Stormwater Training Center

One of the biggest mistakes construction stormwater employees make when installing a silt fence is failing to trench and properly bury the bottom fabric, which allows muddy water to flow underneath instead of being filtered.

When the fence is simply laid on the ground, runoff will bypass it completely, carrying sediment straight into storm drains, wetlands, or nearby waterways. Proper installation requires trenching at least 6 inches deep, placing the fabric into the trench, and backfilling with compacted soil to create a tight seal.

Taking the extra time to install silt fence correctly protects water quality, prevents costly violations, and keeps your project in compliance.

Pro-level SWPPP Mistakes. These are the ones that usually don’t get caught until a sharp inspector shows up or a discharge goes sideways.

The Mistake:
Inspection sections that are technically “correct” but operationally useless.

Common issues:

Inspections scheduled but not tied to site phases

No guidance on what “acceptable” vs. “failed” looks like

No clear corrective action timelines

No method for documenting follow-up

Why This Becomes a Big Deal:
During enforcement, regulators don’t just ask:

“Did you inspect?”

They ask:

“Did your inspection program actually prevent discharges?”

Weak inspection language = weak defense.

Pro Fix:
Upgrade inspections by:

Tying inspection frequency to risk level (not just the permit minimum)

Defining failure thresholds (sediment depth, undermining, bypassing)

Assigning response timeframes (same day, 24 hours, before next rain)

Requiring photo documentation and SWPPP updates when patterns repeat

Inspections should drive action—not just check a box.

Cold winter temperatures don’t stop stormwater issues at construction sites—they change how and where problems show up. Frozen ground and snowmelt can create fast, dirty runoff that overwhelms BMPs and sends sediment straight to inlets during thaw events. Planning snow storage, checking controls during melts (not just rain), and managing deicing materials can prevent wintertime failures and springtime surprises.

Don't Let This Happen to Your Construction Company

2 Santa Rosa County developers fined thousands for Mulat Bayou pollution MILTON, Fla. -- Two developers in Santa Rosa County could soon find themselves in muddy waters.

2 Santa Rosa County developers fined thousands for Mulat Bayou pollution MILTON, Fla. -- Two developers in Santa Rosa County could soon find themselves in muddy waters.

TIPS: How to Protect Stormwater Drainage Systems in Winter
While winter weather is unpredictable, there are steps you can take to minimize its impact on drainage systems:

1. Keep Drains Clear: Remove snow and ice from stormwater grates and inlets to prevent blockages.

2. Regular Maintenance: Inspect and clean drainage systems before winter hits to ensure they’re free of debris.

3. Monitor Snowmelt: Pay attention to periods of rapid thaw and ensure that drains are functioning properly to handle the extra water.

4. Use De-Icing Products Sparingly: While salt and de-icers can help keep drains clear, excessive use can damage infrastructure and harm the environment.

Head's Up! Changes are ahead

How will the Trump Administration affect our National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit? | Laurie Murphy, CSI, CESCI Although the Trump Administration plans to roll-back environmental regulations, most of these will be for wastewater permits, (energy sector) not stormwater permits. Under stormwater, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to change the Conservative Federalism agreement between the tw

What Does a City, County or State Inspector look for when they conduct Stormwater Inspection on Your Construction Job Site?

During an inspection of a construction site for stormwater compliance, several specific areas will be covered
by the inspector:

Construction runoff Site conditions BMP implementation
Post-construction maintenance Documentation
SWPPP Plan Permits Inspection reports

To read the entire story go to: https://thestormwatertrainingcenter.com/blog/

Iowa 80 and Joplin 44 truck stops agree to pay a combined $390K+ to amend alleged violations of the CWA. The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states the two facilities failed to adhere to regulations intended to protect water bodies from petroleum discharges.

For more information visit ➡️ https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-fines-truck-stops-iowa-and-missouri-alleged-clean-water-act-violations

Having a Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Plan is required for petroleum storage of more than 1320 gallons above ground or 42,000 gallons below ground. This includes any petroleum, petroleum derivatives, fruit oils, nut oils, vegetable oils, animal fats, and sludge.

Don't be caught with violations, fines and consent orders!

Iowa 80 and Joplin 44 truck stops agree to pay a combined $390K+ to amend alleged violations of the CWA. The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states the two facilities failed to adhere to regulations intended to protect water bodies from petroleum discharges.

For more information visit ➡️ https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-fines-truck-stops-iowa-and-missouri-alleged-clean-water-act-violations

Have you identified any stormwater facilities in your municipal jurisdiction that are no longer meeting current volume requirements? Well, you are not alone.

Infrastructure built as a 2-year, 24-hour design storm or even a 25-yr, 24-hour design storm may not be able to handle the frequency and intensity of rain events that have increased over the last 10 years, which is causing many municipalities to deal with localized flooding.

Engineers use the term "design storm" to determine a hypothetical storm event with specific rainfall characteristics, like intensity and duration, used to design infrastructure like drainage systems, considering a specific probability of occurrence, often referred to as a "return period" (e.g., a "100-year design storm" meaning there's a 1% chance of such a storm happening in any given year) to ensure the infrastructure can withstand a certain level of rainfall volume and intensity.

The EPA is cracking down on the number of flooding events outside of a natural disaster. In other words, older infrastructure may not be able to handle the volume of current rain events. This causes several health and safety issues, including Sanitary Sewer Overflow’s (SSO’s) due to infiltration. Infiltration of stormwater happens when there is no place left for stormwater to go, therefore it enters the sanitary sewer. Laurie Murphy, Stormwater Specialist from the Stormwater Training Center states that, ”bacteria that is released due to infiltration is one of the largest human health issues due to seepage into drinking water supply reservoirs.”

How do we solve the problem? Murphy states, “that the first indication of a problem is when localized flooding happens without a storm sewer blockage. This is a clear indication of infrastructure failure. Other notable issues that should be ruled out are increased urban development, which generates higher runoff, further stressing older stormwater systems.

Having a Capital Improvement Plan to address the future health and safety of a community is paramount.” Of course, lack of funding is a consistent obstacle. There are a variety of options to fulfill the replacement of older infrastructure. Murphy states that, “ 319 Grants offered by the EPA are a good start as well as Public-Private Partnerships or perhaps the purchase of an Enterprise that brings in residual income.”

For more information on Municipal Training and Certification, go to www.thestormwatertrainingcenter.com

A must read for Industrial Stormwater Permittees that store fuel, fuel derivatives or hazardous waste!

Do I need Non-Destructive Testing on my Storage Tanks? Which Industrial Facilities are required to have Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) on their above-ground (AST’s) or below ground storage tanks (BST’s)? Facilities subject to the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations may be required to conduct NDT on ASTs and BSTs to ensure...