Page 49 - Highway Engineering Handbook Building and Rehabilitating the Infrastructure

32 CHAPTER ONE

wastes and soils will be stored, drainage patterns for the site both before and after con-
struction activity, areas of soil disturbance, areas of surface water, potential soil ero-
sion areas, existing and planned paved areas, vehicle storage areas, areas of existing
vegetation, and areas of postconstruction controls.
3. A narrative description of the construction site, project, and activities. This should
include a description of the fill material and native soils at the construction site and the
percentage of site surface area that is impervious both before and after construction
activities.
4. A narrative description of toxic material used, treated, or disposed of at the construction
site.
5. Identification of potential sources of storm water pollution, and name of receiving
water.
6. Proposed controls and best management practices during construction, including
description of
• State and local erosion sediment control requirements
• Source control practices intended to minimize contact between the construction
equipment and materials and the storm water being discharged
• Erosion and sediment control procedures to be implemented
• Plan to eliminate or reduce discharge of other materials into the storm water
7. Proposed postconstruction waste management and disposal activities and planned
controls, including a description of state and local erosion and sediment postclosure
control requirements.
8. Estimated runoff coefficient for the site, estimated increase in impervious area follow-
ing the construction, nature of fill, soil data, and quality of discharge.
9. List of the contractors and their subcontractors who will be working at the construction
site.
10. Employee training.
11. Maintenance, inspection, and repair activities.
Control measures for sediment include grading restrictions, runoff diversion,
application of straw bales and filter fabric, revegetation requirements, and retention
basins. Control measures for other pollutants include roof drains, infiltration trenches,
grassy swales to detain storm water to allow sediments to settle out, oil/grit separa-
tors, detention basins, and proper management practices such as the proper applica-
tion of fertilizers and pesticides.
Another approach used to implement the NPDES program for state highway agencies
is to issue comprehensive permits for all relevant highway construction, maintenance, and
operations activities in areas meeting the population requirements outlined in 40 CFR
122.26. The benefit of a comprehensive permit is the management efficiency of adminis-
tering the permit from both the regulatory agency and highway department perspectives.
In California, for instance, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board
(RWQCB) is responsible for issuing storm water discharge permits. The RWQCB in the
San Francisco Bay area has issued a comprehensive NPDES permit for storm water dis-
charged directly or through municipal storm drain systems to lakes, water supply reser-
voirs, groundwaters, the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the
Sacramento River Delta, or tributary streams or watercourses and contiguous water bodies
in the San Francisco Bay region (District 4 and portions of District 10 of the California
Department of Transportation, or Caltrans).
Provisions of the permit cover maintenance operations and include requirements to
submit plans for maintenance activities that affect storm water discharges and to improve