Erie County Engineer's Office

Storm Water Rules and Regulations (SWRR)
Version: December, 1994

Appendix A

Definitions

For the purpose of this resolution, certain rules or word usage apply to the test as follows:

1. Words used in the present tense include the future tense; and the singular
    includes the plural, unless the context clearly indicates the contrary.
2. The term “shall” is always mandatory and not discretionary; the word “may”
    is permissive.
3. The word or term not interpreted or defined by this article shall be used with
    a meaning of common or standard utilization, so as to give these rules and
    regulations their most reasonable application.
 

Development Area

Means any contiguous (abutting) area owned by one person or operated as one development unit and used or being developed for non-farm commercial,
industrial, residential or other non-farm purposes upon which earth-disturbing
activities are planned or underway.
 

Drainage Area

Means:
1. The contributing area to a single drainage basin, expressed in acres, square
    miles, or other unit or area. Also called Catchment Area, Watershed and
    River Basin.
2. The area served by a drainage system receiving storm and surface water or
    by a watercourse.
 

Drainageway

Means a route or course along which water moved or may move to drain an
area.
 

Earth-Disturbing Activity

Means any grading, excavating, filling or other alteration of the earth’s surface
where natural or man-made ground cover is destroyed and which may result in
increased rate and/or volume or runoff and/or contribute to erosion and sediment pollution.
 

Flood

Means a general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation or
normally dry land areas.
 

Person

Means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, agency, unincorporated association, municipal corporation, county or state agency, the federal government, or any combination thereof.
 

Primary Drainage System

Means that part of the storm drainage system which is used regularly for
collecting, transporting and disposing of storm runoff, snow melt, and
miscellaneous minor flows. The capacity of the primary drainage design storm
which may have a frequency of occurrence of once in two, five or ten years.
The primary system is also termed the “convenience system,” “minor system,” or the “storm sewer system” and may include many features ranging from curbs and gutters to storm sewer pipes and open drainageways.
 

Post-Development

Means the state or condition of the earth’s surface after urbanization occurs.
Other terms are developed, future and after development.
 

Pre-Development

Means that state or condition of the earth’s surface the year prior to
development.
 

Storm Drainage System

Means the surface and sub-surface system for the removal of water from the
land, including both the natural elements of streams, gullies, ravines, marshes,
swales and ponds whether or not an intermittent or continuous natural and manmade elements which include conduits and appurtenant features, culverts,
ditches, channels, storage facilities, streets and the storm sewer system.
 

Stormwater Management Facilities

Means the drainage system and control facilities necessary to meet the runoff
criteria of these regulations.