EPA's Watershed Approach to Controlling Urban Nonpoint Source Pollution

EPA will describe the draft 2001 document National Urban Nonpoint Source Management Measures Guidance. This guidance was written to provide technical and programmatic information on how to develop and implement an effective urban runoff program on a watershed basis. The guidance was written to be useful to state and local government officials, landowners, developers, environmental and conservation groups, and other watershed practitioners. The guidance contains a set of management measures that EPA believes states, local governments, and community groups should consider incorporating into their surface and ground water quality protection programs. These management measures represent a comprehensive approach to managing urban runoff throughout the entire development process from program planning, design, and implementation to program evaluation and monitoring. Each management measure is a collection of management actions or program elements that EPA has determined are important to prevent and reduce urban nonpoint source pollution. EPA has provided a list of practices that can be used to implement the objectives of each management measure. Both structural and nonstructural management practices are included in the guidance. Example practices include riparian buffer requirements, sand filters, site inspections, certification programs, operation and maintenance programs, and outreach and pollution prevention ideas. The guidance also includes recommended practices for managing on-site/decentralized wastewater treatment systems.