Stormwater & Erosion Control

The Erosion Control Program

The Erosion Control program administers and enforces the sedimentation and erosion control sections of the Durham City-County Unified Development Ordinance. A state-delegated local program, it includes all privately funded, non-agricultural land-disturbing activities of more than 12,000 square feet in both the City of Durham and the unincorporated areas of Durham County. The Program conducts plan reviews, issues land disturbance permits, and inspects all permitted projects for compliance.

The Stormwater Program

The Stormwater program works to keep the regions watersheds clean and healthy by investigating illicit discharges and erosion control complaints, providing education and outreach activities throughout the community, and developing stormwater control measures, such as bioretention ponds, to minimize the pollution entering our stormwater.

The Stormwater program only administers and enforces the Durham County Stormwater Ordinance for unincorporated areas of Durham County. The Program enforces the nutrient management rules for several watersheds through development reviews including flood control, water quantity, and water quality control measures.

The Stormwater and Erosion Control Division administers the stormwater utility fee for properties located within the unincorporated areas of Durham County. The fee is based on the amount of impervious surface area on a property and other factors.