New Stormwater Design Standards

The Stormwater General Construction Permit (SPDES GP-0-10-001) now requires the use of the revised NYS Stormwater Management Design Manual 2010.  All projects for which Notices of Intent were submitted to NYSDEC in Albany on and after March 1, 2011 must be designed in accordance with the new standards.  Focus has shifted away from large, engineered, “end-of-pipe” stormwater management practices to the use of natural features to manage stormwater runoff near its source.  The new process for stormwater management design contains three elements:

1. AVOID THE IMPACTS - Reduce the amount of stormwater runoff generated by preserving natural features and resources.  Preserving natural features and using them as a means of reducing runoff.  This may be accomplished by reducing construction footprints, preserving important hydrologic features, locating development in less sensitive areas.  
2. REDUCE THE IMPACTS - Reduce the amount of runoff generated by decreasing impervious surface within the area that is developed.  This is done by reducing the street and cul-de-sac widths, sidewalks, parking lot sizes, and building footprints, and incorporating open space into site design.
3. MANAGE THE IMPACTS - Treat multiple small volumes of runoff near the source using practices designed to mimic natural processes such as soil infiltration, evaporation, and plant uptake (green infrastructure).  Examples include pervious pavement, tree planting, rain gardens, bioretention, vegetated swales, stormwater planters, rain barrels, green roofs, and soil restoration.
   More information about the new Stormwater Management Design Standards can be found on NYSDEC’s stormwater website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/29072.html.

For additional information on the Stormwater Program, please send an e-mail to stormwater@cnyrpdb.org