Erosion Control & Soil

When landscaping or excavating your yard, there are some protective measures homeowners should take to prevent soil runoff/erosion and water pollution.

Runoff is water flowing over land surfaces; as it wears away soil and rock, it causes erosion. What runs off can cause problems by choking vegetation, causing water pollution, and creating maintenance problems for the city's storm sewer system. Furthermore, the soil can move onto adjacent properties. Keeping soil on your property saves time, money and helps to keep the peace with the neighbors.  

A property owner or contractor who removes substantial vegetation, which exposes soil for any reason including landscaping and excavating, or adds soil or fill to their property, must obey erosion control standards contained in the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency publication, Protecting Water Quality in Urban Areas, the City of Farmington's Comprehensive Plan and any other applicable water management plan for the city or other governmental units.

Failure to comply and maintain these protective methods could result in an order by the city to stop the work. If necessary, the city may hire a contractor to make corrections and bill the property owner for all costs associated with the corrective work.

Control Information

Resources for Preventative Measures

To minimize the negative effects on bordering properties and nearby waterways, take these preventative measures:

  • Cover piles of dirt when they are not being worked.

  • If mud, dirt, or any other sediment ends up on city streets, please sweep up the debris.

  • Install a silt fence correctly and maintain it until the project is completed.  A silt fence is constructed of stakes and plastic sheeting that gets buried a few inches below the soil line. When removing your silt fence, roll it into manageable rolls that weigh less than 50 pounds and email for free disposal.

Additional Resources

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