The Effects of Stormwater Pollution in North Carolina

Waterways

(Oklahoma State University, 2019)

(Integra Engineering and Science Services, PLLC, 2016)

A Report by the NC Environmental Quality Organization

Kenley Triplett
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Table of Contents

Abstract …………………………………………….3
Impacts of Stormwater on Waterways.......................3
a) Types of Different Stormwater……………….3
b) Effects on the Environment…………………..4
The Effects Construction has on Stormwater…….….5
a) Permitting…………………………………….5
b) Post Construction…………………………….5
Ways of Improving Stormwater Practices………….5
a) Rules and Regulations………………………..6
Conclusion………………………………………….6
References………………………………………….7
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Abstract
Stormwater plays a large role in water pollution (What is Stormwater?, 2019). Stormwater
doesn’t seem like a well-known thing, and if it is, there is probably a reason why someone knows
about it. The reason why stormwater is such a big environmental concern, is because of the
runoff that came from a big storm the day before or multiple little storms that have had heavy
down pour that have caused erosion to happen. This causes things like erosion, so when
construction companies and development companies decide that they want to clear and build
they have to take as many precautions as they can. This means they use something called best
management practices (BMP) (“National Menu for Best Management Practices (BMP’s) for
Stormwater, 2018). Different examples of BMP’s would be silt fencing which is commonly seen
when looking at construction, or sediment basins which collect all the runoff and allows
suspended solids to settle out before leaving the construction site (“Sediment Basin”,
Michigan.gov). In order for construction sites to even happen they first have to get permits to
allow the work to happen because of the sediment and erosion. Better rules and regulations need
to be in place in order for there to be a drop in water pollution that is mainly happening from
stormwater.

Impacts of Stormwater on Waterways

Types of Different Stormwater Activities
There are different variations of stormwater that are happening, for example there is industrial,
construction, municipal and transportation (“NEPDES”, 2019). The two most common activities
are industrial and construction because they are always growing and always changing at a rapid
pace. Construction is the most popular out of the four when one thinks of stormwater. Just
because seeing something happening from start to finish there can still be negative
environmental effects on the site from stormwater. The difference between the woods and the
parking lot is that with one inch rain to an acre of woods produces little to none stormwater
runoff but with one inch of rain to acre of asphalt it produces 27,000 gallons of stormwater
runoff that different kinds of pollutants and then causes erosion (“Post Construction Stormwater
Ordinances”, 2019).
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Effects on the Environment

(Heal Our Waterways)

Figure 1 Different ways pollutants from stormwater can happen

A quote from my Reaktion that we choose at the beginning of the class this summer named
“Water-Nature and Culture” states that “Water also has a more subtle, creeping forms of travel:
it’s molecular structure enables capillary action, so that is soaks, permeates and moves through
other things”. Stormwater is runoff from rain and snowmelt but in our case mostly rain. Runoff is
an issue because there are two different kinds of runoff, the most popular known being the kind
of runoff that carries different kinds of pollutants. Referring to the image listed above it shows
the different kinds of pollutions that can affect runoff for example, it carries trash, chemicals and
oils. These pollutants are often sent into rivers and lakes. The second kind of runoff there is the
post construction run off which is impacted by how much rain has fallen and is sent into a body
of water. For example, with impervious surfaces like driveways and rooftops it interrupts the
natural flow (“Why Is The Control of Post-Construction Runoff Necessary”, 2005) If not
watched properly and inspected properly, things like “off-site sediment” can happen, which can
cause sediment to get into local streams that are near the site that’s under construction. When this
does happen, it can affect the local streams that around the area, because the streams will have
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suspended solids like sediment that will have toxic chemicals that will then not only hurt people
who might possibly use that water on a daily basis but hurt the ecosystem. (“Off-Site Stormwater
Crediting: Lessons from Wetland Mitigation”, 2018).

The Effects Construction has on Stormwater

Permitting
Permitting for anything that involves altering the state of something is needed. Especially when
it comes to the environment because so many different things are happening. A permit is
required when there is more than one acre of land that are being disturbed. The NPDES
Construction Stormwater Program regulates the construction activities that are under a general
permit for areas that are more than an acre (“Construction Stormwater”). When anything that
deals with sediment or erosion is involved a permit is always required. All local governments
usually have a plan set in place for what needs to be done. One well known general permit that
you would see if you stepped onto a construction site would be NCG01. This is to let anyone in
the local or federal government know that this site is covered by a permit and should be
following all the rules that are set in place. There are still many different types of permits based
on if a site is high or low density. Having things like permits keeps construction sites liable for
anything that could go wrong because they know that if something were to go wrong it wouldn’t
be good.

