COMPENDIUM OF MS4
PERMITTING APPROACHES
PART 2: POST CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS
Office of Wastewater Management
Water Permit Division
November 2016
EPA-810-R-16-017

-------
POST-CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS FOR STORMWATER
DISCHARGES FROM NEW DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT
As development occurs, increases in paved surfaces lead to excess discharge of stormwater
volume and pollutants, which can harm lakes, rivers, streams, and coastal areas and cause local
flooding. Stormwater impacts from development can be mitigated using practices that control
stormwater onsite before it is discharged to and affects water bodies downstream. Innovative
site designs that reduce imperviousness and use other green infrastructure practices are
effective ways to reduce flows and improve water quality.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) stormwater regulations requires certain
municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) to address post-construction stormwater
discharges from newly developed and redeveloped sites that disturb, at minimum, one or more
acres. This primarily includes developing:
•	strategies to implement a combination of structural and non-structural BMPs,
•	an ordinance to address post-construction runoff, and
•	a program to ensure adequate long-term operation and maintenance of BMPs.
Forty states have developed numeric performance and/or design standards to control post-
construction stormwater discharges from newly developed and redeveloped sites. Clear,
specific and measurable permit conditions such as performance standards ensure that
requirements can be met. There are two types of numeric performance standards for
stormwater discharges identified as a treatment standard or a volume-based/retention
standard. Treatment standards typically specify an amount of pollutant to be managed
(e.g., 80% TSS removal). Volume-based or retention standards typically require the use of
infiltration, evapotranspiration or harvest practices to control a specified volume of stormwater
onsite and are usually expressed as a volume of rainfall, a percentile storm event or a
groundwater recharge volume. This compendium of MS4 permit examples focuses on the latter
category. It provides examples from existing MS4 permits from 26 states, Washington D.C. and
Puerto Rico that have a numeric, volume-based or retention performance standard.
Volume retention is an effective way to reduce pollutant loads and also reduces erosion of the
receiving waterbody. When controlled by green infrastructure practices such as rain gardens,
green roofs, pervious pavement, downspout disconnection and cisterns, managing stormwater
onsite also provides multiple community benefits by increasing vegetation in urban areas,
reducing local flooding and providing a freshwater resource.
In a separate document titled, Summary of State Post-Construction Stormwater Standards. EPA
has compiled a comprehensive list of all state post-construction standards not only those in
MS4 permits but also standards implemented through state regulations and construction
general permits.
i | Page

-------
EPA notes that this compendium is intended to serve as a snapshot of existing permit provisions
in November 2016. EPA anticipates that as permits are reissued in the coming months and
years, the information in this compendium will need to be updated to include newer examples
or modified information. EPA has an interest in ensuring the accuracy of the information
contained in this document, and therefore welcomes input on any aspect of this compendium
at any time.
The Agency will update the compendium as needed based on the comments received and new
information. EPA notes that the inclusion of any particular permit example should not be read
as an Agency endorsement of the entire approach taken in that permit, nor should it be read as
EPA's independent determination that the permit terms meet the regulatory requirements.
This includes the regulatory requirement for permitted small MS4s "to reduce the discharge of
pollutants from [the] MS4 to the maximum extent practicable, to protect water quality, and to
satisfy the appropriate water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act."
In addition, this document does not contain or impose any new legally binding requirements on
EPA, states, or the regulated community, and does not confer legal rights or impose legal
obligations upon any member of the public. EPA made every attempt to ensure the accuracy of
the examples included in this document; however, in the event of a conflict between this
compendium and any statute, regulation, or permit, the statute, regulation or permit controls.
For more information about the NDPES Stormwater Program visit
https://www.epa.gov/npdes/npdes-stormwater-program.
ii | Page

-------
Contents
REGION 1	1
CONNECTICUT	1
MASSACHUSETTS	1
VERMONT	1
REGION 2	3
NEW JERSEY	3
NEW YORK	3
PUERTO RICO	4
REGION 3	5
WEST VIRGINIA	5
WASHINGTON, DC	5
MARYLAND	5
DELAWARE	6
PENNSYLVANIA	7
REGION 4	8
MISSISSIPPI	8
TENNESSEE	8
KENTUCKY	8
REGION 5	9
MINNESOTA	9
WISCONSIN	9
MICHIGAN	10
REGION 6	11
NEW MEXICO	11
REGION 8	12
COLORADO	12
MONTANA	12
UTAH	12
REGION 9	13
HAWAII	13
ARIZONA	13
CALIFORNIA	13
REGION 10	15
ALASKA	15
WASHINGTON	15
OREGON	16
IDAHO	16
iii | Page

-------
REGION
C1
Bn*
CONNECTICUT
The 2017 Connecticut general permit for stormwater discharges from small MS4s requires the
permittee to consider the use of low impact development and runoff reduction site planning
and development practices. Specifically, for new development and redevelopment of sites with
less than 40% directly connected impervious cover, the developer must design the site to retain
the water quality volume for the site. For redevelopment of sites that are currently developed
with directly connected impervious cover of 40% or more, a developer shall design the site to
retain on-site half the water quality volume for the site. The water quality volume is defined as
the volume of runoff general by one inch of rainfall on a site defined in the Connecticut
Stormwater Quality Manual. Any new MS4 discharge that is within 500 feet of a tidal wetland
that is not a fresh-water tidal wetland must discharge through a system designed to retain the
water quality volume. See Section 6(a)(5)(A)(i).
The 2013 Phase I City of Stamford, Connecticut, MS4 permit contains the same post-
construction retention requirements as 2016 Connecticut general permit discussed above. See
Section 6.A.3.a.iii. Permit available upon request: Chris.Stone@ct.gov
MASSACHUSETTS
The 2017 Massachusetts general permit for stormwater discharges from small MS4s requires
permittees to follow the guidance of many of the standards in Volume 2 of the Massachusetts
Stormwater Handbook. The permit specifically references several standards from the
Handbook, including standards to control peak runoff rates, recharge groundwater, and
protection of public water supply areas. New development projects are required to retain the
volume of runoff equivalent to, or greater than, one inch multiplied by the total post-
construction impervious surface area on the site, or remove 90% of the average total
suspended solids (TSS) average annual load and 60% of the total phosphorus (TP) average
annual load. Redevelopment projects are required to retain 0.8 inches from the total post-
construction impervious area, or remove 80% TSS and 50% TP average annual loads. TSS and TP
pollutant removal is to be calculated consistent with EPA Region l's BMP Performance
Extrapolation Tool. See Part 2.3.6.
VERMONT
The 2012 Vermont general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires permittees to
implement and enforce the requirements in the 2002 Vermont Stormwater Management
Manual for new development and redevelopment. The manual includes a ground water
1 | Page

-------
recharge volume standard that is determined as a function of annual pre-development
recharge for a given soil group, average annual rainfall volume, and amount of impervious
cover at a site. The ground water recharge standard can be met by one of two methods, or a
combination of both. The first is designated as the percent volume method, and is based on
infiltrating the recharge volume using one or more approved structural stormwater treatment
practices. The second method is designated as the percent area method, and is based on
draining runoff from some or all of the site impervious area through one or more approved
nonstructural stormwater treatment practices. The manual also includes a water quality
treatment standard that requires water quality treatment of 90% of annual storms based on
removing total suspended solids (TSS) and total phosphorus (TP). The State of Vermont directly
regulates post-construction stormwater runoff from activities that result in creation of new or
expansion of existing impervious surface of more than an acre; regardless of whether the site
discharges to an MS4 or directly to a waterbody. Consequently, the MS4 program must only
regulate those sites that fall below the impervious cover threshold but disturb at least one acre
of land or less if it is a part of a common plan of development. See Section IV.H.5.e.
Green Roof in Burlington, VT
Photo Credit: VT SW Program
2 | Page

