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About the Watershed


 


Michigan's Voluntary Stormwater Permit

What is a Voluntary Stormwater Permit?

The 1972 Clean Water Act (CWA) regulates the discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States. In 1987, amendments to the CWA passed by Congress directed the US Environmental Protection Agency to develop regulations for stormwater discharges.  National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits are the vehicle used to regulate these discharges.  Municipalities with populations greater than 100,000 are regulated under Phase I of the stormwater program.  Recently passed Phase II stormwater regulations, will regulate stormwater discharges from municipalities in urban areas with populations less than 100,000 beginning in 2003. 

In Michigan, a Voluntary General Permit for stormwater was developed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to provide municipalities with the option of developing a voluntary stormwater control program.  The City of Portage has decided to participate in this voluntary program, which follows a watershed management approach.

Specific requirements for application and coverage under the permit, as well as a general timeline are outlined below.  For more information on stormwater permitting and control, check out the following links:

MDEQ’s Stormwater Program

MDEQ’s Nonpoint Source Program

EPA’s Phase II Stormwater Program

Application Requirements

General Information

    • Legal name and mailing address
    • Proposed watershed boundaries
    • Drainage area map with hydrologic boundary and area covered

Illicit Discharge Elimination Plan

Minimum components:

    • Program to find, prioritize, and eliminate illicit connections identified under dry weather screening activities
    • Program to minimize infiltration of seepage from sanitary sewers and septic systems into the storm sewer system

Public Education Plan

  • ‘Promote, publicize, and facilitate’ watershed education to encourage public to reduce pollutant discharge to the maximum extent practicable
  • ‘Public’ includes all those who could potentially affect the quality of storm discharges

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Requirements Following Certificate of Coverage Issuance

Watershed Management Plan

  • Permittee shall participate in development of a plan
  • Process to facilitate the involvement of other stakeholders must be submitted to MDEQ
  • Coordinating group, person, or agency must be specified
  • Minimum components of the plan:
    • An assessment of the nature and status of the watershed ecosystem to the extent necessary to achieve the purpose of the plan
    • Definition of short-term watershed goals
    •   Definition of long-term watershed goals (must include protection of designated use)
    • Determination of the actions needed to reach short-term goals
    • Determination of the actions needed to reach long-term goals
    • Assessment of benefits and costs of the identified actions
    • Commitments to implement actions by specified dates necessary to initiate achievement of long-term goals (permittee or stakeholder specific)
    • Methods for evaluation of progress (may include chemical or biological indicators)

Storm Water Pollution Prevention Initiative (SWPPI)

  • Designed and implemented to reduce pollutant discharge to the maximum extent practicable
  • Minimum requirements:
    • Actions required of the permittee as outlined in the Watershed Management Plan
    • Evaluation and implementation of good housekeeping activities
    • Evaluation and implementation of site-specific Best Management Practices (structural and non-structural) for new development and redevelopment
    • Methods of assessing progress in the SWPPI

     

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General Permit Timeline

  1. Selection of desired watershed
  2. Delineation of drainage area and identification of storm water discharges
  3. Development of Illicit Discharge Elimination Plan and Public Education Plan
  4. Application submittal
  5. Certificate of Coverage issued by DEQ
  6. Implementation of Illicit DischargeElimination Plan and Public Education Plan (6 months)
  7. Development and submittal of Watershed Management Plan (2 years)
  8. Development and submittal of Storm Water Pollution Prevention Initiative (SWPPI) with implementation schedule (2 ½ years)
  9. Implementation of Watershed Management Plan
  10. Implementation of SWPPI upon DEQ approval
  11. Submittal of revised Watershed Management Plan and revised SWPPI by DEQ specified date (6 months prior to permit expiration)

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