Sediment & Erosion Control / Stormwater Pollution Prevention Planning (SWPPP)

Pale Blue Dot Consulting staff have been planning, implementing, and inspecting erosion control and stormwater pollution prevention plans since 2003. Have you ever noticed some construction sites have small fabric fences surrounding earth moving activity? These structures, known as “silt fences”, are one example of erosion and stormwater pollution prevention control “best management practice” (BMP). Other BMPs include devices that are deployed near stormwater inlets and drains, floating curtains which are deployable in open water, and existing ground cover vegetation.

So why is Sediment & Erosion Control and Stormwater Pollution Prevention important? Why would dirt be considered a pollutant? Imagine a dust cloud blowing over your town and blocking out the sunlight for months, covering homes, agricultural land, and natural areas like forests. An event like this would render a place uninhabitable. This is what happens to aquatic ecosystems downstream of construction activities where erosion and stormwater pollution control has not been implemented, and sometimes the damage is irreversible.

Sediment and Erosion Control as well as Stormwater Pollution Prevention planning is required for all construction activities. These plans also require regular inspection and sometimes water quality monitoring, particularly after storm/high precipitation events. PBDC staff have managed every conceivable type of stormwater pollution prevention project, including residential and commercial developments, single family homes, industrial plants, concrete aggregate staging areas, mines, and to support work on utility transmission, distribution, and collection (e.g. water, sewer, telecommunication, electricity, fuel) projects, and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Compliance Audits and Permitting. Our work has helped utilities plan site access points, matting, low-water crossings, alternative routes, avoidance areas (e.g. sink holes, critical habitats, listed species), as well as scheduling based on the activities of protected species (such as nesting eagles or gopher tortoise burrows).

PBDC staff design and implement SWPPP and Sediment & Erosion plans, perform routine and post-storm monitoring, perform turbidity monitoring, map out sensitive and hazardous areas to be avoided, suggest alternatives, and create adaptable programs that both protect the environment and keep our clients in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.