Stormwater

While significant progress has been made in managing pollution from point sources, Georgia’s future growth will continue to be accompanied by conversion of land cover, more intensive land uses, and significant increases in the volume of pollutants discharged to waters from both point and nonpoint sources. The entire Region needs to focus on implementing Water Quality Management Practices to address the 303(d) listings in each county and the nutrient load reductions needed for those watersheds contributing to the Coosa River, Lake Allatoona, Weiss Lake, and Carters Lake. Implementation of the Water Quality Management Practices noted below builds on the existing TMDL and stormwater management activities already being performed by the Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer System (MS4) or NPDES permittees within the Region. As of 2017, the current MS4 counties are Catoosa, Dawson, Floyd, Murray, Walker, and Whitfield Counties.

Management Practices were selected to meet the Council’s vision and goals and to address the potential resource gaps and shortages identified and described in the Regional Water Plan. A prioritization and ranking process was used by the Regional Water Planning Council that resulted in the selection of 14 Water Quality Management Practices.

Water Quality Management Practices

WQ-1. Encourage implementation of nutrient management programs.

WQ-2. Promote use of forestry best management practices.

WQ-3. Encourage local government participation in erosion and sediment control.

WQ-4. Consider development of post-development stormwater management and site design practices.

WQ-5. Encourage pollution prevention/ good housekeeping practices for local operations and implementation of an illicit discharge detection and elimination program.

WQ-6. Encourage implementation of local stormwater education and public awareness program.

WQ-7. Encourage consideration of regional BMPs such as regional ponds and natural protection systems.

WQ-8. Encourage stream buffer protection measures and stream restoration.

WQ-9. Encourage floodplain management/flood damage prevention practices.

WQ-10. Continue implementation of comprehensive land use planning and environmental planning criteria.

WQ-11. Support TMDL implementation.

WQ-12. Consider water quality credit trading.

WQ-13. Sampling and Testing of 303(d) Listed Streams.

WQ-14. Support Non-Traditional NPDES Permitting

Related Pages

Download the Regional Water Plan