Stormwater Program

OVERVIEW

Stormwater discharges are generated by runoff from land and impervious areas such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops during rainfall and snow events that often contain pollutants in quantities that could adversely affect water quality. Most stormwater discharges are considered point sources and require coverage by an NPDES permit. The primary method to control stormwater discharges is through the use of best management practices.

Most states are authorized to implement the Stormwater NPDES permitting program. EPA remains the permitting authority in a few states, territories, and on most land in Indian Country.

WHAT CAN I FIND ON THIS WEB SITE?

This page contains technical and regulatory information about the NPDES stormwater program. It is organized according to the three types of regulated stormwater discharges and provides a link to stormwater outreach materials:

• Construction Activities
• Industrial Activities
• Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems

• Information specific to the Phase I and Phase II stormwater regulations is also available.

• Final 2008 Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP)
• Final 2008 Construction General Permit (CGP)
• Urban Stormwater Retrofit Practices Manual
• Using Green Infrastructure
• Developing Your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan: A Guide for Construction Sites
• Stormwater Outreach Materials and Reference Documents
• National Menu of Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs)
• Stormwater Case Studies
• Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE)
• IDDE Guidance Manual (Final)
• Electronic Notice of Intent (eNOI)
  • Search, Sort, and View Stormwater Construction and Industrial NOIs

Information specific to the Phase I and Phase II stormwater regulations is also available.

Urban Stormwater Management in the United States (PDF) (529 pp, 10.8MB) - On October 15, 2008, the National Research Council Water Sciences and Technology Board released the report Urban Stormwater Management in the United States (Committee on Reducing Stormwater Discharge Contributions to Water Pollution, National Research Council, National Academies Press). The report is the product of a 2-year process undertaken by the 15-member committee. The 513 page report provides a description of the history of stormwater management in the United States; an overview of stormwater regulations and the federal regulatory program; and information on a number of relevant scientific and technological issues such as hydrology, geomorphology, biology, monitoring and modeling. The report also provides a number of significant findings and recommendations on how stormwater management in the United States should be improved to achieve better environmental outcomes. A Report in Brief fact sheet (PDF) (4 pp, 425K) is also available.

Urban BMP Performance Tool - This tool has been developed to provide stormwater professionals with easy access to approximately 220 studies assessing the performance of over 275 BMPs. It provides access to studies covering a variety of traditional and low impact BMP types, including retention and detention ponds, biofilters, grassed filter strips, porous pavement, wetlands, and others. Users will also find a series of essays aimed at improving understanding of BMP performance and the importance of volume reduction/infiltration in these assessments.

NPDES Compliance Monitoring Strategy - This new strategy, which takes effect in 2009, outlines inspection and compliance goals for the entire NPDES program, including major and minor NPDES facilities, pretreatment programs, biosolids, CSOs, SSOs, stormwater, and CAFOs. It places increased emphasis on wet weather issues, particularly stormwater sources, and sets ambitious targets for audits and inspections of Phase I and II MS4s, construction sites, and industrial facilities.

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Last updated on June 11, 2008 2:37 PM
URL:http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm