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SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION

Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook

E&S Handbook cover

Download Guidance

Erosion and Sediment Control Program publications or their order forms are in portable document format (PDF). You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader version 4.0 or later to view or print them. Adobe Acrobat Reader 5 is free (be sure to choose the right platform - Windows 95, 98, NT, Mac, Linux, etc.- in step one). Those with a standard phone line connection or an old computer should download documents by section if possible to reduce download time and lessen potential "time-out" problems

The Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook

DCR published the Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook in 1992 to provide guidance for all state erosion and sediment control programs. It covers basic concepts, measure design, installation, maintenance, plan review procedures and administrative guidelines to support compliance with the Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Law and Regulations. It's available for free download by chapter or section below, or can be ordered in hard copy by filling in and mailing this form.

Because of network limitations, the ESC Handbook files are broken up by chapter. It cannot be downloaded as a whole because of file size limitations (i.e., it is more than 90 megs total, and few connections or application could deliver such a file intact). If you'd like to order a hard copy of the handbook, please click here for the order form. It is also strongly advised that you save the files you download to your computer's hard drive rather than trying to open them from the download site. Trying to open them is much more likely to cause your computer to "hang" during the opening of the document. To save them locally, right-click with your mouse, pick Save Target As, and direct the file to a local folder.

By Chapter

Virginia Uniform Coding System for Erosion and Sediment Control Practices - ESC Symbols (109K, PDF)
Bibliography.pdf - Bibliography (735K, PDF)
Chapter 1.pdf - Chapter 1 - Introduction (506K, PDF)
Chapter 2.pdf - Chapter 2 - Principles, Practices, & Costs (3,078K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - State Specifications (the following downloads are the 40 subsections that constitute Chapter 3)
Chapter 3 Index.pdf - Chapter 3 Index (292K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.01.pdf - 3.01 Safety Fence (1,344K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.02.pdf - 3.02 Construction Entrance (1,216K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.03.pdf - 3.03 Construction Road Stabilization (990K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.04.pdf - 3.04 Straw Bale Barrier (1,287K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.05.pdf - 3.05 Silt Fence (1,451K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.06.pdf - 3.06 Brush Barrier (1,202K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.07.pdf - 3.07 Storm Drain Inlet Protection (2,168K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.08.pdf - 3.08 Culvert Inlet Protection (1,294K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.09.pdf - 3.09 Temporary Diversion Dike (1071K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.10.pdf - 3.10 Temporary Fill Diversion (859K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.11.pdf - 3.11 Temporary Right-of-Way Diversion (1,113K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.12.pdf - 3.12 Diversion (1,107K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.13.pdf - 3.13 Temporary Sediment Trap (1,368K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.14.pdf - 3.14 Temporary Sediment Basin (4091K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.15.pdf - 3.15 Temporary Slope Drain (1,238K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.16.pdf - 3.16 Paved Flume (1,346K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.17.pdf - 3.17 Stormwater Conveyance Channel (3,202K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.18.pdf - 3.18 Outlet Protection (1,853K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.19.pdf - 3.19 Riprap (2,129K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.20.pdf - 3.20 Rock Check Dams (1,133K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.21.pdf - 3.21 Level Spreader (1,316K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.22.pdf - 3.22 Vegetative Streambank Stabilization (2,107K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.23.pdf - 3.23 Structural Streambank Stabilization (1,479K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.24.pdf - 3.24 Temporary Vehicular Stream Crossing (1,518K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.25.pdf - 3.25 Utility Stream Crossing (1,410K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.26.pdf - 3.26 Dewatering Structure (1,179K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.27.pdf - 3.27 Turbidity Curtain (1,657K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.28.pdf - 3.28 Subsurface Drain (2,232K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.29.pdf - 3.29 Surface Roughening (1,377K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.30.pdf - 3.30 Topsoiling (1,121K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.31.pdf - 3.31 Temporary Seeding (1,225K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.32.pdf - 3.32 Permanent Seeding (4,950K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.33.pdf - 3.33 Sodding (1,594K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.34.pdf - 3.34 Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass Establishment (1,161K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.35.pdf - 3.35 Mulching (1,342K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.36.pdf - 3.36 Soil Stabilization Blankets and Matting (1,921K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.37.pdf - 3.37 Trees, Shrubs, Vines and Ground Cover (2674K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.38.pdf - 3.38 Tree Preservation and Protection (2,918K, PDF)
Chapter 3 - 3.39.pdf - 3.39 Dust Control (945K, PDF)
Chapter 4.pdf - Chapter 4 - Stormwater Runoff (601K, PDF)
Chapter 5.pdf - Chapter 5 - Engineering Calculations (11,295K, PDF)
Chapter 6.pdf - Chapter 6 - Preparing an Erosion & Sediment Control Plan (6,232K, PDF)
Chapter 7.pdf - Chapter 7 - Administrative Guidelines (4,054K, PDF)
Chapter 8.pdf - Chapter 8 - Law and Regulations (111K, PDF)
Glossary.pdf - Glossary (2,528K, PDF)

Questions about the Virginia Stormwater Management Program
or Erosion and Sediment Control Program?
Just write SWMESquestions@dcr.virginia.gov.