A. 
The following definitions are provided for the terms used in this chapter.
B. 
Unless otherwise stated, the following words shall, for the purpose of this chapter, have the meaning herein indicated. Words in the present tense include the future tense. Words in singular include the plural, and words in the plural the singular.
ADMINISTRATION
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Water Management Administration (WMA).
ADVERSE IMPACT
Any deleterious effect on waters or wetlands, including their quality, quantity, surface area, species composition, aesthetics or usefulness for human or natural uses, which are or may potentially be harmful or injurious to human health, welfare, safety or property, to biological productivity, diversity, or stability or which unreasonably interfere with the enjoyment of life or property, including outdoor recreation.
AGRICULTURAL LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Those methods and procedures used exclusively in the cultivation of land to further crop and livestock production, including tillage, plowing, discing, harrowing, pasturing and installation of conservation measures. Construction of new buildings or impervious area is not considered an agricultural activity.
APPLICANT
Any person who executes the necessary forms to procure official approval of a project or a permit to carry out construction of a project, including his heirs, successors and assigns.
AQUIFER
A porous water-bearing geologic formation generally restricted to materials capable of yielding an appreciable supply of water.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (BMP)
A structural device or nonstructural practice designed to temporarily store or treat stormwater runoff in order to mitigate flooding, reduce pollution, and provide other amenities.
BUILDING
Any structure, either temporary or permanent, having walls and a roof, designed or used for the shelter of any person, animal or property.
CHANNEL PROTECTION STORAGE VOLUME (Cpv)
The volume used to design structural management practices to control stream channel erosion. Methods for calculating the channel protection storage volume are specified in the 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual.
CLEARING
The removal of trees and brush from the land but shall not include the ordinary mowing of grass.
CONVEYANCE
The ability of a pipe, culvert, swale or similar facility to carry the peak flow from the design storm.
DESIGN MANUAL
The 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual, and all subsequent revisions, that serves as the official guide for stormwater management principles, methods, and practices.
DETENTION STRUCTURE
A permanent structure for the temporary storage of runoff which is designed so as not to create a permanent pool of water.
DEVELOPMENT
To change the runoff characteristics of a parcel of land in conjunction with residential, commercial, industrial, or institutional construction or alteration.
DIRECT DISCHARGE
The concentrated release of stormwater to tidal waters or vegetated tidal wetlands from new development or redevelopment projects in the critical area.
DORCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
The entity responsible for the review and approval of stormwater management plans, including the reviewing agencies delegated to review plan submissions.
DRAINAGE AREA
That area contributing runoff to a single point measured in a horizontal plane, which is enclosed by a ridgeline.
DRAINAGE CONVEYANCE FACILITY
A stormwater management facility designed and constructed to transmit stormwater runoff and shall include roadside ditches, swales, drainage ditches, channels, pipes, conduits, culverts, streams, storm sewers, etc.
EASEMENT
A grant or reservation by the owner of land for the use of such land by others for a specific purpose or purposes and which must be included in the conveyance of land affected by such easement.
ENERGY DISSIPATOR
A device used to slow the velocity of stormwater particularly at points of concentrated discharge such as pipe outlets.
ENVIRONMENTAL SITE DESIGN (ESD)
Using small-scale stormwater management practices, nonstructural techniques, and better site planning to mimic natural hydrologic runoff characteristics and minimize the impact of land development on water resources. Methods for designing environmental site design practices are specified in the Design Manual.
EXEMPTION
Those land development activities that are not subject to the stormwater management requirements contained in this chapter.
EXTENDED DETENTION
A stormwater design feature that provides gradual release of a volume of water in order to increase settling of pollutants and protect downstream channels from frequent storm events. Methods for designing extended detention best management practices are specified in the Design Manual.
EXTREME FLOOD VOLUME (QF)
The storage volume required to control those infrequent but large storm events in which overbank flows reach or exceed the boundaries of the one-hundred-year floodplain.
FINAL LAND DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The last of three required plan approvals that includes the information necessary to allow all approvals and permits to be issued by the approving agency.
FLOW ATTENUATION
Prolonging the flow time of runoff to reduce the peak discharge.
GRADING
Any act by which soil is cleared, stripped, stockpiled, excavated, scarified, filled, or any combination thereof.
IMPERVIOUS AREA
Any surface that does not allow stormwater to infiltrate into the ground. For the purposes of stormwater design, stoned areas used for vehicles shall be considered impervious area.
