Greetings!
Wintertime is tough on stormwater BMPs, which means that it's just as important to maintain your SWPPP, i.e. ES&PC Plan, and structural measures both when it snows and rains. Remember NPDES permit compliance is all about protecting our fishable creeks, rivers and lakes. Increased levels of sediment loading from snowmelt on stormwater treatment system structural measures results in an equally increased need for more frequent maintenance. Performing the tasks of removing the "dirt" from behind your silt fences, sediment traps and temporary sediment basins, as well as amending the ES&PC Plan will all counteract the negative effect sediment pollution will have on our watersheds, as well as the attitude of a local regulator responding to a neighbors complaint. That said, a builder might ask, "does that mean that it's an NPDES Permit requirement to perform BMP inspections or sample the runoff after it snows 1/2-inch?" Regardless of the answer, remember that it's your inspections and maintenance efforts that will always work for the positive, especially when you're trying to demonstrate your efforts to comply.
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Rapidly melting snow can produce and excess sediment load in runoff that can overwhelm silt fences, check dams and sediment ponds. When snow is stockpiled on top of a cut and fill slope, it can cause minor land slides which can bury a creek or cover a public road. In the southern states, it's easy to overlook the impact that snowmelt can have on graded construction sites because we so seldom receive much snow. In all my years of working in the stormwater management industry, I have witnessed how mismanaged snowmelt can wreak havoc on perimeter control BMPs and subsequently the waterways and private properties located downstream.
It's important to respect snowmelt and do what we can to minimize stockpiling of it near perimeter controls or on top of cut & fill slopes in particular. That said, what do the regulations say about snowmelt and how to deal it? In this 2.5 minute video, I answer that question and a few more.
Sincerely,
T. Luke Owen, PG MS4CECI MS4GIT
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YES!!!
We Can Travel & Train Where You Work!
Call Us So We Can Help Make Your Job Easier!
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TECH TALK
Tech Talk is a forum for resolving MS4, erosion and sediment control or industrial permit-related problems from a technical perspective. Questions, when asked, are often submitted by the reader; answers are provided by the NPDES Training Institute, Southeast Environmental Consultants, LLC (SEC) or other sources. The reader is solely responsible for the results if suggestions are implemented.
Effective local permitting and inspection oversight for land-disturbing activities is critical today if we are to have sustainable water resources tomorrow. Atlanta depends on Lake Lanier for more than just drinking water; it's a major economic engine that contributes hundreds of millions of dollars into our local economy annually!
Watch this video to see what happens when an irresponsible Local Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) county government fails to do their job, resulting in a local property owner/builder contributing an astonishing amount of sediment to Lake Lanier. This illegal discharge happened because the county government failed to issue a land-disturbing activity permit that would have required the builder (i.e. land owner) to produce an erosion plan, install BMPs and perform site inspections.
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NPDES General Permit
News UPDATE
The federal Construction General Permit (CGP) will be effective on February 17, 2022. Many states include the federal USEPA recommendations (not requirements) into their NPDES permits, which may or may not make a lot of sense. If you're in the construction industry, you should know what your government is doing with their NPDES permits!
EPA finalized its 2022 Construction General Permit (CGP) for stormwater which becomes effective on February 17, 2022. This permit covers stormwater discharges from construction activities in areas where EPA is the NPDES permitting authority.
EPA is hosting a webinar to review the final permit and answer questions:
- Thursday, February 24, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
GEORGIA NPDES GENERAL PERMITS
EXPIRING IN 2022
INDIANA NPDES GENERAL PERMITS
CLICK HERE FOR MS4, MSGP AND CONTRUCTION GENERAL PERMIT INFORMATION
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GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE & ITS ROLE IN AMERICA
When you see the pollutants in this photo, what is your first reaction? For me, it used to be: How can we best keep that filth from moving into the storm drain and into our river so it doesn't sicken the fish and the people who swim and drink the water? Now, my answer is; How can we get the public support we need to implement Green Infrastructure (GI). When a person slows down and thinks about it for a few minutes, common sense kicks in and the purpose of GI begins to make sense. Let's stop the pollution at it's source! What we have found is that slowing down the rain before and/or after it hits the ground, using BMPs to reduce the volume & velocity and then infiltrating it and the pollution it carries into the ground, actually works! Although common sense and science say that designing, installing and maintaining GI is wise, necessary and to me, the patriotic thing to do for America's water quality, we still have to figure out how to get everyone to understand what GI really is, its purpose and its effectiveness for long term economic health and water quality protection.
Annually, Georgia typically receives a lot of rain; more than most other states in America. When you consolidate millions of people in a few watersheds, like metro Atlanta’s 6.5 million people, you're going to have stormwater pollution problems. Consequently, many government agencies and non-profit organizations, like the Atlanta Regional Commission along with the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, have invested a lot of time and money into developing the resources and tools necessary to produce clean runoff. All the state and local governments need to do is get the political will to do it!
