Erosion Control Planning | Stormwater Monitoring

MCE has assisted a variety of clients including local and municipal governments, utility contractors, real estate developers, custom home builders, and private landowners with all types of planning and permitting related to local Land Disturbing Activity (LDA) regulations and National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) compliance issues.

Our project team consists of Registered Professional Geologists, Certified Level II Design Professionals, Certified Level II Plan Reviewers, and Certified Level 1A and 1B Inspectors. MCE provides the following services to help property owners, contractors, and other parties satisfy the requirements of LDA and NPDES permitting, including:

Erosion Control Planning (ESC Plans)
Tertiary ESPCPs
Stormwater and Erosion Control Best Management Practices Planning (BMP)
BMP Inspection and Compliance Certification
Stormwater System Design
Hydrology Reports
NPDES Notice of Intent (NOI) Preparation
NPDES Stormwater Monitoring
NPDES Notice of Termination (NOT) documentation
Design of alternative BMPs for difficult sites

Some frequently asked questions are answered below:

Who needs a land disturbance permit?
Regulations can vary depending on locality, but in general anyone who is planning to disturb more than one acre of land is required to obtain a land disturbance permit from their local issuing authority and submit a notice of intent for coverage under the applicable NPDES General Permit.

Are there any exceptions?

Some activities are exempt from these regulations:

Minor land disturbances (such as gardening and landscaping)
Construction of single-family homes (provided that the disturbed area is less than one acre and the home is not part of a common development)
Any other project with less than one acre of disturbed area (provided that the disturbance is greater than 200 feet from state waters and is not part of a common development)
Other activities such as surface mining, agriculture, and forestry

What is an NPDES permit?

NPDES stand for National Pollution Discharge Elimination System. The Clean Water Act (CWA) prohibits anybody from discharging pollutants into a water of the United States unless they have an NPDES permit. This includes everything from industrial wastewater to storm water runoff from construction sites. To simplify the permitting process for some categories of users, a series of general permits has been developed.

What does an NPDES permit for construction activities require?

Among other things, the general permit for construction activities requires the permittee to complete these actions:

Develop and follow an Erosion, Sedimentation, and Pollution Control Plan (ESCP)
Install and maintain structural best management practices (BMPs) to limit the migration of sediment from the project area
Conduct inspections of the BMPs and project area according to a set schedule
Collect samples of stormwater where it runs off the project area and analyze the turbidity to demonstrate compliance with the permit
Maintain records of daily rainfall amounts, inspection reports, turbidity measurements, and all other documentation related to the permit

How do you apply for an NPDES permit?

To obtain coverage under a general NPDES permit, a Notice of Intent (NOI) form must be completed and submitted to your state's Environmental Protection Agency.

How often are erosion inspections required?

The terms of the NPDES permit require the following inspections to be performed by certified Level I-A personnel:

Daily inspections of vehicle entrances and areas where petroleum products are stored, used, or handled
Weekly inspections of all areas of the project that have not undergone final stabilization. (these areas must also be inspected within 24-hours of a rainfall of 0.5-inch or greater)
Monthly inspections of all areas of the project that have undergone final stabilization

How often are stormwater samples required?

Stormwater sampling is required a minimum of twice during the life of the project; however, if the samples fail to meet the site-specific turbidity requirements, additional sampling is required.

Can MCE help me obtain an industrial stormwater discharge permit or develop a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWP3)?

Yes! Call us or send us an email for more information about our other stormwater services.

Where can I get more Information?

More information can be found at the following web site:

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Call us for a no obligation cost estimate.

Erosion Control Planning and NPDES Stormwater Monitoring