Resources

Best management practices are the structural and non-structural controls implemented to help your construction project or industrial facility comply with NPDES permit requirements. The resources below will acquaint you with a number of stormwater pollution prevention BMPs that may be effectively applied to your project or site.

There are dozens of BMPs proven effective in reducing or eliminating stormwater pollution. However, not all BMPs are recommended or necessary for every project or site. Determining which ones you need is determined by a number of site-specific factors.

Superior StormWater Services, LLC in Albuquerque, NM has the engineering expertise and experience to help you identify the BMPs that will effectively and cost-effectively maintain compliance with NPDES permit requirements. Contact us for comprehensive stormwater pollution prevention solutions.

EPA Resources Best Management Practices for Stormwater

The International Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP) Database includes information for contractors such as BMP performance analysis results, tools for use in BMP performance studies, and help for BMP monitoring.

The database also includes more than 700 studies and tools for researchers.

International Stormwater BMP Database

The menu of BMPs compiles practices based on the stormwater Phase II rule’s six minimum control measures:

Public education
Public involvement
Illicit discharge, detection and elimination
Construction
Post-construction
Pollution prevention/Good housekeeping

National Menu of Best Management Practices for Stormwater

Use the GeoPlatform Stormwater BMP Performance Database to see how well certain Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Low Impact Development (LID) approaches control stormwater runoff in different parts of the U.S.

This interactive map allows you to view how BMPs perform in different states and regions throughout the country.

GeoPlatform Stormwater BMP Performance Database

Frequently Asked Questions

Any contractor—residential or commercial—who will be disturbing one or more acres of earth must acquire a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Projects that are part of a larger development must get a permit regardless of the size of individual project site. Some industrial facilities may require NPDES permits for ongoing activities (not just new construction). If you are not sure whether your operations require NPDES permitting, contact Superior StormWater Services, LLC to learn more.

In order to acquire an NPDES permit, you must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) on the EPA’s electronic (eNOI) system. In order to comply with permit requirements, your project or facility must develop a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP). The certified professionals at Superior StormWater Services, LLC provide comprehensive services, including consultation, installation, inspection and maintenance, to create an effective and cost-effective SWPPP. More resources to develop or update your SWPPP are available through our client intranet and our experienced team. Contact Superior StormWater Services, LLC with your questions.

Pollution Prevention

The United States depends on natural waterbodies for municipal water supplies, transportation, commerce and recreation. However, many activities discharge pollutants that make water unsafe for human use or consumption and/or unable to sustain aquatic plant and animal life. Citizens who wanted to ensure that waterbodies were sustainably fishable and swimmable began the movement to control water pollution, including pollution carried by stormwater.

Understanding Stormwater Pollution

Water pollution is most commonly thought of as the direct discharge (whether intentional or unintentional) of debris, sediment or chemicals into a body of water. But water pollution may be the result of pollutants discharged away from a water source and carried to it by stormwater—e.g., rainfall, run-off, snow, snowmelt, etc.

History of Water Pollution Prevention

The United States first addressed water pollution through federal legislation in 1948 with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. This act authorized the Surgeon General of Public health to create programs to reduce or eliminate water pollution.

The 1948 Act has been significantly amended, most notably in 1972 when the act was renamed The Clean Water Act (CWA), which expanded federal authority over water pollution prevention and mitigation programs. Among the amendments was the establishment of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit that regulates pollutant discharge into stormwater.

Preventing Stormwater Pollution

Stormwater pollution prevention can be accomplished through a variety of methods, some structural, like silt fences and berms, some non-structural, like operational policies and employee training. The most effective stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPP) include both types of controls.

Superior StormWater Services, LLC in Albuquerque, NM has the expertise to help you develop a SWPPP that ensures NPDES permit compliance and meets the unique needs of your construction project or industrial operations. Our crew includes engineers and certified inspectors with years of experience in the field.