survey of the county and the technology of soil science used to develop it.
STOP WORK ORDER. An order issued by the Town to stop construction activity on a site.
STORMWATER. The portion of precipitation that does not naturally infiltrate into the ground or evaporate, but flows via overland flow, interflow, channels, or pipes into a defined surface water channel.
STORMWATER CONVEYANCES, FACILITIES, AND FEATURES. A permanent stormwater or drainage component, either natural or constructed, for collecting and transferring stormwater between two (2) points, including public streets, roads, alleyways, and highways; curbs; gutters; inlets, catch basins, storm manholes, and other storm structures; stormwater quality units; stormwater pumping stations; pipes, culverts, subsurface drains, and other conduits; outfalls; legal drains, open channels, creeks, ditches, swales, streams, and other open waterways; retention or detention facilities; and other structural components and equipment that transport, move, or regulate stormwater.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT. The process of designing, installing, and implementing various combinations of drainage plans, structures, and facilities to control stormwater quality and quantity.
STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLAN (SWPPP). A written document that identifies potential source of stormwater pollution; describes control measures and best management practices that will be used to reduce or eliminate pollution in stormwater discharges; and identifies how the site will implement the plan to comply with regulations or permit requirements (i.e. inspection schedules and maintenance guidelines).
SUBSURFACE DRAIN. Perforated drain tile placed in trenches and covered to remove surplus
groundwater from the soil to provide greater soil stability and remove wetness from subsurface structures. Sections near tree roots may not be perforated.
SURFACE DRAIN. A shallow open drain with flat side slopes to quickly move surface water toward the major drainage system.
SWALE. Small surface drains along lot lines to collect and move surface water from the lot toward the project drainage system.
TRAINED INDIVIDUAL. An individual who is trained and experienced in the principles of stormwater quality and pollution prevention, including erosion and sediment control as may be demonstrated by state registration, professional certification, experience, or completion of coursework that enable the individual to make judgments regarding stormwater control or treatment and monitoring. This definition is to remain consistent with the NPDES General Permit for Construction Activities.
VELOCITY. Speed that water flows expressed in feet per second.
WATERCOURSE, WATERWAY. A natural or manmade channel through which water flows; includes legal drains, creeks, ditches, swales, streams, and other open channels.
WATERSHED. As in the White Lick Creek Watershed, it is the acreage of land from which the drainage flows to a common point. The boundaries are determined by aerial photograph interpretation, topographic maps, and visually viewing the land.
(Ord. 2017-28, passed 10-12-17)