-------
k REGION
\2
NEW JERSEY
The 2009 New Jersey general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires permittees to
adopt ordinances according to state stormwater management rule, N.J.A.C. 7:8-4, to control
stormwater from nonresidential development and redevelopment projects. In addition, the
permittee must ensure that any residential development and redevelopment projects that are
subject to the Residential Site Improvement Standards for stormwater management (N.J.A.C.
5:21-7) comply with those standards. The New Jersey standard for ground water recharge
requires that 100% of the average annual pre-construction ground water recharge volume for
the site is maintained. For the purpose of calculating runoff coefficients and ground water
recharge, there is a presumption that the pre-construction condition of a site, or portion
thereof, is wooded land use with good hydrologic condition. This ground water recharge
requirement does not apply to previously developed portions of sites in urban redevelopment
areas. The New Jersey standard for water quality provides that stormwater management
measures are to be designed to reduce the post-construction load of TSS in stormwater runoff
generated from the water quality design storm by 80% of the anticipated load from the
developed site, expressed as an annual average. See Part I.F.3.
NEWYORK
The 2015 New York general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires permittees to
address stormwater runoff from new development and redevelopment with a combination of
structural and non-structure management practices according to standards defined in the most
current version of the New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual that will reduce
the discharge of pollutants to the maximum extent practicable. The New York standard for new
development requires runoff reduction be met by infiltration, ground water recharge, reuse,
recycle, or evaporation of 100% of the post-development water quality volume unless specific
physical site limitations prohibit or limit the use of infiltration or ground water recharge. This
runoff reduction requirement is designed to replicate pre-development hydrology by
maintaining pre-construction infiltration, peak runoff flow, and discharge volume. The water
quality volume is calculated based on the amount of runoff equivalent to 90% rain event and
the percent of impervious cover created at a site. This requirement can be accomplished by
applying on-site green infrastructure techniques, standard stormwater management practices
with runoff reduction capacity, and effective site planning. See Part VII.A.5.
3 | P a g e

-------
PUERTO RICO
The 2016 Puerto Rico general permit for stormwater discharges from small MS4s requires
permittees to implement a program to control stormwater discharges from new development
and redevelopment sites that disturb one acre or more. The permit requires, if practicable, the
program to include a process to require the implementation of low impact development
practices that infiltrate, evapotranspire, or capture for reuse the first 1 inch of rainfall from a
24-hour storm preceded by 48 hours of no measurable precipitation. See Part 2.4.6.5.
Water from the roof flows from this
disconnected downspout into the
ground through a filter of pebbles.
4 | Page

-------
REGION
WEST VIRGINIA
The 2014 West Virginia general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires permittees to
implement and enforce site and neighborhood design elements for new development and
redevelopment disturbing one acre or more. The site design standards require management
measures that keep and manage on-site the first inch of rainfall from a 24-hour storm preceded
by 48 hours of no measurable precipitation or that provide equal benefits for quality water.
This first inch of rainfall must be 100% managed with no discharge to surface waters, unless
one of the two alternatives specified in the permit, off-site mitigation and payment in lieu, are
met. See Part II.C.7.e.
WASHINGTON, DC
The 2011 District of Columbia Phase I MS4 permit requires the design, construction, and
maintenance of stormwater controls to achieve on-site retention of 1.2 inches of stormwater
from a 24-hour storm with a 72-hour antecedent dry period through evapotranspiration,
infiltration and/or stormwater harvesting and use for all development greater than or equal to
5,000 square feet. The permittee may allow a portion of the 1.2 inches to be compensated for
in a program consistent with the permits terms for off-site mitigation and/or free-in lieu
programs. See Section 4.1.1.
MARYLAND
Maryland has two general MS4 permits, the 2003 general permit for municipalities and the
2004 general permit for state and federal agencies, for discharges from small MS4s that require
that stormwater management for new development and redevelopment be addressed for any
proposed project that disturbs 5,000 square feet or more of earth. Because Maryland has a
stormwater management program in place that regulates new development and
redevelopment projects, the state considers compliance with the state statute to be
compliance with this minimum control measure, this general permit, and federal regulations.
Permittees shall comply with all state and local laws, regulations, ordinances, and procedures
relating to stormwater management. In addition, permittees must implement and comply with
the principles, methods, and practices found in the 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual,
Volumes 1 and 2. The manual specifies that environmental site design (ESD) shall be
implemented to the maximum extent practicable (MEP) to mimic pre-development conditions.
The standard for characterizing pre-development runoff characteristics for new development
projects is woods in good hydrologic condition. ESD practices are to be used to the MEP to
meet the required water quality volume and the ground water recharge volume. The water
5 | P a g e