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Our country has invested a lot of time and money studying the problem of urban runoff pollution, and we've finally realized that the NPDES permit coupled with mother nature's natural technology have offered the best stormwater pollution cleaning system for urbanized areas imaginable: a forest! GI is basically man’s best effort to mimic mother nature's perfect water treatment system; a forest that effectively slows down the rain, allowing it to slowly infiltrate into the ground instead of flowing off-site and carrying pollution with it.
We have teamed up with the Southface Institute to develop an awesome course, the MS4 Green Infrastructure Technician (MS4GIT) credential that teaches how to install and maintain the BMPs (structural and vegetative) that make it all work. It's practical, fun and also meets the MS4 NPDES Permit training requirement.
Please forward this article to your friends and family if they don't understand what Green Infrastructure is and why we're dealing with stormwater runoff in a way that causes some of it to soak into the ground. If we ALL understand the "why we need it" part, then I think the "what to do" and "how to do it" will take care of themselves.
Sincerely,
Luke
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WE GUARANTEE
OUR TRAINING!
Our reputation is built on providing YOU the best stormwater education, taught by EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTORS that know how to effectively teach!
You NEVER pay twice for the same course you take from us, EVEN if you don't pass the test!
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For More Information or to Schedule a Class
678-469-5120
or
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For the NPDES Permittee, being able to demonstrate the intent to comply is paramount if you are to be protected from regulatory enforcement actions or third party lawsuits! WaterWatchPRO provides the first step in that regard by relaying daily rainfall data, without you as the superintendent having to worry about recording it yourself. Check it out, hundreds of people have and they love it!
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RE-CERTIFICATION COURSES
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MS4CECI
Initial 2-Day Classroom/Field Course
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Recertification 4-Hour Course
Course Information
This 2-day course was developed and designed specifically for municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) compliance and enforcement personnel, field inspectors, stormwater managers and consultants, with a focus on MS4 stormwater permit compliance and enforcement responsibilities.
A course examination is conducted immediately following classroom instruction. Course attendees are required to achieve a minimum examination score of 70% for their 3-year MS4CECI Certificate.
The MS4CECI course was designed by federal, state and local regulatory personnel as well as stormwater consultants with over 100 years of combined experience in educating municipal storm sewer system (MS4) stormwater personnel to manage and perform stormwater inspections of municipal, commercial, industrial and construction activities. The 2-day seminar teaches federal and state stormwater laws as well as local ordinances, and provides instruction on how to properly comply with and enforce the various NPDES permits assigned for MS4s, construction sites and industrial facilities.
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MS4GIT
MS4 Green Infrastructure Technician
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The MS4GIT Course is a 1-day training experience focusing on Green Infrastructure BMPs and their installation & maintenance. Attendees will learn how to identify and solve issues surrounding poor maintenance, as well as avoid GI failures entirely. This course was specially designed for stormwater managers, stormwater engineers and consultants, MS4 Inspectors and maintenance crews.
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Upon completion, trainees will have learned to:
- Implement correct construction sequencing protocol for BMPs
- Understand how to read a BMP landscape plan
- Identify soil mixtures and calculate soil / material volumes
- Identify and select appropriate plants for BMPs
- Understand maintenance requirements of BMPs
- Identify common problems and solutions for BMPs
- Understand how to implement a landscape maintenance plan
- Evaluate plant performance and how to replace failing plants
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MS4 Stormwater Inspector
4-Hour Online Course
This course is used for the MS4CECI recertification and also meets the annual MS4 permit annual training requirement throughout the United States.
What is a Hot Spot or Highly Visible Pollutant Source (HVPS)? Once you see it causing an illicit discharge, how are you supposed to inspect one as compared to at a construction site or industrial facility?
This course will give you the confidence you need to properly perform a facility inspection. Designed for the new inspector, we believe that knowledge is power, but only if it's properly applied. When you know what to do in the field, it's actually fun to work with the compliance community in protecting our watersheds, and that's what this course will help you do!
Everyone agrees that we need to keep our watersheds clean and it's the MS4 Stormwater Inspector that makes all the difference in that regard!
678-469-5120
or if you prefer you can email
Rita@npdestraining.com
We're Here to Serve You!
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UPCOMING SEMINARS & TRAINING EVENTS
A lot of permit changes going on this year! The conferences below promise to keep you up to date with new rules, regulations as well as technology and best management practices that can help protect your watersheds!
May 9-10, 2022 - Annual Stormwater Conference
April 22, 2022 - 17th Annual Seminar
May 2-4, 2022 - Municipal Wet Weather Conference
April 12-14, 2022 - Spring Conference & Industrial Symposium
May 10-12, 2022 - Spring Conference
IF you would like us to list dates for additional stormwater conferences, meetings and/or training events, please contact us at 678-469-5120.
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"Conservation is a great moral issue, for it involves the patriotic duty of ensuring the safety and continuance of our nation!" - Theodore Roosevelt
We all need to view NPDES Permit compliance (conservation) as an investment in our nation's future quality of life, so our children will also have an equally great place to live, swim, fish, boat and hunt tomorrow!
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Sincerely,
tlowen@npdestraining.com
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