Storm Water Management Program

Overview

The Storm Water Management Program involves a cross section of ODOT staff responsible for implementing various activities aimed at reducing pollutants in storm water discharges.

The Storm Water Management Program is guided by the Department’s Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP) and updates provided in subsequent Annual Reports. The most recent Annual Report provides the latest information on recent and proposed storm water management activities at ODOT.

Launched in 2003, the SWMP is the cornerstone of ODOT’s efforts to reduce the discharge of pollutants from our storm sewer system. The SWMP acts to unify a cross section of ODOT programs, such as training, planning, maintenance, construction, and facilities management, with a common focus on water quality issues.

ODOT created the Storm Water Management Program in response to being regulated as a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) under Clean Water Act requirements administered by Ohio EPA. The Storm Water Management Program was designed to comply with NPDES storm water permits issued by Ohio EPA, including the, MS4 permit and statewide and watershed-specific construction storm water permits.

Best Management Practices (BMPs)

The water quality benefits of our 47 Best Management Practices (BMPs), which are described in the SWMP, are supported by research and/or common sense approaches to reducing storm water pollution within the framework of the Department’s organization and mission. Many of the BMPs are implemented statewide instead of being limited to the MS4 regulated (urbanized) areas. BMPs focus on the following areas

• Public Involvement/Public Education (includes training for ODOT employees)
• Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
• Storm water outfall inventory for MS4 regulated area
• Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Controls
• ODOT Supplemental Specification 832 contains temporary sediment and erosion controls
• Post Construction Storm Water Management
• ODOT’s Location & Design Manual, Vol.2, Drainage Design (Sections 1115-1117 contain ODOT’s approved alternative post construction storm water BMPs)
• Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping

Illicit (Non-Storm Water) Discharges

ODOT’s storm water system consists of ditches, swales, pipes, curbs, catch basins and other drainage features that are designed to collect or convey storm water. If you observe something other than storm water being discharged into ODOT’s storm water system, this may be an “illicit discharge” to our system.

Illicit discharges may be a cause of water pollution. ODOT is committed to identify and eliminate them through the SWMP. These discharges can be a public health concern, cause unpleasant odors, and harm aquatic life.

ODOT employees are encouraged to report illicit discharges at: http://intranet.dot.state.oh.us/feedbackdischarge.htm

MS4 Storm Water Outfall Inventory

The MS4 Storm Water Outfall Inventory involves identifying and mapping storm water “outfalls” – every point where a conveyance of ODOT’s storm water system discharges into streams, lakes, and wetlands. More than 6,800 outfalls have been identified for over 1,900 miles of roadways and more than 90 ODOT facilities (rest areas, garages, offices) in the MS4 regulated (urbanized) areas.

ODOT’s MS4 Storm Water Outfall Inventory Manual describes the process for conducting the inventory and contains relevant mapping. Specific attributes (receiving stream, pipe shape, etc) were collected for each outfall. It was noted whether flow is present in dry weather, which may point to a pollution source upstream.