-------
quality volume is defined as the runoff volume from the 1-inch rain event in the Maryland
Eastern Rainfall Zone and 0,9 inch in the Maryland Western Rainfall Zone. The manual includes
a redevelopment policy that provides flexibility and alternative requirements for sites with
more than 40% impervious area. See Part Ili.E.
The Phase I MS4 permits in Maryland [Anne Arundel County (2014), Charles County (2014),
Carroll County (2014), Frederick County (2014), Harford County (2014), Howard County (2014),
Montgomery County (2010), Prince George's County (2014), City of Baltimore (2013), and
Baltimore County (2013)] also require by reference that the permittee implement the
stormwater management design policies, principles, methods, and practices found in the 2000
Maryland Stormwater Design Manual or other innovative stormwater management
technologies approved by MDE. See Part III.E.l.
DELAWARE
The 2013 New Castle County, Delaware. MS4 permit requires permittees to implement a
program to address stormwater from post-development sites as prescribed under the Delaware
Sediment and Stormwater regulations (updated in 2016). in general, the Delaware Sediment
and Stormwater regulations require stormwater controls sized according to the Resource
Protection Event. The design parameter for the Resource Protection Event shall be the
annualized runoff volume (RPv) produced by a storm having a 99% probability of occurring
annually (i.e., the 1-year event) based on post-developed conditions. For new development, the
RPv shall be reduced to an equivalent 0% effective imperviousness. Runoff from redeveloped
areas within the project limit of disturbance that were wooded or meadow in the existing
condition shall be reduced to an equivalent wooded condition using runoff reduction practices.
All remaining redeveloped areas within the project limit of disturbance shall employ runoff
reduction practices to achieve a 30% reduction in the effective imperviousness based on the
existing condition. The Department
may require an offset as an
alternative to full or partial
compliance with the Resource
Protection Event requirements. See
Part II.A.4.
Photo Credit: Alisha Goldstein, EPA
6 | Page

-------
PENNSYLVANIA
The 2018 Pennsylvania small MS4 general permit allows permittees to rely on Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection's state-wide program for issuing NPDES permits for
construction activity to meet their post-construction standard requirements. The NPDES
construction stormwater permit requires development of a Post-Construction Stormwater
Management Plan in accordance with 25 Pa. Code §102.8 and best management practices as
listed in the Pennsylvania Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual. In the Manual,
volume control guideline 1 is recommended where site conditions offer the opportunity to
reduce the increase in runoff volume as follows:
•	Do not increase the post-development total runoff volume for all storms equal to or less
than the 2-year/24-hour event.
•	Existing (pre-development) non-forested pervious areas must be considered meadow
(good condition) or its equivalent.
•	Twenty (20) percent of existing impervious area, when present, shall be considered
meadow (good condition) in the model for existing conditions for redevelopment
7 | Page

-------
REGION
Wf 4
MISSISSIPPI
The 2016 Mississippi general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires the regulated
entity to develop site design standards to infiltrate, evapotranspire, harvest and/or use, at a
minimum, the first inch of every rainfall preceded by 72 hours of no measurable precipitation.
For projects on private property, the MS4 may opt to have controls installed on that private
property, in the public right-of-way, or a combination of both. See Act 5(5).
TENNESSEE
The 2016 Tennessee general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires new development
and redevelopment projects to be designed to remove pollutants to the maximum extent
practicable (MEP). Controls that rely on infiltration, evapotranspiration or capture/reuse of the
water quality treatment volume (WQ.TV) that approach 100% pollutant removal constitute MEP
where site conditions allow. The WQ.TV is defined as the runoff generated from impervious
surfaces during the first inch of a rainfall event. Reductions to the WQTV, off-site mitigation or
payment into a Public Stormwater Fund are allowed based on permit conditions. See Section
4.2.5.
The 2011 Phase I City of Chattanooga and the 2012 Phase I City of Nashville. TN MS4 permits
include runoff reduction standards which require, in combination or alone, management
measures that are designed, built, and maintained to infiltrate, evapotranspire, harvest, and/or
use, at a minimum, the first inch of every rainfall event preceded by 72 hours of no measurable
precipitation. The permittee may develop incentive standards for redevelopment to increase
use of green infrastructure while allowing flexibility, subject to certain criteria and may not
exceed a maximum reduction of 50% of the required volume. For projects that cannot meet
100% of the runoff reduction requirement, the remainder must be treated prior to discharge
with a technology documented to remove 80% TSS. See Section 3.2.5.2.
KENTUCKY
The 2011 Phase I Louisville and Jefferson County. Kentucky. MS4 permit requires the
development of an ordinance that requires water quality control measures to infiltrate,
evapotranspirate, harvest, and reuse at least the equivalent runoff produced from an 80th
percentile storm (e.g., 0.75 inches). See Part II.B.5.
8 | Page

