Environmental Services

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of Environmental Services are to protect the property owners and watersheds of Rockingham County from erosion and stormwater runoff occurring from development activities as well as regulating development in the special flood hazard area.

Plans are reviewed and development sites inspected during and after construction to assure compliance with the stormwater management, erosion and sediment control, and floodplain management ordinances. Approved plans are designed to mitigate the effects of development in the FEMA floodplain, as well as to control sedimentation during construction and the quantity and quality of runoff after construction.

Services

Erosion and Sediment Control (E&S)

The County’s erosion and sediment control program focuses on protecting the waters, roads, and properties from the pollution caused by erosion from land disturbing activities as specified in the Code of Virginia by using specifications and guidelines from the Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook, 1992.

For detailed information, including documents, fees, ordinance, and general facts, see the Erosion and Sediment Control page.

Stormwater Management

The County’s Stormwater Ordinance is designed to protect the lands and waters of the County as they are great natural resources; As a result of intensive land development and other land use conversions, degradation of these resources frequently occurs in the form of water pollution, stream channel erosion, depletion of surface water and groundwater resources, and more frequent localized flooding; and that it is in the public interest to maintain a stormwater management program in the County.

The program establishes minimum stormwater management requirements and controls to protect properties, safeguard the general health, safety, and welfare of the public residing in watersheds within this jurisdiction, and protect aquatic resources.

For detailed information, including documents, fees, ordinance, and general facts, see the Stormwater Management page.

Floodplain

The purpose of a floodplain ordinance is to prevent the loss of life and property, to prevent the creation of health and safety hazards, to prevent the disruption of commerce and governmental services, to prevent extraordinary and unnecessary expenditure of public funds for flood protection and relief, and to prevent the impairment of tax base.

For detailed information and the floodplain ordinance, see the Floodplain page.

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)

Throughout the state, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has established water quality studies known as TMDLs, or Total Maximum Daily Load. These studies identify pollution loads and create reduction goals to attain water quality standards. Rockingham County has taken an active role in these community based environmental improvements serving on steering committees and advisory groups.

For more information about the program, see the Total Maximum Daily Load page.