INFILTRATION
The passage or movement of water into the soil surface.
MAXIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLE (MEP)
Designing stormwater management systems so that all reasonable opportunities for using environmental site design planning techniques and treatment practices are exhausted and, only where absolutely necessary, a structural best management practice is implemented.
MINOR RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION
The division of a single lot, tract or parcel of land existing as of April 1, 1995, into four of fewer single-family residential lots, tracts or parcels of land, either all at one time, or lot by lot, provided that the proposed lots, tracts or parcels of land thereby created have frontage on an existing improved community street or streets, and provided further that there is not created by the subdivision any new street or streets.
OFF-SITE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
The design and construction of a facility necessary to control stormwater from more than one development.
ON-SITE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
The design and construction of systems necessary to control stormwater within an immediate development.
OVERBANK FLOOD PROTECTION VOLUME (QP)
The volume controlled by structural practices to prevent an increase in the frequency of out-of-bank flooding generated by development. Methods for calculating the overbank flood protection volume are specified in the Design Manual.
PERSON
The federal government, the state, any county, municipal corporation, or other political subdivision of the state, or any of their units, or an individual receiver, trustee, guardian, executor, administrator, fiduciary, or representative of any kind, or any partnership, firm, association, public or private corporation, or any other entity.
PLANNING TECHNIQUES
A combination of strategies employed early in project design to reduce the impact from development and to incorporate natural features into a stormwater management plan.
PRELIMINARY LAND DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The second of three required plan approvals that includes the information necessary to allow a detailed evaluation of a proposed project.
RECHARGE VOLUME (ReV)
That portion of the water quality volume used to maintain groundwater recharge rates at development sites. Methods for calculating the recharge volume are specified in the Design Manual.
RECORD DRAWINGS
A set of prints of the original facilities showing those changes made during the construction process.
REDEVELOPMENT
Any construction, alteration, or improvement performed on sites where existing land use is commercial, industrial, institutional, or multifamily residential and existing site impervious area exceeds 40%.
RETENTION STRUCTURE
A permanent structure that provides for the storage of runoff by means of a permanent pool of water.
RETROFITTING
The implementation of environmental site design practices, the construction of structural best management practices, or the modification of an existing structural best management practice in a previously developed area to improve water quality over current conditions.
SEDIMENT
Soils or other surficial materials transported or deposited by the action of wind, water, ice, or gravity as a product of erosion.
SHEET FLOW
Runoff which flows over the ground surface as a thin, even layer, not concentrated in a channel.
SITE
Any tract, lot, or parcel of land, or combination of tracts, lots, parcels of land, that is in one ownership, or is contiguous and in diverse ownership, where development is to be performed as part of a unit, subdivision, or project.
SKETCH PLAN
The first of three required plan approvals that includes the information necessary to allow an initial evaluation of a proposed project.
STABILIZATION
The prevention of soil movement by any of various vegetative and/or structural means.
STORMWATER
Water that originates from a precipitation event.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Natural areas, environmental site design practices, stormwater management measures, drainage conveyance facilities and any other structure through which stormwater flows, infiltrates, or discharges from a site.
STRIPPING
Any activity that removes the vegetative surface cover, including tree removal, clearing, grubbing, and storage or removal of topsoil.
VARIANCE
The modification of the minimum stormwater management requirements for specific circumstances such that strict adherence to the requirements would result in unnecessary hardship and not fulfill the intent of this chapter.
WAIVER
The reduction of stormwater management requirements by the Dorchester County Department of Public Works for a specific development on a case-by-case review basis.
WATERCOURSE
Any natural or artificial stream, river, creek, ditch, swale, channel, canal, conduit, culvert, drain, waterway, gully, ravine or wash, in and including any adjacent area that is subject to inundation from overflow or floodwater.
WATER QUALITY VOLUME (WQV)
The volume needed to capture and treat 90% of the average annual rainfall events at a development site. Methods for calculating the water quality volume are specified in the Design Manual.
WATERSHED
The total drainage area contributing runoff to a single point.
C. 
The masculine gender includes the feminine gender and the neuter. References to "codes, chapters, resolutions, plans, maps, governmental bodies, commissions or agencies, or officials" are references to codes, chapters or agencies, or officials of Dorchester County, Maryland, or the State of Maryland as in effect or office from time to time, including amendments thereto or revisions or successors thereof, unless the text indicates another reference is intended.
D. 
Words not defined shall have the meanings given in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary and shall be interpreted so as to give the chapter its most reasonable application.