Official website of the
City of Vancouver, Washington

The Water All Around Us – Surface and Groundwater Program

Erosion Prevention

To keep our waters clean, proper management and care are needed to prevent erosion when carrying out land-disturbing activities. Erosion can cause a ton of water quality problems, including:

• excess sediment to our creeks, streams, ponds, lakes, wetlands, and other water bodies
• harm to ecosystem habitat for fish and aquatic animals
• decreased opportunities for recreation and fishing
• increased damage to property, roads and rights-of-way
• increased risk of flooding due to reduced capacity of streams and stormwater facilities
• increased public expenditures to repair and maintain stormwater facilities
• increased transport of nutrients to lakes, causing algal blooms and oxygen depletion

Whose responsiblity is it?

While ultimately, it's up to all of us to help keep our water clean, meeting the City's erosion prevention requirements is the responsibility of the property owner where land-disturbing activity occurs and the responsiblity of the person undertaking such activities. If the activity involves a city-issued permit, the permit holder is also responsible for meeting the erosion prevention requirements.

Erosion can be prevented and controlled through the use of best management practices (BMPs). Vancouver's erosion prevention and control requirements can be found here in the City's Municipal Code.

New! 

Revisions are being considered to the city's Erosion Prevention regulations as needed to meet requirements of the Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit for Western Washington, issued by the Washington Department of Ecology in early 2007. Vew those proposed revisions here.

Need more information? For questions about erosion prevention and control, please call (360) 487-7180.