The Foundation Developing and Implementing Your Storm Water Management Program

Your SWMP is the foundation of your storm water program

Your SWMP is your vision for protecting water quality over the next five years and beyond

thought-out aspects of your community efficiently reduce the discharge of pollutants This important document must be well thought-out, taking into consideration aspects of your community in order to most efficiently reduce the discharge of pollutants in urban runoff

Where to Begin?

6 program areas to focus on - Minimum Control Measures

What to do?

things things Do things to stop this pollution. These things are known as Best Management Practices (BMPs)

BMPs Schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures, and other management practices to prevent or reduce the pollution of waters of the United States. BMPs also include treatment requirements, operating procedures, and practices to control site runoff, spillage or leaks, sludge or waste disposal, or drainage from raw material storage.

BMPs (cont.) Its not necessarily what BMPs you choose, but why you chose them.

Resources to Protect Local stream Wetlands Fishing Spot Drinking water supply Groundwater The community –health, flooding

Protect it from what? 303(d) listed for a specific pollutant Pollutants of concern Other known problems –litter, eutrophication, sediment (erosion) “Urban Slobber” –from pet waste to brake lining to pesticides to everything we spill, spit, and drop on the ground

Existing Issues Dumping areas Localized flooding Unsafe recreation areas Unappealing recreation areas Little open space

Community Characteristics Industrial Suburban High Growth Languages Cultures What BMPs can you do to target these characteristics?

BMPs Required by the Permit Basic elements of a storm water program

BMPs (cont.) Suites of BMPs

Many communities are similar, look at what they are doing

Coordinate Departments –Public Works –Water Resources –Planning –Parks –etc. Other Entities –City next door –County/City –County Health Dept. –School

Look at what you are already doing Restaurant inspections Household hazardous waste day Handling complaints Pollution Prevention Fair

BMP Resources EPA’s BMP Toolbox – bmps/menu.cfm CASQA’s BMP Handbooks – –(click on the pictures) ASCE’s BMP Database – Others –

Be Creative

ROAD BLOCKS? Funding Vectors Street Widths for emergency vehicles “That’s not the way we do it” Opposition by the public to being regulated Resources Safety

Roadblocks Try to anticipate them Address them in your SWMP Resolving them may be a task to be completed

measurable goals, time schedules, and responsible persons Along with BMPs, measurable goals, time schedules, and responsible persons define your program

Evaluate and Assess Your SWMP

Is what you are doing working? Evaluation/Assessment Parameters Use the information that you are gathering to help tailor your program Ex. If you continually have to clean out a particular storm drains because of sediment, you should focus on construction activity in that drainage area

Develop Implement Assess

Be open to new information Remember the Goal: Water Quality