As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITYThe work of producing crops, including tillage, land clearing, plowing, disking, harrowing, planting, harvesting crops, pasturing and raising of livestock, and installation of conservation measures. Construction of new buildings or impervious area is not considered an agricultural activity.
APPLICANTA landowner, developer, or other person, who has filed an application to the Township for approval to engage in any regulated activity at a project site in the Township.
BMP (BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE)Activities, facilities, designs, measures, or procedures used to manage stormwater impacts from regulated activities, to meet state water quality requirements, to promote groundwater recharge and to otherwise meet the purposes of this chapter. Stormwater BMPs are commonly grouped into one of two broad categories or measures: "structural" or "nonstructural." In this chapter, nonstructural BMPs or measures refer to operational and/or behavior-related practices that attempt to minimize the contact of pollutants with stormwater runoff, whereas structural BMPs or measures are those that consist of a physical device or practice that is installed to capture and treat stormwater runoff. Structural BMPs include but are not limited to a wide variety of practices and devices, from large-scale retention ponds and constructed wetlands to small-scale underground treatment systems, infiltration facilities, filter strips, low-impact design, bioretention, wet ponds, permeable paving, grassed swales, riparian or forested buffers, sand filters, detention basins, and manufactured devices. Structural stormwater BMPs are permanent appurtenances to the project site.
BMP MANUALThe Pennsylvania Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual, as amended and updated.
CONSERVATION DISTRICTA conservation district, as defined in Section 3(c) of the Conservation District Law [3 P.S. §
851(c)], which has the authority under a delegation agreement executed with the department to administer and enforce all or a portion of the erosion and sediment control program in the commonwealth.
A structure which carries surface water through an obstruction.
DAMAn impoundment structure regulated by the PA DEP Chapter 105 regulations.
DESIGN STORMThe magnitude and temporal distribution of precipitation from a storm event, measured in probability of occurrence (e.g., a five-year-storm) and duration (e.g., 24 hours), used in the design and evaluation of stormwater management systems. Also see "return period."
DETENTION BASINA structure designed to retard stormwater runoff by temporarily storing and releasing runoff at a predetermined rate.
DEVELOPERAny landowner, agent of such landowner or tenant with the permission of such landowner, who makes or causes to be made a subdivision of land or a land development and that undertakes a regulated activity.
DISCONNECTED IMPERVIOUS AREA (DIA)An impervious or impermeable surface which has its stormwater runoff disconnected from any stormwater drainage or conveyance system and is redirected or directed to a pervious area which allows for infiltration, filtration, and increased time of concentration as specified in Appendix A, Disconnected Impervious Area.
DRAINAGE CONVEYANCE FACILITYA stormwater management facility designed to transmit stormwater runoff, including but not limited to streams, channels, swales, pipes, conduits, culverts and storm sewers.
DRAINAGE EASEMENTA limited right of use granted in private land, allowing the use of private land for stormwater management purposes, wherein no structure may be constructed.
EARTH-DISTURBANCE ACTIVITYA construction or other human activity which disturbs the surface of the land, including but not limited to clearing and grubbing; grading; excavations; embankments; road maintenance; building construction; and the moving, depositing, stockpiling, or storing of soil, rock, or earth materials.
EROSIONThe natural process by which the surface of the land is worn away by water, wind or chemical action.
EXISTING CONDITIONSThe initial condition of a project site prior to the proposed construction. If the initial condition of the site is undeveloped land, the land use shall be considered as "meadow" in good condition unless the natural land cover is proven to generate lower curve numbers or Rational "C" values, such as forested lands.
FLOODPLAINAny land area susceptible to inundation by water from any natural source or delineated by applicable FEMA maps and studies as being a special flood hazard area. Also, it includes areas that comprise Group 13 soils, as listed in Appendix A of the PADEP Technical Manual for Sewage Enforcement Officers (as amended or replaced from time to time by PADEP).
FLOODWAYThe channel of the watercourse and those portions of the adjoining floodplains that are reasonably required to carry and discharge the one-hundred-year flood. Unless otherwise specified, the boundary of the floodway is as indicated on maps and flood insurance studies provided by FEMA. In an area where no FEMA maps or studies have defined the boundary of the one-hundred-year floodway, it is assumed, absent evidence to the contrary, that the floodway extends from the stream to 50 feet from the top of the bank of the stream.
