United States Department of Agriculture 572-CPS-1

NRCS, NHCP

September 2020

NRCS reviews and periodically updates conservation practice standards. To obtain the current 

version of this standard, contact your Natural Resources Conservation Service State office or 

visit the Field Office Technical Guide online by going to the NRCS website at 

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ and type FOTG in the search field. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Natural Resources Conservation Service 

CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARD 

SPOIL DISPOSAL 

CODE 572 

(cf)

DEFINITION 

Disposal of surplus excavated materials from construction activities. 

PURPOSE 

This practice is used to accomplish one or more of the following purposes: 

• Minimize soil erosion 

• Minimize water quality degradation 

• Minimize ponding 

CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES 

This practice applies where spoil material from construction activities causes a resource concern or its

placement is not compatible with the land use or landscape. 

CRITERIA 

General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes 

Plan and design spoil disposal to comply with all Federal, State, and local laws and regulations. The

landowner must obtain all necessary permissions from regulatory agencies, or document that no permits

are required. 

Place spoil on slopes that are stable for the type of material and compatible with the land use. Place spoil

in relatively uniform layers, to prevent ponding and facilitate drainage away from the spoil area. Place

spoil so it does not impede existing drainage features. 

Do not spread spoil when the ground or spoil is frozen or excessively wet unless site-specific design

considerations indicate frozen or wet conditions will not have adverse effects. 

Establish vegetation on spoil areas if the area will not be cropped. If spoil disposal is completed at a time

of year that is not conducive to the establishment of the desired plant species or cropping is delayed,

utilize temporary erosion control measures immediately and maintain the measures until the site can be

successfully vegetated or crops planted. Vegetate an uncropped site by referencing establishment criteria

from appropriate conservation practice standards. 

Before placing spoil material that has physical or chemical characteristics that prevent the establishment

of adequate vegetation, strip topsoil from the spoil disposal area. Use the topsoil or other suitable soil

material to cover the spoil with a minimum of 6 inches of soil prior to seeding operations. 

If spoils are suspected of being contaminated with hazardous substances or petroleum products, contact

other specialists trained and experienced in evaluating the level of contamination before proceeding with
surveying, planning or design work. Determine the appropriate remediation if hazardous materials are

present. Do not proceed with treatment or disposal if treatment of the contaminated material is outside

the normal area of expertise, exposes field employees to hazardous conditions, or exposes the agency to

uncontrolled liability. If hazardous material is discovered during disposal, suspend work until the nature of

the waste can be determined. (See NRCS National Engineering Manual (Title 210), Part 503, Subpart E,

“Prohibited Technical Assistance.”) 

CONSIDERATIONS 

Spoil areas need not have the appearance of waste areas. Blend spoil areas in a manner compatible with

the landscape and land use. Plan the location, slopes, and vegetation to benefit the planned land use. 

Improve landscape quality through the creative placement of spoil material. Use spoil material to block

undesirable views; deflect or redirect wind or snow; or block noise. Study the potential to haul and donate

spoil for construction sites where fill is required. 

Spoil areas with permanent vegetation can provide wildlife habitat. When choosing vegetation for the land

use, select native species that will provide food and cover for wildlife. 

PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS 

Prepare plans and specifications for spoil disposal that describe the requirements for applying the

practice. At a minimum, include— 

• A plan view showing the limits of the spoil disposal, location of approved access route from the

construction site to the disposal site, and location of utilities. 

• Lift thickness for spoil placement and compactive effort. 

• Maximum and/or minimum slopes for spoil areas. 

• Typical cross sections of spoil areas. 

• Maximum and/or minimum height of spoil above existing ground surface. 

• Temporary erosion control measures. 

• Seed mix, lime, fertilizer, and mulch type, and application rates. 

• Estimate of quantities. 

• Construction specifications. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE 

Prepare a written operation and maintenance plan for the operator. The minimum requirements include— 

• Inspect the spoil area periodically and after large rainfall events. 

• Fill or repair any excessive rills or gullies in the spoil and revegetate if in non-crop field. Replace

topsoil when needed. 

REFERENCES 

USDA NRCS. 2017. National Engineering Manual (Title 210), Part 503, Subpart E, Prohibited Technical

Assistance. Washington, D.C. https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/.

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NRCS, NHCP

572

September 2020