The study also seeks to identify guild-lines put in place by planners to address the menace of soil erosion in this Anthropocene age. Toronto is a typical city of an urban development which has shown the keen interest in soil control strategies in urban development. The guideline provides relevant information which will be of tremendous significance to planners and development in other urban areas.
The Guideline is intended to fulfill the following needs;
1. Provide a consolidated statement of Regulatory requirements and expectation regarding ESC
2. Clarify the respective roles and responsibilities for all Regulatory agencies, landowners, developers, builders, contractors, and consultants;
3. Encourage awareness of and conformance with federal and provincial legislation and with municipal by-laws, permits, and standards related to ESC.
4. Improve communications among all parties responsible for ESC;
5. Assist parties in recognizing the causes of environmental damage and the various means of mitigating the risks, thereby reducing the environmental impacts.
6. Promote consistency, quality and continual improvement in the standard of efforts to protect the environment (source;
To achieve the above target, the city of Toronto mapped specific principles to build the development of a soil erosion control plan. These principles are summarized as;
1. Adopt a multi-barrier approach to providing erosion and sediment control through erosion controls first
2. Retain existing vegetation and stabilize exposed soils with vegetation where possible, erosion prevention is key in reducing sediment to downstream aquatic habitat;
3. Limit the duration of soil exposure and phase construction when possible
4. Limit the size of disturbed areas by minimizing nonessential clearing and grading
5. Minimize slope length and gradient of disturbed areas
6. Store/stockpile soil away (e.g. greater than 15 metres) from watercourses, drainage features and top of steep slopes.
7. Ensure contractors and all involved in ESC practices are trained in ESC Plan, implementation, inspections, maintenance, and repairs.
8. Adjust ESC Plan at construction site to adapt to site features
9. Assess all ESC practices before and after all rainfall and significant snowmelt events.
The guild-line provides a clue of some criteria area policy makers can give considerations to in planing and the implementation of a soil erosion plan.
(sources;