MS4 Resources

General MS4 Resources

• DEP Guidance for the Management of Street Sweepings, Catch Basin and Stormwater System Sediments
• EPA MS4 Resources
• Phase I MS4 Permit Resource Manual (2013)
• UCF Stormwater Academy Publications
• FEMA Community Rating System (CRS)
• EPA Stormwater Planning Resources
• EPA Watershed Planning

Phase II MS4 

• EPA Phase II MS4 Fact Sheets
• EPA Menu of BMPs for Stormwater
• Urbanized Area Map - 2020 US Census

Monitoring 

• DEP Phase I MS4 Monitoring Plan Guidance
• EPA NPDES Stormwater Sampling Guidance (1992)
• EPA Guidance: Monitoring and Evaluating Nonpoint Source Watershed Projects (2016)
• EPA Monitoring Guidance for Determining the Effectiveness of Nonpoint Source Controls (1997)

Load Reduction 

• FSA MS4 Load Reduction Study
  • FSA MS4 Load Reduction Narrative
  • FSA MS4 Load Reduction Assessment Tool
  • FSA MS4 Load Reduction Final Report
• EPA National Stormwater Calculator
• DEP Methods for Calculating Project Reductions

TMDL Regulations

MS4 permittees may be required to address impaired waterbodies (WBIDs) with Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) that the MS4 contributes to. There are multiple methods to address impaired waterbodies. 

• Some permittees are stakeholders in Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) which act as implementation plans for impaired waterbodies.
• Permittees may prioritize an impaired WBID via participation in a DEP-approved Reasonable Assurance Plan or Alternative Restoration Plan.
• If the impaired waterbody has one or more DEP-adopted / EPA-established TMDLs, the permittee must develop long-term implementation plans.
  1. Prioritize at least one WBID to address per permit cycle, and
  2. Develop an implementation plan to address the prioritized TMDL WBID. 

Prioritization Plan

1. Develop a list of WBIDs that have TMDLs. Resources: 
   Map of TMDL WBIDs and EPA established TMDLs.
   DEP adopted TMDLs, Adopted TMDL reports and Draft TMDL reports.
    
2. Review the DEP MS4 Permit Resource Manual, pg. 74 on selecting and evaluating factors to prioritize TMDL waterbodies for implementation.
3. Select at least one TMDL WBID to address during the permit cycle (must not be a WBID that already has an approved/adopted implementation plan).
4. Submit TMDL Prioritization Plan to DEP for review/approval according to MS4 permit requirement. 

Monitoring Plan

Some permittees may be required to develop monitoring and assessment plans to evaluate the contribution of the pollutant(s) of concern by the MS4, and load reductions achieved in relation to the TMDL Report.

Implementation Plan

Permittees that have prioritized a TMDL WBID must submit a TMDL Implementation Plan. The purpose of the plan is to address the impairment through implementation of additional BMPs in addition to their current SWMP activities. The plan may include: 

• a list of additional structural and/or non-structural BMPs and other planned activities to achieve reductions of the pollutant of concern,
• a schedule for such additional BMPs and a projected load reduction associated with each; and
• a long-term strategy to evaluate the waterbody status, and the effectiveness of implemented activities.

TMDL Resources

• DEP Toolkit for Bacteria-Impaired Waters
• Gulf Coast Community Foundation - Playbook for Healthy Waterways

Education and Outreach 

• EPA NPS Outreach and Educational Materials; EPA NPS Outreach Toolbox
• EPA Stormwater Smart: Education Tools
• SFWMD Education Center
• SJRWMD Education
• SWFWMD Free Publications
• Washington: Only Rain Down The Drain
• Tallahassee: Think about Personal Pollution (TAPP)

Stormwater System Maintenance

• Description of Stormwater Structural Controls
• EPA Stormwater Maintenance
• UCF Stormwater Academy Operation Maintenance and Management of Stormwater Management Systems (1997)
• SFWMD BMPs for South Florida Urban Stormwater Management Systems (2002)

Illicit Discharge 

• EPA Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Guidance (2004)
• EPA Pool Discharges (2023)
• DEP BMPs for Mobile Washing
• DEP Used Oil Guidance for Spill Avoidance and Response (2015)

Low Impact Design (LID) & Green Infrastructure

• EPA Green Infrastructure Scorecard (2023)
• Sarasota County LID Guidance (2015)
• Georgetown Law Climate Center - Green Infrastructure Toolkit

Fertilizer 

• Florida-Friendly Green Industries BMPs
• Florida-Friendly Fertilizer Model Ordinance
• Florida-Friendly Landscaping Model Ordinance
• DEP BMPs for Golf Courses

Stormwater Utility Fees

• FSA Stormwater Utility Report; Utility Rates in FL
• EPA Guidance for Municipal Stormwater Funding (2006)
• NRDC issue brief: Making It Rain: Effective Stormwater Fees Can Create Jobs, Build Infrastructure, And Drive Investment in Local Communities (2018)
• MDPI Article: Stormwater Utility Fees and Credits: A Funding Strategy for Sustainability (2019)

NPDES-MS4@FloridaDEP.gov