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This pamphlet summa-rizes the regulations

and providesguidelines forpreventingstormwater pol-

lution associatedwith construction activities on small building sites. Itis primarily intended to help developers and prop-erty owners of projects that disturb less than oneacre of land. If your site disturbs one acre or greater,more stringent requirements will apply. See yourlocal permitting agency for details and obtain a copyof the state’s regulations for projects disturbing oneor more acres at http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/stormwtr/construction.html.

Erosion and sediment discharges are visibleand environmentally harmful pollutantsources associated with constructionsites. Other potential pollutants fromconstruction include paint, concreteresidue, stucco,chemicals, andwaste materials.Any pollutantsthat are carriedoff site in runoffwind up in ourcreeks and rivers.

It is illegal to discharge sediment-laden wa-ter and other construction-related pollutants to thelocal storm drainage system and waterways.

The property owner is ultimately responsible forpreventing water pollution resulting from construc-tion activities, but all involved during constructionhave a role. Developers, contractors, and propertyowners are expected to use best management prac-tices (BMPs) to control erosion and the release ofsediment and other pollutants. This pamphlet de-scribes various BMPsthat can accom-plish this.

Protecting Water Quality —

CONSTRUCTION ON SMALL BUILDING SITES

Construction—Small Building Sites

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Pertinent Regulations

State Regulations

State regulations make it illegal for anyone to dis-charge pollutants into our local creeks and rivers.State regulators will take enforcement action andissue fines to anyone caught polluting waterways.Additionally, the State requires all projects disturb-ing one acre or more to obtain coverage under theGeneral Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associ-ated with Construction Activity. (Previously, thispermit applied just to projects disturbing five acresor more.) To find out if your site needs this permit,contact the State Water Resources Control Board athttp://www.swrcb.ca.gov/stormwtr/construction.html or (916) 341-5536.

Local Regulations

The County of Sacramento and its local cities haveadopted laws that make it illegal for anyone to dis-charge pollutants into a storm drainage system. This

includes sediment and other pollutants which may bepresent in construction site runoff. Those responsiblefor prohibited discharges will be cited and can facefines of $5,000–25,000 per day.

In addition, agencies require an erosion and sedi-ment control plan or similar document for anyprojects requiring a grading permit. Sites disturbingless than one acre may not require a grading permit.For example, in the City of Sacramento, a projectmoving 50 cubic yards or more of soil requires agrading permit. See your local permitting agency todetermine the requirements applicable to yourproject.

Whether or not a construction project is required tohave a formal erosion and sediment control plan, it isadvisable to develop a plan for preventing stormwa-ter pollution from your construction project andimplement appropriate BMPs.

Why dirt is a problem

Poor Water Quality

Sediment is the number one pollutant, by volume, of surface waters in the state of Cali-fornia. It harms water quality by degrading the habitat of aquatic organisms and fish,decreasing recreational uses, and promoting growth of nuisance weeds and algae. It canalso reduce the quality of our drinking water.

Increased Flooding

Sediment accumulation in storm drains, as well as in streams, lakes and rivers, reducestheir capacity to contain stormwater which can result in increased instances of floodingduring heavy rains.

Higher Local Taxes

Sediment that finds its way into streets, storm drains, and roadside ditches results inadditional maintenance costs for local governments. This increased maintenance cost ispassed down to taxpayers in the form of higher taxes or stormwater utility fees.

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Every building site is unique and poses its own potential erosion hazards. Additional or alternative control methods

are necessary if the lot is adjacent to a creek, lake, or wetland, or receives run-on from an adjacent area.

NOTES:

1 . Erosion control must be applied

to disturbed soil during the rainy

season (Oct 1–April 30).

2 . This plan is only a sample plan

and is not intended to be all inclu-

sive or address every situation.

Additional or modified practices

may be required on some sites.

3 . Erosion or sediment control mea-

sures must be functional and main-

tained throughout construction.

Take Steps to Protect Water Quality

Drawing 1 below illustrates an example of theproper placement of some BMPs that can be used toprotect water quality from construction activitieson a typical small building site.

1. Evaluate the Site and Protect Natural Features

Locate Water Features and OtherEnvironmentally Sensitive Areas

Determine if there are any existing natural drainagefeatures (e.g., creeks, channels, wetlands, vernalpools) on the site or nearby. Avoid disturbing theseareas and designate them with orange protectivefencing, or secure the proper permits if you want toalter or otherwise disturb the features.

Determine Site Discharge Point(s)

Find out where the site discharges to the localstorm drainage system or waterway and contact theresponsible agency (listed on the back page) to

familiarize yourself with any additional require-ments for discharges into that system.

Preserve Natural Vegetation When Possible

Avoid clearing and grubbing the entire site. Pre-serving vegetation on the site, especially along theperimeter and adjacent to natural water bodies, willhelp filter and cleanse runoff. Trees, grasses, andshrubs all play a role in improving water quality. Toensure that vegetation is not disturbed or damagedby the contractor, take the following steps:

• Clearly identify all vegetation to be preservedon the plans.

