What type of control practices should be applied to protect disturbed areas from off-site runoff?

Perimeter control practices are specifically designed to establish barriers around disturbed areas to minimize the potential for off-site runoff and sedimentation. They help to contain sediment within a construction site, preventing it from being washed away by rain or surface water flow. This is essential for protecting nearby water bodies and ecosystems from sediment pollution, which can lead to a range of environmental issues, including water quality degradation and habitat destruction.

Implementing perimeter control measures can include the use of silt fences, sediment basins, or berms. These barriers are effective because they intercept the flow of water and allow sediments to settle before the water can exit the site, thereby significantly reducing the amount of sediment that leaves the disturbed area.

Other types of control practices may focus on different aspects of stormwater management but do not address the specific need to contain off-site runoff directly. Surface control practices involve managing rainfall and runoff across the site itself, while vegetative control deals with establishing plant cover to enhance infiltration and stabilization. Drainage control focuses primarily on managing water flow rather than implementing barriers to prevent runoff. Hence, perimeter control is the most appropriate choice for protecting disturbed areas from off-site runoff effectively.