ESCA Glossary: Key Terms & Definitions for Developers and Consultants

ESCA Key Terms & Definitions

Best Management Practices (BMPs): Schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures, and other management practices to prevent or reduce the pollution of waters of the United States. BMPs also include treatment requirements, operating procedures, and practices to control plant site runoff, spillage or leaks, sludge or waste disposal, or drainage from raw material storage. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(2))

Buffer Zone: The area of land immediately adjacent to the banks of state waters in its natural state of vegetation, which facilitates the protection of water quality and aquatic habitat. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(3))

Certified Personnel: A person who has successfully completed the appropriate certification course approved by the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(5))

Erosion: The process by which land surface is worn away by the action of wind, water, ice, or gravity. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(7))

Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan: A plan for the control of soil erosion and sediment resulting from a land-disturbing activity. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(8))

Fill: A deposit of earth material placed by artificial means. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(9))

Final Stabilization: All soil disturbing activities at the site have been completed, and that for unpaved areas and areas not covered by permanent structures, 100% of the soil surface is uniformly covered in permanent vegetation with a density of 70% or greater, or equivalent permanent stabilization measures (such as the use of rip rap, gabions, permanent mulches or geotextiles) have been used. (Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, "Manual for Erosion and Sediment Control in Georgia," 2016)

Grading: Altering the shape of ground surfaces to a predetermined condition; this includes stripping, cutting, filling, stockpiling and shaping or any combination thereof and shall include the land in its cut or filled condition. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(10))

Issuing Authority: The governing authority of any county or municipality which is certified pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 12-7-8. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(11))

Land-Disturbing Activity: Any activity which may result in soil erosion from water or wind and the movement of sediments into state water or onto lands within the state, including, but not limited to, clearing, dredging, grading, excavating, transporting, and filling of land but not including agricultural practices. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(12))

Local Issuing Authority: The governing authority of any county or municipality which is certified pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 12-7-8. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(13))

Metropolitan River Protection Act (MRPA): A state law that establishes a 2000-foot buffer and setback area to protect the Chattahoochee River and its impoundments within the Atlanta metropolitan region. (O.C.G.A. § 12-5-440 et seq.)

Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU): Numerical units of measure based upon photometric analytical techniques for measuring the light scattered by finely divided particles of a substance in suspension. (Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, "Manual for Erosion and Sediment Control in Georgia," 2016)

Operator: The party or parties that have: (A) operational control of construction project plans and specifications, including the ability to make modifications to those plans and specifications; or (B) day-to-day operational control of those activities that are necessary to ensure compliance with a storm-water pollution prevention plan for the site or other permit conditions. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(15))

Permit: The authorization necessary to conduct a land-disturbing activity under the provisions of this chapter. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(16))

Person: Any individual, partnership, firm, association, joint venture, public or private corporation, trust, estate, commission, board, public or private institution, utility, cooperative, state agency, municipality or other political subdivision of this state, any interstate body or any other legal entity. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(17))

Qualified Personnel: Any person who meets or exceeds the education and training requirements of Code Section 12-7-19. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(18))

Roadway Drainage Structure: A device such as a bridge, culvert, or ditch, composed of a virtually nonerodible material such as concrete, steel, plastic, or other such material that conveys water under a roadway by intercepting the flow on one side of a traveled way consisting of one or more defined lanes, with or without shoulder areas, and carrying water to a release point on the other side. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(19))

Sediment: Solid material, both organic and inorganic, that is in suspension, is being transported, or has been moved from its site of origin by air, water, ice, or gravity as a product of erosion. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(20))

Sedimentation: The process by which eroded material is transported and deposited by the action of water, wind, ice or gravity. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(21))

Soil and Water Conservation District: A governmental subdivision of this state, and a public body corporate and politic, organized in accordance with the provisions of Article 2 of Chapter 6 of this title. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(22))

Stabilization: The process of establishing an enduring soil cover of vegetation by the installation of temporary or permanent structures for the purpose of reducing to a minimum the erosion process and the resultant transport of sediment by wind, water, ice or gravity. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(23))

State General Permit: The National Pollution Discharge Elimination System general permit or permits for storm-water runoff from construction activities as is now in effect or as may be amended or reissued in the future pursuant to the state's authority to implement the same through federal delegation under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. Section 1251, et seq., and subsection (f) of Code Section 12-5-30. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(24))

State Waters: Any and all rivers, streams, creeks, branches, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, drainage systems, springs, wells, and other bodies of surface or subsurface water, natural or artificial, lying within or forming a part of the boundaries of the state which are not entirely confined and retained completely upon the property of a single individual, partnership, or corporation. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(25))

Stop Work Order: An order issued by the local issuing authority pursuant to Code Section 12-7-12 for the purpose of stopping all ongoing land-disturbing activities on a site that is not in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(26))

Structural Erosion and Sediment Control Measures: Measures for the stabilization of erodible or sediment-producing areas by utilizing the mechanical properties of matter for the purpose of either changing the surface of the land or storing, regulating or disposing of runoff to prevent excessive sediment loss. Examples of structural erosion and sediment control practices are riprap, sediment basins, dikes, level spreaders, waterways or outlets, diversions, grade stabilization structures, and sediment traps, etc. (Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, "Manual for Erosion and Sediment Control in Georgia," 2016)

Trout Streams: All streams or portions of streams within the watershed as designated by the Game and Fish Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources under the provisions of the Georgia Water Quality Control Act, O.C.G.A. § 12-5-20 et seq. Streams designated as primary trout waters are defined as water supporting a self-sustaining population of rainbow, brown or brook trout. Streams designated as secondary trout waters are those in which there is no evidence of natural trout reproduction, but are capable of supporting trout throughout the year. (O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(27))

Vegetative Erosion and Sediment Control Measures: Measures for the stabilization of erodible or sediment-producing areas by covering the soil with: (a) Permanent seeding, sprigging or planting, producing long-term vegetative cover; or (b) Temporary seeding, producing short-term vegetative cover; or (c) Sodding, covering areas with a turf of perennial sod-forming grass. (Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, "Manual for Erosion and Sediment Control in Georgia," 2016)