Grading permits are required under Travis County Code Chapter 82 for any disturbance over 1 acre, cuts/fills over 4 feet, or any work in the Edwards Aquifer recharge or contributing zones. Drainage designs must match pre-development peak flows for 2, 10, 25, and 100-year storms using Atlas 14 rainfall data. Downstream drainage easements required for concentrated flow.
TNR Development Services reviews drainage reports before permit issuance. Detention ponds must be designed by a Texas P.E. Karst features discovered during grading (sinkholes, voids) must be reported to TCEQ and geologic assessment performed before backfill. Slope stabilization required on cuts over 4:1.
Unpermitted grading: up to $1,000 per day plus restoration. Unreported karst feature: TCEQ Ch. 213 enforcement, fines up to $25,000. Drainage downstream damage: civil liability.
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