Rainwater and Land Development

Ohio’s Standards for Stormwater Management, Land Development and Urban Stream Protection

The Rainwater and Land Development manual defines Ohio’s standards and specifications for stormwater management practices implemented during land development. The purpose of this manual is to provide professionals involved in the planning, design, and implementation of land development projects with guidance on how to select, design, and locate stormwater management practices that minimize the adverse impacts of stormwater runoff during and after construction.

Practices detailed in this manual are designed to ensure compliance with Ohio’s water quality laws, rules, regulations and policy. Apply these practices based on applicable regulatory requirements, project needs, and site-specific conditions or circumstances. Alternate methods may be available to satisfy a regulatory program requirement but may require the regulated entity to demonstrate the alternate method meets pertinent regulatory requirements.

Originally published by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in 1996, the Rainwater and Land Development manual is provided by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency in a series of chapters, subchapters, and appendices. The most current versions are made available for separate downloads through the links below.

The Rainwater and Land Development manual is periodically updated to include additional practices as well as new information on already included practices as research and development occur. Previous versions are archived below for reference.

PLEASE NOTE: A comprehensive revision of the Rainwater and Land Development manual (2006 version with updates through 2014) is currently in progress. New or updated chapters and subchapters will be individually posted throughout the revision process.

The following draft chapters are currently under technical peer review and available for comment:

Interested parties may submit peer review comments regarding the above drafts to Justin.Reinhart@epa.ohio.gov prior to 5:00 PM on July 16, 2021.

Cover and Introductory Information

Chapter 1 – Planning Stormwater Management for Development Projects

Chapter 1 — Selecting Storm Water Management Practices for Development Projects (2006)

  • Impacts of New Development on Water Resources
  • Storm Water Management Objectives for Development Projects

Chapter 2 – Post-Construction Stormwater Management Structural Practices

Chapter 2: Post-Construction Storm Water Practices (Adapted for 4/23/18 CGP Update)

  • Management Practices
    • Reduction of Impervious Areas
    • Low Impact Development
    • Conservation Development
    • Wetland Setback
    • Stream Setback Area
  • Structural Practices
    • Water Quality Ponds
    • Infiltration Trench
    • Sand and Organic Filter
    • Grass Filter
    • Bioretention Area
    • Pervious Pavement
  • New Provisional Practices (4/5/19)
    • Structural Practices
      • Underground Storm Water Management Systems
      • Infiltration Basin
    • Pretreatment
    • Runoff Reduction Practices
      • Impervious Area Disconnection
      • Sheet Flow to Grass Filter Strip or Conservation Area
      • Grass Swale (for Runoff Reduction versus Conveyance only)
      • Green Roof
      • Rainwater Harvesting (to come)
    • Soil Management
    • Infiltration Estimates for Storm Water Practice Planning
    • Infiltration Testing for Storm Water Practice Design

Chapter 3 – Non-Sediment Pollution Prevention on Construction Sites

See Chapter 8.

Chapter 4 – Permanent Runoff Control Practices

Chapter 4 — Permanent Runoff Control (2006)

  • Grassed Swale
  • Level Spreader
  • Rock Lined Channel
  • Outlet Protection
  • Diversion
  • Terrace
  • Subsurface Drainage

Chapter 5 – Temporary Runoff Control Practices

Chapter 5 — Temporary Runoff Control (updated 3/03/2014)

  • Rock Check Dam
  • Slope Drain
  • Temporary Diversion
  • Stream Utility Crossing
  • Temporary Stream Crossing
  • Water Bar
  • De-Watering Measures

Chapter 6 – Sediment Control Practices

Chapter 6 — Sediment Control (2006)

  • Sediment Basin
  • Sediment Trap
  • Silt Fence
  • Storm Drain Inlet Protection
  • Filter Berm
  • Filter Socks

Chapter 7 – Soil Stabilization Practices

Chapter 7 — Soil Stabilization (2006)

  • Phased Disturbance
  • Clearing and Grubbing
  • Tree and Natural Area Preservation
  • Construction Entrance
  • Dust Control
  • Grade Treatment
  • Top Soiling
  • Temporary Seeding
  • Mulching
  • Permanent Seeding
  • Sodding
  • Temporary Rolled Erosion Control Products (Erosion Control Matting)
  • Turf Reinforcement Matting

Chapter 8 – Small Construction Site Controls

Chapter 8 — Additional Construction Site Pollution Controls and Small Lot Building Sites (2006)

  • Additional Construction Site Pollution Controls
  • Small Lot Building Sites

Appendices

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Stream Channel and Flood Plain Erosion

To control pollution of public waters by soil sediment from accelerated stream channel erosion and to control flood plain erosion caused by accelerated storm water runoff from development areas, the increased peak rates and volumes of runoff shall be controlled such that:

  1. The peak rate of runoff from the critical storm and all more frequent storms occurring on the development area does not exceed the peak rate of runoff from a one year frequency storm (of 24 hours duration) occurring on the same area under pre-development conditions.
  2. Storms of less frequent occurrence than the critical storm, up to the one hundred year storm, have peak runoff rates no greater than the peak runoff rates from equivalent size storms under pre-development conditions.

The critical storm for a specific development area is determined as follows:

  1. Determine by appropriate hydrologic methods the total volume of runoff from a one-year frequency, 24-hour storm occurring on the development area before and after development.
  2. From the volumes determined in (a), determine the percentage increase in volume of runoff due to development, and using this percentage, select the 24-hour critical storm from this table.

If the percentage of increase in volume of runoff is:

Equal to or Greater Than
and Less Than
 the Critical Storm for Peak Rate Control will be
—
10
1 year
10 20 2 year
20 50 5 year
50 100 10 year
100 250 25 year
250 500 50 year
600 — 100 year
     

 

Download the Ohio Storm Water Control Guidebook

 

Central Office Storm Water Technical Assistance Staff

Mathews, John

Manager

(614) 265-6685

Reinhart, Justin

Water Resources Engineer

(614) 705-1149

Vacant

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