-------
in _
>5
REGION
MINNESOTA
The 2013 Minnesota general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires permittees to
develop and implement a post-construction stormwater management program that requires
new development projects to meet a standard of no net increase from pre-project conditions of
stormwater discharge volume, TSS; and TP. Redevelopment projects are required to meet a
standard of a net reduction from pre-project conditions of stormwater discharge volume, TSS,
and TP. See Part III.D.5.
WISCONSIN
The 2014 Wisconsin general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires permittees to
implement a program for new development and redevelopment that includes an ordinance or
other regulatory mechanism that establishes post-construction performance standards
equivalent to those contained in Wisconsin's administrative code NR 151.122 through 151.126,
and 151.242 through 151.246. The infiltration performance standard in Wisconsin's code is
based on the imperviousness of the site. Sites with less than 40% connected imperviousness
such as parks, cemeteries, and low-density
residential development, must infiltrate
sufficient runoff volume so that the post-
development infiltration volume shall be at
least 90% of the pre-development infiltration
volume, based on an average annual rainfall.
For sites with 40%-80% connected
imperviousness, such as medium- and high-
density residential, multi-family
development, industrial and institutional
development, and office parks, the post-
development infiltration volume shall be at
least 75% of the pre-development infiltration
volume. For sites with greater than 80%
connected imperviousness, such as
commercial strip malls, shopping centers,
and commercial downtowns, the post-
development infiltration volume shall be at
least 60% of the pre-development infiltration
volume. See Section 2.5.	Parking lot tree pit in Maplewood, MN
Photo Credit: Alisha Goldstein
9 | P a g e

-------
MICHIGAN
The State of Michigan is reissuing Phase I and Phase II MS4 permits on a rotating watershed
basis, and is basing MS4 permits on a Storm Water Discharge Permit Application that specifies
the stormwater management program (SWMP) and BMP requirements that must be included
in each permit application. The application offers two options for a water quality treatment
performance standard: Treat the first inch of runoff from the entire project site and/or treat the
runoff generated from 90 percent of all runoff-producing storms for the project site. The
application also includes a channel protection performance standard that requires the post-
construction runoff rate and volume of discharge to not exceed the pre-development rate and
volume for all storms up to the 2-year/24-hour storm at the project site. Pre-development is
defined as the last land use. See MS4 Permit Application, questions 36 - 39.
10 | Page

-------
m REGION
^ 6
NEW MEXICO
The 2014 Middle Rio Grande Watershed Based MS4 permit requires the implementation and
enforcement, via ordinance and/or other enforceable mechanism(s), of a design standard that
manages on-site the 90th percentile storm event discharge volume for new development and
80th percentile storm event discharge volume for redevelopment through stormwater controls.
The permit lists different options for implementing the design standard, including rainfall
harvesting, engineered infiltration, bioretention, permeable pavement, and other practices. See
Part I.D.S.b.
Photo Credit: Alisha Goldstein, EPA
11 | Page

