Lake Elsinore, CA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Plan submission deadline
- Before October 1 each year
- Device installation deadline
- No later than October 15
- Maintenance period
- Operable through April 15
- Desilting basin design storm
- 25-year, 6-hour storm intensity
- Guard required
- When device water exceeds 18 inches
- Nightly deployment trigger
- 5-day rain forecast above 40%
Summary
Lake Elsinore's Building Code grading appendix requires separate temporary drainage and erosion control plans for the rainy season, with control devices submitted before October 1, installed by October 15, and kept operable through April 15, plus a standby crew and stockpiled materials once the season starts.
Appendix J is hereby amended by the addition of a new section thereto, to read as follows: Section J110.3 Temporary Erosion Control. ... Separate plans for temporary drainage and erosion control measures to be used during the rainy season shall be submitted prior to October 1. The control devices shown on said plans shall be installed no later than October 15, and maintained in operable condition until April 15. ... Desilting facility shall be provided at all drainage outlets from the graded site, designed for the twenty-five-year, six hour storm intensity. ... Failure to provide effective maintenance may result in penalties as provided per Section 205.
Full Breakdown
LEMC Section 15.04.020 adds Section J110.3 to Appendix J of the adopted California Building Code. Plans must show temporary soil stabilization on graded slopes steeper than three-to-one or over ten feet high, and a desilting facility at every drainage outlet from the graded site sized for a twenty-five-year, six-hour storm, with its overflow designed for 1.5 times the maximum design flow. Plans must also list an emergency contact and a 24-hour phone number, and a supervising civil engineer must sign a certification that erosion control work follows the approved plans.
During the rainy season the permittee must keep a standby crew and materials stockpiled on site for emergency repairs, and devices cannot be moved or modified without the Building Official's approval except in an emergency handled by the person responsible for grading. Every removable protective device must be in place by the end of the working day whenever the National Weather Service's five-day rain probability forecast tops 40 percent. After a storm, crews must clear silt and debris from check berms, desilting basins, and public and adjacent-property drains, and repair any damaged slope protection immediately.
At least one guard must be posted on site whenever water in any device is deeper than 18 inches. Projects that run into a second rainy season must submit a new erosion control plan meeting the same requirements.
Violations & Fines
Failing to maintain the required erosion and drainage devices effectively can result in penalties under Section 205 of the adopted Building Code, and the City's general building code violation penalty applies as well: a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are erosion control plans due in Lake Elsinore?
How big must a construction site's desilting basin be in Lake Elsinore?
What happens if a builder does not maintain erosion controls after a storm?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake Elsinore
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle erosion control.