In Georgia, if your construction project is poised to disturb an area greater than or equal to 1 acre, and is situated 1 mile upstream and within the same watershed as an impaired stream segment for macroinvertebrates and/or fish, the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit mandates the inclusion of the Erosion Sedimentation and Pollution Control (ES&PC) Plan (referred to as the SWPPP in other states). This plan must incorporate at least four additional best management practices (BMPs) that are to be designed, installed, and maintained to prevent further impairment of the designated waterway by such projects. It’s crucial to remember that the primary goal of the NPDES Permitting program is to uphold and enhance surface water quality.
NPDES permits govern the discharge of stormwater into water bodies, and in instances of potential toxic discharge of sediment and/or other pollutants into an impaired stream, it is acknowledged that sediment poses a significant threat to the aquatic habitat.