-------
REGION
8
COLORADO
The 2016 Colorado general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires control measures
for applicable development sites to meet one of several design standards, including the
treatment and/or infiltration of the Water Quality Capture Volume (WQCV) which is equal to
volume equivalent to the runoff from an 80th percentile storm. Other design standards include
a pollutant removal standard to treat at a minimum the 80th percentile storm event and reduce
event mean concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS) to a median value of 30 mg/L or less.
Another design standard requires control measure(s) designed to infiltrate into the ground
where site geology permits, evaporate, or evapotranspire a quantity of water equal to 60% of
what the calculated WQCV would be if all impervious area for the applicable development site
discharged without infiltration. Details on all design standards can be found in Part I.E.4.
MONTANA
The 2015 Montana general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires, for new
development and redevelopment projects greater than or equal to one acre, the program shall
include a process, where such practices are practicable, to require implementation of low
impact development practices that infiltrate, evapotranspire, or capture for reuse the runoff
generated from the first 0.5 inches of rainfall from a 24-hour storm preceded by 48 hours of no
measurable precipitation. See Part II.B.5.
UTAH
The 2016 Utah general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires, for new development
and redevelopment projects that disturb greater than or equal to one acre, to manage rainfall
on-site and prevent the off-site discharge of the precipitation from all rainfall events less than
or equal to the 90th percentile rainfall event. This objective must be accomplished by the use of
practices that are designed, constructed, and maintained to infiltrate, evapotranspire and/or
harvest and reuse rainwater. If meeting the retention standard is technically infeasible, the
permit requires a rationale for the use of alternative design criteria. The project must document
and quantify that infiltration, evapotranspiration and rainwater harvesting have been used to
the maximum extent technically feasible and that full employment of these control are
infeasible due to site constraints. See Part 4.2.5.
12 | Page

-------
Cfe REGION
^9
%
HAWAII
The 2015 Honolulu Phase I MS4 individual permit requires the City to continue implementing
standards that require on-site management of the first inch of rainfall within a 24-hour period.
The permit also requires the City apply the standard in all areas within its authority jurisdiction
and requires that treat and release practices treat 1.5 times the water quality volume.
See Part D.l.e. Contact State for permit.
ARIZONA
The 2010 City of Glendale Phase I MS4 individual permit (and other Phase I MS4 permits in
Arizona) requires the permittee to continue to implement the requirement for new facilities to
install and maintain on-site detention for the 100-year, 2-hour storm event in all areas of
Glendale except those exempted by law or excluded under the technical appeals process. When
possible, the city must require exempted facilities to install stormwater control measures. See
Appendix C, Section VII.
CALIFORNIA
The 2013 California general permit for discharges from small MS4s requires that new
development and redevelopment projects are designed to evapotranspire, infiltrate, harvest
and use, and biotreat stormwater to meet at least one of the following hydraulic sizing design
criteria: volumetric criteria (approximately the 85th percentile 24-hour storm runoff event or
the volume of annual runoff required to achieve 80% or more capture) or flow-based criteria
(the flow of runoff produced from a rain event equal to at least 0.2 inches per hour intensity; or
the flow of runoff produced from a rain event equal to at least two times the 85th percentile
hourly rainfall intensity). See Section E.12.e.ii.c.
The 2015 Los Angeles County MS4 permit requires that each permittee shall require applicable
new development and redevelopment projects to retain on-site the stormwater quality design
volume defined as the runoff from: (1) the 0.75-inch, 24-hour rain event or (2) the 85th
percentile, 24-hour rain event, whichever is greater. When evaluating the potential for on-site
retention, each permittee shall consider the maximum potential for evapotranspiration from
green roofs and rainfall harvest and use. Alternative compliance measures are allowed where
meeting the standard is shown to be technically infeasible or where a project has been
determined to provide an opportunity to replenish regional groundwater supplies at an off-site
location. Alternative compliance measures include on-site biofiltration, off-site infiltration, a
proposed ground water replenishment project, an off-site retrofit project such as green streets,
13 | Page