• Fence or flag vegetation to be preserved in the field.• Place plastic net barriers around the dripline of

trees to be preserved (i.e. around the areabelow the branches); if that area is disturbed,the tree is likely to die.

Drawing 1: Example site plan showing BMP locations

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• Do not grade, burn, place soilpiles, or park vehicles neartrees or in areas marked forpreservation.

2. Schedule Work toMinimize Problems

• When possible, scheduleconstruction activity —especially grading, duringthe dry season, from Maythrough September. This isone of the best ways toprevent erosion.

• Sediment control BMPs, such as drain inletprotection, are required year round.

• Erosion control BMPs (e.g., soilstabilization) are required in addition tosediment controls during the wet season(October 1st – April 30th).

3. Install Perimeter Controls

Determine the BMPs needed to keep sediment fromleaving the site, and install them along the site’sperimeter before any clearing occurs.

Silt fence and fiber rolls are examples of sedimentcontrol BMPs that can be used along the perimeterof the site. These devices also work below the toe ofexposed and erodible slopes and around temporarysoil stockpiles. As with all BMPs, they must be in-stalled correctly and inspected and maintainedfrequently in order to work properly. See Drawings2 & 3 for proper installation techniques.

4. Install Stabilized Construction Access

Require all construction vehicles and equipment touse one designated, stabilized entrance/exit toprevent vehicles from tracking mud onto roadways.When possible, prohibit vehicle/equipment parkingon unpaved or non-stabilized areas. Drawing 4 illus-trates a proper stabilized construction access.

5. Protect Storm Drain Inlets

Keep sediment from entering storm drains by in-stalling inlet protection devices such as gravel bags

Drawing 2: Typical fiber roll installation

and filters on downstream storm drain inlets. Thesedevices are not designed to trap large amounts ofsediment and require frequent maintenance to re-main effective. They are not a substitute forperimeter controls. See drawings 5 and 6 forinlet protection devices.

6. Use Other Pollution Control Practices AsNeeded

Apply Rainy Season Erosion Controls

As mentioned earlier, erosion controls are neededin addition to sediment controls during the wetseason (October 1 – April 30). Examples includetackified straw mulch, fiber matrices, and soil bind-ers. Hydroseed should be applied early enough toensure that vegetation is established before thestart of the wet season.

Protect Portable Toilets

Upon delivery, make sure portable toilet(s) areplaced on a level surface behind the sidewalk andare located at least 50-100 feet from any stormdrain inlet. Anchor portable toilets in areas subjectto vandalism or strong winds.

Manage Stockpiles Properly

Designate areas of the site for stockpiles and for thestorage of segregated construction waste materials.Locate the materials away from any storm draininlet, gutter, driveway, stream, wetland, ditch ordrainage way. Cover stockpiles and surround withsediment barriers in order to prevent leaching of

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Dewater Without Polluting

It is illegal to dewater trenches and other areas withsediment-laden water to thestorm drainage system, sanitarysewer, or waterway.

Use one of the following optionswhen dewatering:

• Pump water into a portablecontainment device, and haulit to an approved disposal area.

• Pump water onto a vegetatedarea of the site for infiltrationand filtration.

• Pump water through afiltering device which lowerssediment levels to below 100mg/l prior to discharging intothe storm drainage system.

If you are considering discharg-ing to the sanitary sewer, youmust contact the local seweragency. Approval to dischargeto the sanitary sewer may in-clude limitations and require-ment for treatment, dischargelocation, and discharge times.See Contact Information on theback page to locate the appropriateagency for your location.

Manage and Dispose of AllWaste Properly

Determine the proper disposalmethods for liquid and solidwaste. Call the responsible localagency, listed on the back of thispamphlet, for acceptable dis-posal options. If waste bins areused, they should be coveredand located away from drainageinlets and gutters.

Drawing 3: Silt Fence Detail

Drawing 4: Stabilized Construction Entrance/Exit

the material in runoff. Cover stockpiles prior towindy or rainy weather.

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Properly Handle Concrete Residue

One of the most common prohibited dischargesfrom construction sites is from cleanout operationsassociated with concrete installations (residue fromwashing down equipment such as trucks, mixers,chutes, pumps, hand tools, and wheelbarrows).

Keep residue from concrete work from enteringstorm drains. For example:

• Obtain permission from the property owner towash out equipment in a dirt area so that thewash water can soak into the ground.

• Place a berm or other barriers to capture waterrunoff from exposedaggregate, sawing, coring, ormortaring before it reachesthe storm drain.

• If necessary, collect washwaterinto a portable containmentdevice, then haul it to anapproved disposal facility.Never wash out wheel barrows,tools, or associated containersnear the street. Discharges ofthese materials to the stormdrain are never allowed.

• If you are consideringdischarging to the sanitarysewer, you must contact thelocal sewer agency. Approvalto discharge to the sanitarysewer may include limitationsand requirements for

treatment, discharge location, and dischargetimes. See Contact Information.

