V. Soil and Erosion Control in Patterson
What is soil erosion and why is it so important?
Soil erosion begins with rainfall. We become so accustomed to the rain we don't
realize how much force is in a single raindrop. But when a rain drop impacts the
soil surface, it does so with enough force to dislodge and begin breaking the soil
particles into much smaller pieces which are much easier to move. When a sufficient
amount of rainfall has accumulated on the ground's surface it begins to move downhill.
The more rainfall, and the steeper the hill, the faster the rainfall will
flow over the surface. The rainfall or storm water moving over the surface of the
land picks up those tiny particles of soil and nutrients and carries them down the
hill. The faster the storm water is flowing (its velocity), the more energy it has
to carry particles of soil and nutrients. Storm water runoff will continue to
carry these particles of soil until its velocity is slowed, at which time most of
the particles fall out of the storm water and are left behind. This is called soil
erosion. Unfortunately, the soil particles are usually left behind in the most
inappropriate places like stream bottoms or lakes.
To help prevent soil erosion, in February of 2002 the Town of Patterson adopted a
Soil Erosion Control Law aimed at protecting property owners from uncontrolled
erosion. The Law requires that an individual obtain a permit prior to commencing
any of a number of activities.
|Activities That Require Permits
- Site preparation on slopes which exceed one (1) foot of
vertical rise to four (4) feet of horizontal distance (twenty percent
(20%)) or site preparation in soils known to be subject to severe
erosion, based upon the rating given to individual soil types by the
USDA Soil Conservation Service.
- Site preparation within the one-hundred-year flood-plain of any
- Excavation which affects more than four hundred (400) cubic yards
of material within any parcel.
- Soil stripping or clear cutting which affects:
a. an area exceeding 20,000 square feet of contiguous ground
b. one or more areas that in total exceeding 40,000 square feet
on any individual parcel; or
c. the minimum lot area permitted under current Zoning
Regulations when less than one-half (.5) acre.
- Grading which affects more than 20,000 square feet of ground
surface within any parcel.
- Filling which exceeds a total of two hundred (200) cubic yards of
material within any parcel.
- A development or subdivision of two (2) or more units or any
development or subdivision.
- Activities associated with any site plan application.
There are certain practices which you as a homeowner can do to help reduce the
potential for soil erosion.
|Things You Can Do
- Whenever soils are disturbed or laid bare utilize a silt fence or
other appropriate methods of erosion control. As soon as possible
re-establish vegetation over the area. Mulch the area to provide a
temporary cover and protect the soil from rain.
- Preserve existing vegetation as much as possible. Vegetation
naturally reduces erosion. Trees and other vegetation intercept the
rain so that it does not reach the soil's surface with any force.
The leaf litter on the forest's floor also acts as a barrier to the
force of the rain and allow more of the rain to infiltrate into
- If you are re-grading your land create softer or shorter slopes
which have less of a potential for soil erosion.
- Maintain wide buffer strips of natural vegetation which help to
filter out pollutants.
- Always mulch bare or disturbed soils.
- Terrace slopes to slow the flow of runoff.