-------
parking lot retrofits, green roofs, and rainfall harvest and use, or participate in a regional
stormwater mitigation program. The permittee must also require applicable new development
and redevelopment projects within natural drainage systems to implement hydrologic control
measures, to minimize changes in post-development hydrologic stormwater runoff discharge
rates, velocities, and duration. This shall be achieved by maintaining the project's pre-project
stormwater runoff flow rates and durations. See Part VI.D.7.C.
The 2015 San Francisco Bay Regional Water Board Municipal Permit requires permittees to
require applicable new development and redevelopment projects to treat 100% of the design
storm runoff with LID treatment measures (harvesting and reuse, infiltration,
evapotranspiration, or biotreatment) on-site or with LID treatment measures at an alternate
stormwater treatment facility. The design storm is defined to meet at least one of the following
hydraulic sizing design criteria: (1) volume hydraulic design basis (treat stormwater runoff equal
to approximately the 85th percentile 24-hour storm runoff event or the volume of annual
runoff required to achieve 80% or more capture); (2) flow hydraulic design basis (treat (a) 10%
of the 50-year peak flowrate; (b) the flow of runoff produced by a rain event equal to at least
two times the 85th percentile hourly rainfall intensity; or (c) the flow of runoff resulting from a
rain event equal to at least 0.2 inches per hour intensity); or (3) combination flow and volume
design basis (treat at least 80% of the total runoff over the life of the project). See Sections
C.3.c and C.3.d.
The 2013 San Diego Regional MS4 permit requires the permittee to require applicable new
development and redevelopment projects to implement LID BMPs that are designed to retain
(i.e. intercept, store, infiltrate, evaporate, and evapotranspire) on-site the pollutants contained
in the volume of stormwater runoff produced from a 24-hour, 85th percentile storm event
(design capture volume), with the potential to implement off-site alternative compliance
projects that will have a greater overall water quality benefit for the watershed than if the
project were to implement structural BMPs on-site. In addition, the permittee must require
implementation of on-site BMPs to manage hydromodification that may be caused by
stormwater runoff discharged from a project as follows: (1) post-project runoff conditions
(flow rates and durations) must not exceed pre-development runoff conditions by more than
10% (for the range of flows that result in increased potential for erosion, or degraded instream
habitat downstream of the project); and (2) avoid critical sediment yield areas, or implement
measures that allow critical coarse sediment to be discharged to receiving waters, such that
there is no net impact to the receiving water. See Part II.E.3.C.
14 | Page

-------

REGION
ifc 10
ALASKA
The 2015 Anchorage. Alaska individual MS4 permit requires that for new development and
redevelopment projects that result in a land disturbance of 10,000 square feet or more,
management measures that treat and manage the runoff generated from the first 0.52 inches
of rainfall from a 24-hour event preceded by 48 hours of no measureable precipitation. Runoff
treatment can be achieved by green infrastructure and LID such as canopy interception, soil
amendments, evapotranspiration, rainfall harvesting, engineered infiltration, extended
filtration, and/or any combination of such practices. The ordinance or regulatory mechanism
must require that the first 0.52 inches of rainfall be 100% treated with LID, except when the
permittee chooses to implement alternatives described in the permit. See Part II.B.2.
WASHINGTON
The 2013 Western Washington general permit for discharges from small MS4s and the 2013
Washington Phase I MS4 permit require permittees to implement LID performance standards
for certain newly developed and redeveloped sites. The standard requires that stormwater
discharges match developed discharge durations to pre-developed durations for the range of
pre-developed discharge rates from 8% of the 2-year flow to 50% of the 2-year flow. See
Appendix I, Section 4.5.
Street side swale and pervious concrete sidewalk, Seattle, WA
15 | Page

-------
OREGON
The 2011 Phase I Portland. Oregon. MS4 permit requires new development and redevelopment
projects that create or replace 500 square feet of impervious surface to capture and treat 80%
of the annual average runoff volume, based on a documented local or regional rainfall
frequency and intensity. The program must prioritize and include LID, green infrastructure, or
equivalent design and construction approaches. See Schedule A.4.f.
The 2010 Phase I Salem. 2010 Phase I Gresham/Fairview, 2010 Phase I Multnomah, 2011
Phase 1 Eugene, and the 2012 Phase I Clackamas County, Oregon, MS4 permits have the same
standard, but it applies to new development and redevelopment projects of varying site size
thresholds.
IDAHO
The 2013 City of Boise. Idaho (with copermittees) Phase I MS4 individual permit requires
permittees to implement and enforce a program to control storm water runoff from new
development and redevelopment projects that result in land disturbance of 5,000 square feet
or more, excluding individual one or two family dwelling development or redevelopment. The
permit requires each permittee to update their ordinance to include site design standards that
require stormwater management measures that keep and manage onsite the runoff generated
from the first 0.6 inches of rainfall from a 24-hour event preceded by 48 hours of no
measureable precipitation. The first 0.6 inches of rainfall must be 100% managed with no
discharge to surface waters, except when the permittee has a program for offsite mitigation
within the same subwatershed. See Part II.B.2.a.
16 | Page

-------