Stormwater FM, U.Va.

Stormwater Management

Facilities Management, information for Staff

Information for the Alderman Road Facilities Management Yard
Information for Construction Managers
Examples of good sediment and erosion control at the former John Paul Jones Arena Construction Site
Listing of Environmental Requirements for Construction Managers
Information about the Stormwater Infrastructure

Facilties Management staff work to unclog the drain at the new parking garage pond after it has become blocked with leaves.

Information for the Alderman Road Facilities Management Yard

Meadow Creek is piped beneath the Facilities Management complex and receives all runoff generated there from parking lots, equipment and supply storage areas, and roof tops. Contaminants or sediment washed from materials or equipment stored on site will also very quickly enter Meadow Creek. Leaks or spills of chemicals in the yard can rapidly impact Meadow Creek if the spill is not immediately contained and cleaned up. Remember, the new Dell Pond is directly downstream of this facility. To reduce impact at the yard:

The Entrance to the Alderman Road Facilities Management Yard.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention at the Yard

Immediately clean up chemical and petroleum spills.
Only wash equipment at the designated equipment washing facility that drains to the sanitary sewer.
Wash vehicles at commercial car washes.
Maintain vehicles to ensure proper function and reduce oil and fluid leakage.
Never leave a vehicle unattended during fueling.
When fueling equipment, such as leaf blowers, stay away from storm drains to reduce the chance of a spill entering waterways. Keep absorbent material on hand in the event that a spill does occur.
Ensure that any equipment or materials stored outside do not have the potential to contaminate stormwater when exposed to rainfall.
Maintain unpaved areas with sufficient gravel to minimize erosion of sediment into Meadow Creek.
Document locations where road salt is applied, and where possible, reduce the amount of salt used.

Meadow Creek flows under the yard and is directly visible in this drain. In the background, lawn mowing equipment sits near the former location of a double-walled fuel storage tank. A petroleum spill that is allowed to enter this drain from the fueling area will have an immediate impact on Meadow Creek and the Dell Pond. Employees working in the area should be especially careful when working near the drain.

The new location of the double-walled fuel storage tank. The new location increases the distance from the tank to the nearest storm drop inlet. The building also acts as a buffer to prevent spills from flowing directly into the drain shown in the previous picture.

All equipment should be washed at the designated equipment washing facility. The drain in the center of the concrete pad goes directly to the sanitary sewer, ensuring that any contaminants and detergents do not pollute Meadow Creek.

The new salt storage shed at the yard minimizes the amount of runoff from the salt piles. Salt is stored at the yard to be used on sidewalks and roadways in the winter. The use of salt is minimized to the greatest degree possible.

Materials such as bricks and cinderblocks can safely be stored outside. Any material, such as bags of concrete, that may potentially create contaminated runoff when exposed to stormwater should be stored inside or covered with a tarp.

The new recycling facility constructed in the Yard. This facility is covered and has a drain which connects directly to the sanitary sewer. The roof minimizes stormwater contact with containers being processed, while the sanitary drain prevents water contaminated with waste residue from entering Meadow Creek.

Information for Construction Managers

Virginia Code requires that all state agencies submit an Environmental Impact Report for each state project costing in excess of $100,000. The report details the environmental impacts that the project is likely to have on the site and the surrounding areas. EIR related documents are available below.

Under Virginia law, any construction site disturbing over 10,000 sqft. of land is required to have a Erosion and Sediment (E&S) Control Plan for the site. UVa's construction activities are bound by the UVa Higher Education Capital Outlay Manual and UVa Facilities Design Guidance Document. Both documents specify State requirments for and review of Erosion and Sediment Control site plans. UVa is required to prepare E&S Control Plans for all land disturbances exceeding 5,000 sqft. The Virginia Sediment and Erosion Control Handbook is used as the standard for E&S Control Design elements. All E&S plans must be reviewed and approved by the DCR before construction begins. DCR also inspects construction sites to be sure proper E&S controls are in place.

In addition to preparing an E&S Control Plan, any construction site disturbing 2,500 sqft of land in Albemarle county or 1 acre of land or more in the City of Charlottesville must have a Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) Permit for Stormwater from Construction Activities and a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for the site. Albemarle County is a participant in the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and therefore requires more stringent regulation of land disturbing activities. As of January 28, 2004 authority to regulate the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) programs relating to municipal separate storm sewer systems and construction activities transferred from the DEQ to the DCR. The DCR's VSMP Permit replaces the DEQ's VPDES General Permit for Construction Sites. A blank copy of the VSMP permit as well as a sample SWPPP can be found on this page under the "Documents and Regulations for Project Managers on Construction Sites" section shown below.

All construction on Grounds must deal with stormwater as required by UVa's Storm Water Management Master Plans for Moores Creek and the West Side of Grounds. This means that construction sites must deal with any increase in storm water quantity or decrease in storm water quality that may occur as a result of the project. Techniques for dealing with storm water include creating storm water retention ponds into which the project site drains, creating vegetative swales to absorb water on site, and installing water retention boxes under the site, just to name a few.