Don’t Pollute When Painting

Paint, solvents, thinners, and paint-preparationwaste may contaminate soil and groundwater ifdisposed of on the ground or in a septic tank. Thesechemicals never belong down a storm drain. Takethe following steps when using paint:

• Before cleaning brushes, brush out as muchpaint as possible. Wash water from cleanup oflatex paint ONLY may be discharged to thesanitary sewer. If the site is not served by thesanitary sewer, the wash water needs to bedisposed at a sanitary sewer off-site ordisposable tools must be used.

• Never pour excess paint into the storm drain,sanitary sewer, septic tank or on the ground.

• For left over paint, contractors, commercialpainters, and residents may recycle latex paintthrough the Conditionally Exempt SmallQuantity Generator Program. See ContactInformation on back page.

• Minimize or avoid the use of oil-based paintsand thinners.

Drawing 6: Drainage Inlet Protection — Drop Inlet Devices

Drawing 5: Drainage Inlet Protection

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7. Maintain BMPs

Maintain all BMPs until construction is completedand the lot is stabilized.

• Inspect the BMPs regularly — before and aftereach rain event, and as necessary to maintainfunctionality.

• Make any needed repairs immediately. Iffrequent repairs are needed, consider installinga different or additional BMP.

• Toward the end of each work day, sweep orscrape up any soil tracked onto the street(s). Donot flush streets and gutters with water.

8. Perform Final Steps

Stabilize the Site

Immediately after all outside construction activi-ties are completed, spread the stockpiled soil andstabilize all bare areas with sod, seed, and/ormulch.

• Contact local seed suppliers or professionallandscaping contractors for recommendedseeding mixtures and rates.

• Follow recommendations of a professionallandscaping contractor, your supplier, or aprofessional for installation of sod.

• When watering newly seeded or sodded areas,water only enough to keep the soil moist. Lesswatering is needed once grass is two inches tall.

Make sure everyoneknows the rules

Educate all employees, contractors, sub-contractors and delivery/supply compa-nies about stormwater requirements andthe steps they can take to avoid stormwa-ter pollution problems on the project.

• When applying fertilizers or pesticides, readand follow manufacturer’s directions and userecommended amounts. Make sure fertilizersand pesticides are not broadcast to impervioussurfaces, such as sidewalks or driveways. Neverapply fertilizers or pesticides if rain is predictedwithin 48 hours, or as recommended by themanufacturer. Eliminate runoff from too muchirrigation after application. Fertilizers andpesticides are considered pollutants and mayend up in our local creeks and rivers.

Remove All Temporary Construction BMPs

Once the sod and/or vegetation are well estab-lished, remove all remaining temporary erosionand sediment control BMPs such as storm draininlet protection devices.

Additional References

Sacramento Stormwater ManagementProgram Brochures

The following tri-fold brochures are available free bycontacting the County of Sacramento: Painting With-out Polluting, Concrete and Creeks Don’t Mix

Erosion and Sediment Control Field Manual(Current Edition)

This field manual provides useful information onpollution control practices on construction sites. It isavailable for purchase from Friends of the San Fran-cisco Estuary by calling (510) 622-2419.

Educational Videos (Current Edition)

Two videos, “Hold Onto Your Dirt” and “Keep ItClean” are available for purchase in English andSpanish from Friends of the San Francisco Estuary bycalling (510) 622-2419.

The CASQA (California Stormwater QualityAssociation) Construction Handbook —

This handbook provides guidance on developing andimplementing Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans(SWPPPs) and a range of general information aboutstormwater BMPs and related issues. It is availableon-line (for free) at www.cabmphandbooks.com/Construction.asp.

Stormwater PollutionPrevention Information

Sacramento County (including theCity of Rancho Cordova) .................... (916) 874-6851

City of Sacramento ................................... (916) 808-1400City of Citrus Heights ............................... (916) 727-4769City of Elk Grove ...................................... (916) 478-3636City of Folsom ........................................... (916) 355-7272City of Galt ............................................... (209) 366-7260

Permits and dischargesto the sanitary sewer system

Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District(SRCSD), Industrial Waste Section ... (916) 875-6470

City of Galt ............................................... (209) 366-7260

Sacramento County BusinessEnvironmental Resource Center (BERC)

10425 Norden Avenue,Mather, CA 95655-1101 ................... (916) 364-4110

Website ...................................................www.sacberc.org

Hazardous Waste Disposal and Latex PaintRecycling:

Sacramento County, and the Cities ofCitrus Heights, Elk Grove,and Rancho Cordova ........................... (916) 875-5555

City of Sacramento ................................... (916) 379-0500City of Folsom ........................................... (916) 355-8397City of Galt ................................................ (209) 366-7100

Building permits

Sacramento County (including theCity of Rancho Cordova) .................... (916) 874-6433

City of Sacramento ................................... (916) 808-5656City of Citrus Heights ............................... (916) 727-4769City of Elk Grove ...................................... (916) 478-2263City of Folsom ............................................ (916) 351-3555City of Galt ............................................... (209) 366-7200

Website

Visit our website at www.sacramentostormwater.org

Contact InformationSacramento StormwaterManagement Program

827 7th Street, Rm 301Sacramento, CA 95814

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