Grading, Erosion & Sediment Control

Please review our current policy regarding plan submissions and drop-offs on our COVID-19 Updates & Resources page.

Erosion and sediment control plans are reviewed for conformance with the Maryland Standards and Specifications for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control, as well as the Prince George’s Soil Conservation District Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Pond Safety Reference Manual.

Grading, erosion and sediment control plans are reviewed and approved for residential, commercial, forest harvest, stream maintenance, surface mining, fill sites, landfills and county or municipal projects.

District Urban staff review an average of 1800 plan submissions per year. While maximum turnaround time set by the Board of Supervisors is ten business days, the average turnaround time for plans submitted is under five business days. The District is regarded as being responsive to the needs of the development community and in the private engineering sector for reviewing and approving grading, erosion and sediment control plans in a timely manner.

To improve the enforcement of approved grading, erosion and sediment control and Stormwater Management (SWM) Pond Plans, the District staff provides technical training to the County’s Department of Public Works and Transportation Office of Engineering and to the Department of Permits, Inspections and Enforcement site inspectors.

Please review our current policy regarding plan submissions and drop-offs on our COVID-19 Updates & Resources page.

Dependence on the natural resources of Maryland is unending—and so is the need to protect our environment. Acceptable erosion and sediment control plans must be designed to mitigate soil erosion, prevent increase in stormwater runoff, and minimize the discharge of pollutants. The Maryland Stormwater Management Act of 2007, and the 2011 Maryland Standards and Specifications for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control, requires a comprehensive review process for approval of all erosion, sediment, and stormwater management plans. This process includes the submission and review of these plans for each of the following three phases of plan development:

  • Concept Plan
  • Site Development Plan
  • Final Plan

This manual is intended to be a reference guide for engineers, developers, reviewers, and inspectors; it will also be used by our plan reviewers to ensure consistency in the plan review process. Most importantly, it should be the basis for plan preparation and submittal by engineering consultants. Existing references have been updated and consolidated into one document.