Post Construction
Stormwater for Post Construction is more important than some would think because when a
neighborhood goes into a second phase of development the run off from those areas have shown
to significantly affect the bodies of water around the area (“Stormwater Phase II Final Rule”,
2005). Strategies are implemented to stop some of the runoff from happening by having
structural and non-structural BMP’s. Some examples of BMP’s would be having permanent
sediment basins which catch all the runoff and the suspended water once all the water has been
removed from the skimmer in the basin, most if all of the sediment will stay put in the basin and
the cycle continues. Common things that are seen throughout construction sites and development
sites and even still post construction sites because there is a phase being added are silt fencing.
These black fences are placed around the active homebuilding lot or around the active
development area. Silt fence prevent the sediment that is on site from getting off site and allow
the water to filter through the fence. The key to post construction BMP is the keep up and
maintenance; That’s where someone like an inspector would come in handy. Since the builders
and developers aren’t particularly trained in sediment and erosion, they hire someone to go out
on a weekly basis and check the status of the site it’s self but most importantly the BMP’s
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Ways to Improve Stormwater Practices

Rules and Regulations
When the environment is involved there needs to be rules and regulations put in place. The first
thing that has to be done is to have a permit on site or on hand incase anything were to happen
that way you have something to look back on. Within each site in North Carolina there are
regulations for hazards waste like fuel and concrete (“Stormwater Proposed and Final Rules,
2017). Each city or state is different with how they handle anything that is on a construction site.
Some ways to help regulate fuel and other hazards things like concrete and paint is to have a tarp
or liner underneath the fuel so that way the liner catches the fuel and it doesn’t seep into the
ground which can be transferred by the water. That also goes with the concrete mixers, having
something under it like a liner will help a lot and allows for an easy clean up.

Conclusion
The two most commonly well-known types of stormwater are industrial and construction. With
post construction being the most important out of the two. Stormwater is hazardous and hurts the
environment and waterways by having two different kinds of run off. The kind of runoff that
carries oils, trash and chemicals. The second kind of run off that comes from post construction
which is when things like driveways and roofs interpret the flow and the amount of rain that is
coming down. Having BMP’s installed helps with erosion the most and having it inspected to
make sure there isn’t any offsite sediment or just making sure everything on the construction site
where it needs to be. With permits and regulations in place it helps construction companies be
reliable and keep with everything that is happening since construction is such a fast-paced area to
work in.
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References
Coca , Julie. “Integra Engineering & Science Services, PLLC.” About Integra ESS, PLLC, 2016,
July 17, 2019. integraess.com/about.html. http://integraess.com/about.html

“Click Here to Visit Greenville County, NRCS, and DNR.” Greenville County Soil and Water
Conservation District, 2019, www.greenvillesoilandwater.com/what-is-stormwater/.
http://www.greenvillesoilandwater.com/what-is-stormwater/

“National Menu of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Stormwater.” EPA, Environmental
Protection Agency, 10 July 2018 www.epa.gov/npdes/national-menu-best-management-
practices-bmps-stormwater#post

Parrish, Janet. “Off-Site Stormwater Crediting: Lessons from Wetland Mitigation.” EPA,
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9. April 2018. July 18, 2019.
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-10/documents/off-
site_stormwater_crediting_lessons_from_wetland_mitigation-2018-04.pdf

“Construction Stormwater.” Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 15 July 2019. July 17, 2019.
www.pca.state.mn.us/water/construction-stormwater.

“Construction Stormwater.” NC DEQ, deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/energy-mineral-land-

resources/energy-mineral-land-permits/stormwater-permits/construction-sw. July 18, 2019.
https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/energy-mineral-land-resources/energy-mineral-land-
permits/stormwater-permits/construction-sw

“Stormwater Rules and Notices.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 1 Feb. 2017,
www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater-rules-and-notices.https://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater-rules-
and-notices

Strang, Veronica. Water: Nature and Culture. Reaktion Books, 2015. Print.

“Heal Our Waterways.” City of Wilmington.https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/departments/public-

services/stormwater/heal-our-waterways/about
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“Post Construction Stormwater Ordinances” City of Charlotte, 2019.

https://charlottenc.gov/StormWater/SurfaceWaterQuality/Pages/PostConstructionStormwaterOrd
inances.aspx