St. Helens Adopts New Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control Rules to Protect Local Waterways

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 18, 2025

St. Helens, Ore. - New rules will go into effect in St. Helens on October 17, 2025, to improve water quality and wildlife habitat for local waterways by reducing the amount of sediments, construction waste, and other pollutants entering the City's storm drainage system.

The new ordinance which was passed by the St. Helens City Council on September 17 is focused on construction activity. The rules outline the ways that construction and development projects must prevent site erosion and sediment runoff in order to prevent pollutants and sediments from reaching local waterways, wetlands, and the public storm drainage system.

Examples of the new requirements include requiring a gravel construction entrance, the use of silt fences and straw wattles as sediment filter s , establishing temporary vegetative cover, sprinkling haul and access roads and other exposed dust-producing areas with water, protecting nearby catch basins with bio-filter bag inserts, covering soil and gravel stockpiles with weighted plastic sheeting, and maintaining these prevention and control measures until disturbed soil is permanently stabilized through landscaping, grass, mulching, or other protection.

The new rules will be monitored through an erosion prevention and sediment control permit which will be issued during the construction approval process and managed by the City's Engineering Division. Site inspections will be conducted during construction to ensure that erosion and sediment control measures are properly implemented and maintained, preventing soil loss, protecting water quality, and minimizing off-site impacts.

The federal Clean Water Act and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) created a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) implementation plan for the Willamette River Watershed in 2006 to reduce mercury pollutants entering the basin and protect water quality in local waterways. Under the TMDL, the City of St. Helens was identified as a mandatory Designated Management Agency (DMA) in 2021. As a DMA, the City of St. Helens is required by state law to implement requirements of the Water Quality Management Plan for the Willamette Basin and reduce mercury pollutants in its jurisdiction .

In order to meet these requirements, the City of St. Helens adopted the new erosion prevention ordinance which develops procedures to ensure sediment and erosion from construction sites and other ground disturbing activities do not contribute to pollutants in local waterways or impair water quality.

To review a complete copy of the ordinance, visit the City's website at https://www.sthelensoregon.gov/ordinances .

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For further information regarding this press release, please contact Communications Officer Crystal King at [email protected] .