Documents and Regulations for Project Managers on Construction Sites

Without proper operation and maintenance, storm pipes can become filled with debris. Instructing employees on proper storm water management is the easiest and most efficient way to ensure that storm water remains free of pollutants.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Tips for Construction Sites

Divert runoff on construction sites away from disturbed soil.
Divert runoff into ponds to allow sediment to settle out before being discharged into surface waterways.
Install silt fences, vegetative cover, or other erosion controls to prevent sediment from leaving the site.
Make sure silt fences and other erosion controls are maintained and inspected regularly, especially after rainstorms.
Minimize the amount of disturbed area as much as possible during construction.
Ensure that the construction site is inspected after project completion to ensure that storm water controls are functioning properly.
Provide a concrete truck washing pit to collect the waste water used to wash out the trucks.

Click here for examples of good sediment and erosion control at the John Paul Jones Arena Construction Site.

Click here for information on concrete truck washout pits and other concrete BMPs from the California Stormwater Quality Association (PDF),

Examples of good sediment and erosion control at the former John Paul Jones Arena Construction Site

The lack of vegetation on construction sites can result in large volumes of stormwater runoff. The high velocity of the water allows the water to easily erode sediment from the bare ground.

The stormwater retention pond seen in the foreground is one way project managers prevent sediment from leaving the construction site. The velocity of the water in the pond slows down enough to allow most of the suspended sediment to settle to the bottom. As the speed of the water decreases, the water loses it's ability to transport material and the sediments drop out.

The water from the pond percolates through the rocks down to the outlet structure seen in the background. The large rocks in the dam prevent the dam from being washed out in periods of heavy rainfall when the pond may fill rapidly.

The water in this sediment retention pond is clearer than the water in the upper pond. Some sediment still enters the pond from areas which do not feed into the upper pond. During periods of heavy rainfall, some of the fine sediment may remain suspended in the water instead of settling out in the upper pond.

The fabric seen covering the stream banks in this picture is used to prevent erosion. The fabric is used in areas where vegetation cannot be used, either due to the nature of the location or the time of year that the construction is occurring.

Another stormwater retention pond is located at the east end of the John Paul Jones Arena. On the left side of the picture, large stones can be seen in front of an outfall, which empties into the pond. The stones prevent soil from being eroded from the banks as the water leaves the outfall and enters the pond.

A delta can be seen forming in a stormwater retention pond on the north side of the arena construction site. The delta forms as the velocity of the water slows as the water enters the pond. Large stones are in place to prevent the banks of the pond from being eroded where the stormwater enters the pond.

The sediment control pond on the north side of the construction site. Vegetation is used here to cover the banks to prevent sediment erosion.

Sediment control fences are used to prevent large amounts of sediment and debris from entering storm drains.

Listing of Environmental Requirements for Construction Managers

Circumstances	Requirement	Submission to
All construction projects costing in excess of $300,000	Environmental Impact Report (EIR)	Submit preliminary data to Jeff Sitler or Jess Wenger at Environmental Health & Safety. Visit UVa's EIR website here.
All construction projects disturbing over 10,000 sqft. of land	Sediment and Erosion Control Plan	Matt Stafford 101 N. 14th St., 11th Floor, Monroe Building Richmond, VA 23219 Visit the DCR's website for guidance and information here.
All construction projects disturbing 1 acre of land or more	VSMP General Registration Permit for Stormwater from Construction Activities AND a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan	Mail VSMP registration to: Department of Conservation and Recreation Storwmater Permitting 203 Governor St., Suite 206 Richmond, VA 23219 Mail VSMP Fee Form to: Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Finance, Accounts Payable ATTN: Stormwater Permits 203 Governor St. Richmond, VA 23219 Click here for registration form Click here for registration fee form A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan is required as part of the VSMP permit and must be competed before submitting the VSMP registration form. Click here for an example of a stormwater pollution prevention plan (PDF)
All construction activities larger than 2,500 sqft and less than 1 acre that are located in Albemarle County, which subscribes to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act.	VSMP General Registration Permit for Stormwater from Construction Activities AND a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan	Mail VSMP registration to: Department of Conservation and Recreation Storwmater Permitting 203 Governor St., Suite 206 Richmond, VA 23219 Mail VSMP Fee Form to: Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Finance, Accounts Payable ATTN: Stormwater Permits 203 Governor St. Richmond, VA 23219 Click here for registration form Click here for registration fee form A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan is required as part of the VSMP permit and must be competed before submitting the VSMP registration form. Click here for an example of a stormwater pollution prevention plan (PDF)
All construction projects creating an increase in impermeable surface area.	Must manage stormwater in compliance with UVa's Stormwater Management Master Plans for Moores Creek and the West Side of Grounds	Contact Kristin Carter (982-5034) for information on stormwater management requirements.

Information about the Stormwater Infrastructure

As part of the University's Stormwater discharge permit, UVa is required adhere to an Operation and Maintenance program for its structural stormwater controls. This means that the controls, such as inlets and retention ponds, must be inspected and checked on a routine basis to ensure proper function. Maintenance work must be preformed as soon as a problem is discovered in order to ensure proper stormwater control on Grounds.

Storm Water Infrastructure Maintenance

Clean up trash and debris from concentrate on curb inlets, catch basins, retention ponds and manholes in the stormwater drainage system.
Keep records of all maintenance and cleaning of the stormwater infrastructure to ensure compliance with UVa's VPDES permit.
Maintain current program of inspection, repair and replacement of sanitary sewers.

To report an illicit discharge, spill, or unusual water condition call 982-4911!
Contact EHS with stormwater related questions or comments at storm-water@virginia.edu.
EHS Stormwater website questions or comments should be directed to Jess Wenger at jsw6d@virginia.edu or 982-5540.

Environmental Health & Safety, U.Va.