FOREST MANAGEMENT/TIMBER OPERATIONSPlanning and activities necessary for the management of forestland. These include conducting a timber inventory, preparation of forest management plans, silvicultural treatment, cutting budgets, logging road design and construction, timber harvesting, site preparation and reforestation.
FREEBOARDThe difference between the design flow elevation in the emergency spillway of a basin and the top of the basin embankment after settlement occurs; and the difference between the design floor elevation of a swale and the top of the swale embankment.
HYDROLOGIC SOIL GROUP (HSG)Refers to soils grouped according to their runoff-producing characteristics. The chief consideration is the inherent capacity of soil bare of vegetation to permit infiltration. Infiltration rates of soils vary widely and are affected by subsurface permeability as well as surface intake rates. Soils are classified into four HSG's (A, B, C, and D) according to their minimum infiltration rate, which is obtained for bare soil after prolonged wetting. The NRCS defines the four groups and provides a list of most of the soils in the United States and their group classification. The soils in the area of the development site may be identified from a soil survey report that can be obtained from local NRCS offices or conservation district offices. Soils become less pervious as the HSG varies from A to D.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE (IMPERVIOUS AREA)A surface that prevents the infiltration of water into the ground. Impervious surfaces (or areas) shall include but not be limited to roofs, additional indoor living spaces, patios, garages, storage sheds and similar structures, streets, driveways, access drives, parking areas and sidewalks. Any areas designed to be covered by loose surfacing materials, such as gravel, stone and/or crushed stone, and intended for storage of and/or travel by motorized or nonmotorized vehicles or travel by pedestrians shall be considered impervious. Pervious pavement shall be considered as an impervious surface for the purposes of lot coverage and post to peak rate control. For the purposes of this chapter, a surface or area shall not be considered impervious if such surface or area does not diminish the capacity for infiltration of stormwater for storms up to and including a two-year, twenty-four-hour storm event. Decks, parking areas, and driveway areas are not counted as impervious areas if they allow for infiltration of stormwater for storms up to and including a two-year, twenty-four-hour storm event.
INFILTRATIONWater flowing downward though the ground surface.
INFILTRATION STRUCTUREA structure designed to direct runoff into the ground (e.g., French drains, seepage pits, seepage trench).
KARSTA type of topography or landscape characterized by surface depressions, sinkholes, rock pinnacles/uneven bedrock surface, underground drainage and caves. Karst is formed on carbonate rocks, such as limestone or dolomite.
LAND DEVELOPMENTAs defined in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as may be amended from time to time.
NPDESNational Pollution Discharge Elimination System.
O&MOperation and maintenance.
OPEN CHANNELA drainage element in which stormwater flows with an open surface. Open channels include but shall not be limited to natural and man-made drainageways, swales, streams, ditches, canals and pipes flowing partly full.
PARENT TRACTA tract of land having an assessment parcel number dated prior to the date of adoption of this chapter.
PEAK DISCHARGEThe maximum rate of stormwater runoff from a specific storm event.
PERSONAn individual, partnership, public or private association or corporation, firm, trust, estate, municipality, governmental unit, public utility or any other legal entity whatsoever. Whenever used in any section prescribing or imposing a penalty, the term "person" shall include the members of a partnership, the officers, agents and servants of a corporation and the officers of a municipality.
POLLUTANTAnything which causes or contributes to pollution. Pollutants may include but are not limited to: paints, varnishes, and solvents; oil and other automotive fluids; nonhazardous liquid and solid wastes and yard wastes; refuse, rubbish, garbage, litter, or other discarded or abandoned objects, ordnances, and accumulations that may cause or contribute to pollution; floatables; pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers; hazardous substances and wastes; sewage, fecal coliform and pathogens; dissolved and particulate metals; animal wastes; wastes and residues that result from constructing a building or structure; and noxious or offensive matter of any kind.
PROJECT SITEThe specific area of land where any regulated activities in the Township are planned, conducted or maintained.
