Indiana's Stormwater Regulations Transition Process (2021-2022)
At the end of 2021 and into the spring of 2022 the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) transitioned from stormwater regulations that were permit by rule to a master general permit for construction sites and MS4 communities (communities and urbanized areas with populations greater than 10,000 persons are designated as MS4 communities). The new stormwater regulations replaced the "Rule 5" and "Rule 13" regulations with two new permits called the Construction Stormwater General Permit (CSGP) and the MS4 General Permit.
These new general permits aligned Indiana's stormwater regulations with the current federal stormwater regulations administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II program. Moving forward IDEM will be updating the stormwater General Permits every five years.
The new general permits marked the first time stormwater regulations in Indiana were updated since the implementation of the NPDES Phase II program in Indiana began. Interpretation and application of these new regulations is still an ongoing process. IDEM outlined the transition process on its "transition" webpage, which includes links to the new general permits and provides guidance documents for implementation. Additionally, Christopher Burke Engineering has graciously provided two helpful documents for how MS4 communities should implement the new requirements to remain compliant.
Completion Agreement
Final Stormwater requirements can be difficult to meet in cold weather. Thus, the City has set up the Completion Agreement process for property owners and builders to receive their Certificate of Occupancy before all requirements have been met. For detailed information about this process, please check out https://goshenindiana.org/planning-and-stormwater-final-exterior-requirements.
Municipal Good Housekeeping includes keeping public roads, properties, and work areas clean, storing materials safely, cleaning up spills, and maintaining our stormwater infrastructure to prevent environmental pollution. This quick orientation booklet explains the city of Goshen's employee responsibilities to protect our community's land and water resources. The Employee Stormwater Handbook can be accessed by clicking here.
Indiana Stormwater Quality Manual
For new developments or projects that include redevelopment, the Indiana Stormwater Quality Manual is a key guidance document detailing best practices for erosion control. These practices are accepted by the State of Indiana and the City of Goshen. A link to this guidance document can be found by clicking here.
Stormwater Drainage Manual
The science of hydrology and hydraulics is involved in evaluating the stormwater impacts from development. For those submitting drainage plans to the City of Goshen, the practices established in the Stormwater Drainage Manual published by the Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, copyright 2008 should be used. A link to this guidance document can be found by clicking here.
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)
Disturbance of 1 acre or more of non-agricultural land requires the property owner to develop a SWPPP and permit the land-disturbing activities. Guidance and forms associated with Elkhart County Soil and Water Conservation District’s (SWCD) plan review process can be found on the Elkhart County SWCD’s website.
