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Sandoval County, NM Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
County Code § 34-78(g), Subdivision Regulations
Design storm
100-year frequency, pre- and post-development
Required maps
Watershed map plus grading cross sections
Drainage easement trigger
Flows over 20 cubic feet per second
Schedule required
Start/finish dates for clearing and stabilization
Approval gate
No plat approval without terrain management review

Summary

Every subdivision plat in unincorporated Sandoval County must include an erosion and drainage plan as part of the required terrain management plan. Developers must submit watershed maps and 100-year storm runoff calculations and design drainage and erosion-control structures before a plat is approved.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Sandoval County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Sec. 34-78. - Terrain management plan. (a)Any person seeking approval of a subdivision plat must address terrain management. No subdivision plat shall be approved unless terrain management has been reviewed by the county. ... (g)Erosion and drainage plan.(1)This shall include the necessary charts, drawings, location maps, and calculations to support the plan:a.A watershed map showing all the upper watershed area draining into or through the site; it should show the water courses and topographic conditions as well as indicate the soil and vegetative types and their locations within the watershed.b.Storm drainage computations for the 100-year frequency storm both reaching and leaving the site in the pre-development conditions.c.Storm drainage calculations for the post development estimates of runoff after planned full development of the site.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13).

Full Breakdown

Sec. 34-78 requires anyone seeking subdivision plat approval to address terrain management; no plat is approved until the county has reviewed it. Subsection (g), Erosion and drainage plan, requires the subdivider to submit a watershed map showing the entire upper watershed draining into or through the site, including watercourses, topographic conditions, and soil and vegetative types; storm drainage computations for the 100-year frequency storm both entering and leaving the site under pre-development conditions; and post-development runoff calculations comparing flows before and after full build-out. The plan must also show the location, type and size of all proposed drainage and erosion-control structures, and identify drainage easements for floodplains, floodways and watercourses carrying more than 20 cubic feet per second in a 100-year storm.

Subsection (e), Grading plans, requires cross sections and design profiles for every cut and fill, and subsection (h) requires a construction schedule listing start and finish dates for clearing, grubbing and grading, the duration disturbed areas stay exposed, and the stabilization date for those areas. Subsection (f), Landscaping plan, requires revegetation of disturbed areas with a description of stabilization materials and methods. The plan is reviewed alongside the county's soil-suitability requirements in subsection (d), which require lands proposed for subdivision to have soils suited to road fill, foundation support and erosion-control structures, or documented engineering to overcome any limitations, before the county will approve the final plat.

Violations & Fines

A subdivision plat cannot be approved without a terrain management plan that satisfies Sec. 34-78's erosion and drainage requirements; the county's plat-review authority withholds approval until the watershed map, storm drainage computations and erosion-control design are submitted and found adequate, and the board of county commissioners may condition or deny plat approval for noncompliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a new subdivision in Sandoval County need an erosion control plan?
Yes. Sec. 34-78(a) requires every subdivision plat to address terrain management, and no plat is approved until the county reviews it; subsection (g) specifically requires an erosion and drainage plan with watershed mapping and storm drainage computations.
What storm event do engineers have to design for?
Sec. 34-78(g)(1)(b)-(c) requires storm drainage computations for the 100-year frequency storm, calculated both reaching and leaving the site before development and again after full build-out, so the county can compare pre- and post-development runoff.
Do I need a drainage easement for a watercourse crossing my subdivision?
If it does, Sec. 34-78(g)(1)(f) requires a mapped drainage easement for any watercourse, floodplain or floodway with 100-year storm flows exceeding 20 cubic feet per second, along with supporting documentation submitted with the plat.
What has to be in the construction schedule for grading work?
Sec. 34-78(h) requires start and finish dates for all clearing, grubbing and grading activities, the duration disturbed areas will stay exposed, and the stabilization date for those areas, plus installation dates for storm drainage components and roads.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Sandoval County

All Sandoval County rules

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