City of College Station

The City of College Station is committed to keeping our creeks, streams, and rivers clean of polluted stormwater runoff. The Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) was constructed to ensure that commitment and approved by the state of Texas’ leading environmental agency, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

Background

The Stormwater Management Program is a product of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The CWA is a law enacted by Congress and signed by the President in 1972, establishing environmental programs to protect waters of the U.S. and directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish the basic structures for regulating pollutant discharges and quality standards for surface waters.

One such program is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The NPDES program is defined by two distinct phases:

Phase I: promulgated in 1990 under the Clean Water Act, relied on the NPDES permit coverage to address stormwater runoff from medium and large municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), serving populations of 100,000 and greater.

Phase II: promulgated on December 8, 1999 to the TCEQ, was the next step in the EPA’s efforts to preserve, protect, and improve the nation’s water resources from polluted stormwater runoff. TCEQ issued the Texas Pollution Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) program in form of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit – TXR040000 on August 13, 2007, renewed the permit on December 13, 2013, and most recently on January 24, 2019.

The TXR040000 General Permit requires MS4 operators in urbanized areas, identified by the Census Bureau, to implement programs and practices to control polluted stormwater runoff. This program requires the City of College Station to:

1. Reduce the discharge of pollutants to the maximum extent practicable (MEP);
2. Protect water quality;
3. Satisfy the appropriate water quality requirements of the CWA and Texas Water Code (TWC); and
4. Manage stormwater quality activities through the Stormwater Management Program.

City of College Station Stormwater Management Program

The City of College Station developed a city-wide Stormwater Management Program in accordance with the requirements published in the MS4 General Permit TXR040000 for obtaining authorization for stormwater discharges and certain non-stormwater discharges. The SWMP has been developed to facilitate the City’s efforts in reducing stormwater pollutants from the City’s MS4 to the maximum extent practicable. The specific actions listed in the SWMP will be achieved over a five-year period. The specific activities to be implemented are labeled as best management practices (BMPs). Various BMPs were developed for each of the seven minimum control measures (MCMs) required to be addressed by the Phase II Small MS4 regulations.

1. Public Education, Outreach, and Involvement
2. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
3. Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control
4. Post – Construction Stormwater Management in New Development and Redevelopment
5. Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations
6. Industrial Stormwater Sources – Phase II Level 4 MS4s only; not applicable to CoCS
7. Authorization for Construction Activities where the Small MS4 is the Site Operator – optional; not applicable to CoCS

The City of College Station is currently operating under the Stormwater Management Program approved by council on May 12, 2014, and will submit a new Stormwater Management Program to the City Manager’s Office and TCEQ on July 24, 2019 to comply with the recently republished MS4 General Permit TXR040000.

Stormwater Ordinances

The City of College Station has adopted two stormwater related ordinances that seek to regulate any person or entity from contributing to stormwater pollution discharging into the City’s MS4.

Chapter 14 – Environment and Natural Resources

Article III. – Stormwater Discharges

The purpose of this article is to protect the public health, safety, environmental and general welfare through the regulation of non-stormwater discharges into the municipal stormwater drainage system to the maximum extent practicable as required by Federal law. This article establishes methods for controlling the introduction of pollutants into the municipal stormwater drainage system in order to comply with requirements of the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) permit process. The objectives of this article are to:

1. Regulate the contribution of pollutants into the municipal stormwater drainage system  by any person or entity;
2. Prohibit illicit discharges and illegal connections into the municipal stormwater drainage system; and
3. Prevent non-stormwater discharges, generated as a result of spills, inappropriate dumping or disposal, into the municipal stormwater drainage system.

Subpart B – Land Development Ordinances

Chapter 105 – Floods

It is the purpose of this article to protect, maintain, and enhance public health, safety, and general welfare by establishing minimum requirements and procedures to control the adverse impacts associated with the increased stormwater flows generated by development. It is also the purpose of this article to enhance the public health, safety and welfare by furthering the goals and objectives of the City Comprehensive Plan and all of its elements. The following objectives will minimize public and private losses due to flooding, erosion, and sedimentation:

1. To protect human life and health;
2. To minimize the expenditure of public money for costly flood and erosion control projects;
3. To minimize the need for relief and rescue efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;
4. To minimize the damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and sewer lines, streets, and drainage structures;
5. To help maintain a stable tax base for the City by providing for the sound use and development of all areas in such a manner as to minimize future areas of flooding;
6. To establish review, approval, and permit procedures for the methods of handling, conveying, and disposing of stormwater flows within the corporate limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City, and ensure the review by the appropriate authority of the design, analysis, construction and maintenance of all drainage facilities according to the provisions of this article and the Bryan/College Station Unified Design Guidelines, Standard Details, and Technical Specifications;
7. To restrict or prohibit development which is dangerous to health, safety, or property during flooding conditions, or causes unacceptable increases in water surface elevations or velocities;
8. To require that uses vulnerable to floods, or flooding, including public and private facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;
9. To provide authoritative guidance in the alteration of any natural stream course, floodplain, or their associated protective barriers which are involved in the accommodation of floodwaters;
10. To prevent the construction of barriers which will divert stormwater flows and subject other lands to increased flood hazard;
11. To provide authoritative guidance in the modification of ground cover to minimize erosion and sedimentation
12. To ensure the potential property owners are notified if the property is included in an area of special flood hazard;
13. To control filling, grading, dredging, and other development which may increase flood damage.

If you have any questions or comments and/or would like to report any of the following:

• Stormwater drainage problems
• Drainage inlet blockage
• Construction site pollution runoff
• Illicit discharge and/or connection
• Flood problems

Please go to SeeClickFix or Call the Stormwater Hotline at 855.528.4278.