Projects Under One Acre

Pennsylvania law requires a written Erosion & Sedimentation Control Plan  (E&S Plan) be prepared and maintained on site for projects involving 5,000 square feet, but less than 1 acre, of earth disturbance. Although an E&S plan review for adequacy by the County Conservation District is not required under the Chapter 102 regulations, E&S review may be required by municipal ordinances, County requirements, or other Department of Environmental Protection/Army Corps of Engineers permit (i.e. Chapter 105, Joint Permit, or GPs). Many municipalities in Bucks County have ordinances that require BCCD review and approval of E&S plans before starting work and in some municipalities for projects involving less than 5,000 square feet of earth disturbance. BCCD recommends consulting with your municipality.

Please download our application form with instructions and use the resource links provided below to help you complete your application and E&S plan. Remember to keep a copy of your submitted E&S plan for your records and maintain a copy on site throughout work.

* Please Note: Swimming pool projects under 2,000 square feet are exempt from BCCD E&S Review.* Your Municipality may require items such as grading or building permits prior to the start of any work.  Please check with your municipality before begining any new construction project.

Items needed for an Erosion & Sedimentation Control Plan submittal to BCCD:

• Application for Chapter 102 and/or NPDES Review Information Form (Erosion & Sedimentation Control Plan 2023 Application Form)
• BCCD Standard Notes are the basic “dos and don’ts” of construction activities that BCCD requires applicants to adhere to. A copy of the Standard Notes should be included in any project submission to the BCCD.
• In Pennsylvania, homeowners and contractors are required to contact PA 1 Call at least three business days before beginning any digging or excavation project. In 2006, the PUC ordered all local telecommunications carriers to fully implement 8-1-1 as the abbreviated dialing code to access PA 1 Call. For more information see www.pa1call.org
•  Web Soil Survey Tool , Bucks County Hydric Soils List
•  eMap Tool , Chapter 93 Stream Designations for Bucks County streams
• Low Hazard Plan Instructions provides guidance for homeowners to develop acceptable Erosion and Sedimentation Control plans for small projects.  The BCCD has also provided a simple plan sheet for you to work from. The BCCD reserves the right to determine whether or not the use of this guide is acceptable for any given project. 
• BCCD staff has created a sample detail sheet to use for E&S plans. Please, cut, paste & edit to match your proposed design.
• If you would like further assistance from the Conservation District, we recommend contacting our office and speaking with the Technician responsible for your municipality.

Projects under one acre are eligible to request an expedited review of their E&S plan submission for an additional fee. Please read our Expedited Review application for more information regarding the submission process and requirements.