Attention MS4 permittees, engineers, consultants, and others within the Southeast Region:
EPA’s National Stormwater Calculator is Now Available to the Public
http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/models/swc/
EPA’s National Stormwater Calculator is a desktop application that estimates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States. Estimates are based on local soil conditions, land cover, and historic rainfall records.
It is designed to be used by anyone interested in reducing runoff from a property, including
• site developers,
• landscape architects,
• urban planners, and
• homeowners.
The Calculator accesses several national databases that provide soil, topography, rainfall, and evaporation information for the chosen site. The user supplies information about the site’s land cover and selects the types of low impact development (LID) controls they would like to use. The LID controls that the user can choose are seven green infrastructure practices:
1. Disconnection
2. Rain harvesting
3. Rain gardens
4. Green roofs
5. Street planters
6. Infiltration basins
7. Porous pavement
Green infrastructure promotes the natural movement of water, instead of allowing it to wash into streets and down storm drains. Green infrastructure also has the added benefit of beautifying neighborhoods and increasing property values.
The stormwater calculator (SWC), like any model, estimates an outcome based on available information such as soil type, landscape and land-use information, and historical weather. These estimates can be affected by limitations on site-specific information and uncertainties about future climate. To better inform decisions, it is recommended that the user develop a range of results with various assumptions about model inputs such as percent of impervious surface, soil type, and sizing of green infrastructure. An update to the SWC, which will include the ability to link to several future climate scenarios, will be released by the end of 2013. Climate projections indicate that heavy precipitation events are very likely to become more frequent as the climate changes. Green Infrastructure can increase the resiliency of stormwater management approaches to a changing climate, and this update will allow users to consider how runoff may vary based both on historical weather and potential future climate. Please check with local authorities about whether and how use of these tools may support local stormwater management goals and requirements.
NPDES Training for Agricultural Projects to be held by DEP
The Department of Environmental Protection will be holding training on NPDES Permitting for Agricultural Projects August 22nd, 2013 for those consultants and others designing projects that disturb one acre or greater on a farm. The agenda may be downloaded by clicking here.
Training will be held at;
The Conference Center
Central Penn College
600 Valley Road
Summerdale, PA 17093
(near Enola, PA)
Use the following link for directions;
http://www.centralpenn.edu/utility/directions/
The training is free of charge but you must pre-register. Lunch will be provided, as will refreshments during morning and afternoon breaks. Please pre-register by 4:00 pm on Friday, August 16th, by completing the following information and returning to Gwen Spells at gspells@pa.gov to assure your seat in the training.
Name:_______________________________________________________________
Phone #______________________________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________________________
E-Mail Address_________________________________________________________
Employer/Organization__________________________________________________
DEP Webinar Update – “Notice of Termination for Ch. 102 Permits”
The Department will be holding a webinar on the subject “Notice of Termination Requirements for Chapter 102 permits” on Thursday, August 15 from 10-11 AM (note: this is a change from any earlier information on this webinar). The audience for the webinar is the regulated community. Please note that the number of audio connections is capped at 200 for participants, so if a number of people from the same office will be participating, please consolidate your connections. Use the link provided below to register for the webinar.
https://copa.webex.com/copa/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=647217651
DEP Conducting Webinar on Revised PNDI/PNHP Policy to Chapter 105
DEP will be conducting a webinar regarding application of the revised PNDI/PNHP policy to Chapter 105 and Chapter 102 permits. It will be held Wednesday, June 19, 2013 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The number of connections for the webinar is capped at 200, so please consolidate in your office so that there are enough connections for everyone.
Use the following link to register for the webinar: https://copa.webex.com/copa/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=643693695
If you have any issues with registering, please feel free to contact the Applications Support Help Desk at 717-705-3768 or email at epefactshelpdeskteam@pa.gov.