Erosion on construction site can pollute waterways

Erosion on construction site can pollute waterways

Sign to inform the public that storm sewers are not for dumping

Sign to inform the public that storm sewers are not for dumping

Hardware River has been designated as impaired with bacterial pollution

Hardware River has been designated as impaired with bacterial pollution

The TJSWCD provides technical support for several programs that are administered by one or more of our local governing bodies. We will gladly respond to requests from our localities for additional support for their conservation and water quality programs.

Following are local programs for which the TJSWCD provides technical support:

EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS – The TJSWCD provides general Erosion & Sediment Control and Stormwater Management Program guidance and assistance to local staffs, developers, contractors, and property owners in all of our localities.

Beginning December 31, 2022, all Erosion & Sediment Control Plan review and approvals for Louisa County will be conducted in-house by the Louisa County Community Development Department.
For Erosion & Sediment Control Plan review and approvals, please contact Kris Nelson at knelson [@] louisa.org
For Lake Anna Shoreline Plan review and approvals, please contact Tom Egeland at tegeland [@] louisa.org
Or you can call their office at (540) 967-3430.

The Virginia Erosion & Sediment Control Law & Regulations require that development activities involving 10,000 sq. ft. or more obtain a Land-Disturbing Permit through the locality in which the development occurs.

Construction activities involving more than one acre of land disturbance require a Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) construction general permit. Within the TJSWCD, Albemarle County, the City of Charlottesville, and UVA administer their own local VSMP, while Louisa, Nelson, and Fluvanna Counties opt to have the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality administer the program for them.

More information regarding local and state Erosion & Sediment Control and Stormwater Management Programs can be found at the following links.

Virginia Erosion & Sediment Control Handbook
Louisa County Erosion & Sediment Control Program
Virginia Stormwater BMP Clearinghouse
Va Stormwater Management Act
Va Stormwater Management Regulations
Va Stormwater Management
DEQ Erosion & Sediment Control and Stormwater Management Training

MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM (MS4) PERMITS – Within the TJSWCD, two localities, Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville, require MS4 Permits through the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Under these permits, the locality must develop, implement and enforce a program that includes measures to control pollution entering waterways through storm sewer systems. The TJSWCD provides educational and technical support to assist these localities with meeting their permit requirements.

Within the TJSWCD, two localities, Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville, require Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits through the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

Under these permits, the locality must develop, implement and enforce a program that includes the following “six minimum control measures” (MCM):

  1. Municipal
  2. Public education and outreach on stormwater impacts
  3. Public involvement and participation
  4. Illicit discharge detection and elimination
  5. Construction site stormwater runoff control
  6. Post-construction stormwater management in new development and redevelopment
  7. Pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations

The TJSWCD supports Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville with public education and outreach (MCM#1), serving as the coordinating body for the Rivanna Stormwater Education Partnership (RSEP), and conducting “Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences” (MWEEs) for school children.

The TJSWCD also supports these localities by providing assistance in their Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) Programs (MCM#3) to ensure that only stormwater enters storm sewer systems. In Albemarle County, the TJSWCD responds to IDDE reports from the public. If you believe that a person or company is illegally dumping a pollutant into a storm drain system or stream channel, please go to the RSEP website and click on “Report Water Pollution” in the navigation bar.

Additional Resources:

Albemarle County Water Resources Program
City of Charlottesville Stormwater Management Program
Virginia Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits, Department of Environmental Quality

IMPAIRED WATERS & TMDLS – The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) monitors water quality in Virginia’s rivers, lakes and tidal waters to determine whether the waters can be used for swimming, fishing and drinking. If standards are not met, the waterway is deemed to be impaired. Cleaning up these polluted waters is done through a partnership among Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the localities in which the impaired waters flow, and DEQ. For more information on the Impaired Waters & TMDL Program, please click here.

If you have questions regarding locality assistance, please contact Conservation Technician Marie Abowd at 434-975-0224 Ext. 104.