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Site Outline

The Law

The Clean Water Act

Permits

Fines

The Process

Process & Methods

Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Important Guidelines


 

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Typical Best Management Practices (BMPs) Found In A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)

  1. Stockpile Management: Covering stockpiles and protecting from storm flow erosion at the base. This includes keeping materials out of the gutter flow zone.
  2. Street Sweeping: Sweeping at day's end or more often if needed since sediments can migrate off site via vehicle tires.
  3. Material Usage: Same as for the operations yard.
  4. Erosion Control: Quality landscaping is erosion control. If the landscape is not finished, stabilize exposed soil with straw, blankets, plastic sheeting, etc.
  5. Wind Erosion Control: Use water or physical cover (blankets, etc.) to prevent wind erosion. The local air quality district and the neighbor with a clean pool frown on such erosion. Contact the local agency for additional requirements.
  6. Sediment Control: Preventing erosion is not always possible on an active site with exposed soil, so sediment control measures are used. Gravel bags, fiber rolls, silt fence, sediment ponds and so forth are meant to remove sediment that has mixed with water. A common misconception is that these measures filter out sediment as water passes through them. While some amount of filtering may occur, all good filters clog. So these measures primarily are meant to work by ponding the water. Successful installation means building a water-retaining "structure." Heavier sediments, such as sand, settle out of the water. The longer water can stand still behind a straw roll, the better the chance that sediments will separate from the water with which they became mixed.
  7. Non-stormwater Discharge: If it doesn't rain and there is a discharge, it is a non-storm discharge. It is very common on construction sites to have significant amounts of runoff leaving new landscapes that are being over-watered by irrigation systems that also need adjustment. This runoff can go unnoticed during non-rainy days even though pollutants are picked up en route to the gutter.
  8. Non-structural:
    1. Scheduling: Avoid working on disturbed soils in the rain if you cannot prevent sediment-laden discharge from leaving the site.
    2. Protecting Existing Vegetation: Limit the areas to be disturbed and protect the roots of heritage trees. Use fencing (orange) to protect environmentally sensitive areas.
    3. Education: Inform your field and office staff concerning stormwater issues. When the person answering your phone knows key words and concepts, your company image grows.

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