REGULATED ACTIVITYAny earth-disturbance activities or any activities that involve the alteration or development of land in a manner that may affect stormwater runoff.
RETENTION BASINAn impoundment in which stormwater is stored and not released during a storm event. Stored water may be released from the basin at some time after the end of the storm.
RETURN PERIODThe average interval, in years, within which a storm event of a given magnitude can be expected to occur one time. For example, the twenty-five-year return period rainfall would be expected to occur on average once every 25 years; or stated in another way, the probability of a twenty-five-year storm occurring in any one year is 0.04 (i.e., a four-percent chance).
RIPARIAN BUFFERA natural vegetative filter located between an upland landscape and a waterway.
RUNOFFAny part of precipitation that flows over the land.
SEDIMENTSoils or other materials transported by surface water as a product of erosion.
SEDIMENT BASINA temporary dam or barrier constructed across a waterway or at other suitable locations to intercept the runoff and to trap and retain the sediment.
SEEPAGE PIT/SEEPAGE TRENCHAn area of excavated earth, filled with loose stone or similar materials, into which surface water is directed for infiltration into the ground.
SHEET FLOWWater flow across the land surface with a relatively thin and uniform depth.
SOIL COVER COMPLEX METHODA method of runoff computation in NRCS publication "Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds," Technical Release No. 55.
SPILLWAYA depression in the embankment of a pond or basin which is used to pass peak discharge greater than the maximum design storm controlled by the pond or basin.
STATE WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENTSThe regulatory requirements to protect, maintain, reclaim, and restore water quality under Pennsylvania Code Title
25 and the Clean Streams Law.
Publicly or privately owned faculties by which stormwater is collected and/or conveyed, including but not limited to any roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, gutters, curbs, inlets, piped storm drains, pumping facilities, retention and detention basins, natural and human-made or -altered drainage channels, reservoirs, and other drainage structures.
STORM SEWERA pipe or conduit, or a system of pipes or conduits, which intercepts and carries surface stormwater runoff, but excludes sewage, industrial wastes and similar discharges.
STORMWATERDrainage runoff from the surface of the land resulting from precipitation or snow or ice melt.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENTThe control of runoff to allow water falling on a given site to be absorbed or retained on site to the extent that, after development, the peak rate of discharge leaving the site does not exceed the rate prior to development.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES"See BMPs." This term is abbreviated as "BMPs" or "SWM BMPs" throughout this chapter. For all NPDES permitted sites, the stormwater management site plan shall include, and be consistent with, the erosion and sedimentation and pollution control plan as submitted to the Cumberland County Conservation District and/or PADEP.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FACILITYAny structure, natural or man-made, that, due to its condition, design or construction, conveys, stores, or otherwise affects stormwater runoff. Typical stormwater management facilities include but are not limited to detention and retention basins, open channels, storm sewers, pipes, and infiltration structures.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLANThe Cumberland County Stormwater Management Plan for managing stormwater runoff, adopted by the County of Cumberland as required by the Act of October 4, 1978, P.L. 864 (Act 167), as amended, and known as the "Stormwater Management Act."
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SITE PLANThe plan prepared by the developer or his representative indicating how stormwater runoff will be managed at the development site in accordance with this chapter. This term shall include any plans, reports, studies and other supplemental information. "Stormwater management site plan" will be designated as "SWM site plan" throughout this chapter.
SUBDIVISIONAs defined by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended from time to time.
SWALEA low-lying stretch of land which gathers and/or carries surface water runoff.
WATERCOURSEA stream of water, river, brook, creek, or a channel or ditch for water, whether natural or man-made.
WATERSHEDA region or area drained by a river, watercourse or other surface water of this commonwealth.
WATERS OF THE COMMONWEALTHRivers, streams, creeks, rivulets, impoundments, ditches, watercourses, storm sewers, lakes, dammed water, wetlands, ponds, springs and other bodies or channels of conveyance of surface and underground water, or parts thereof, whether natural or artificial, within or on the boundaries of this commonwealth.
WETLANDAreas that have a predominance of hydric soils and that are inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of hydrophytic vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.