- Home
- Government
- Departments
- Public Works
- Stormwater
- Planning, Permits and Regulations
- NPDES Municipal Stormwater Permit
Municipal Stormwater Permit
2020 Stormwater Annual Report includes program overview and water quality trendsEugene, like thousands of other cities and counties throughout the United Sates, is required by the federal Clean Water Act to obtain a stormwater permit, referred to as a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The permit. aimed at protecting and improving water quality, authorizes permittees to discharge stormwater runoff from municipal stormwater systems into local creeks and rivers. In Eugene, that includes Amazon Creek and the Willamette River. In Oregon, the NPDES permitting program is administered by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).Each year, the City completes an annual report which includes information on stormwater program activities conducted over the reporting year. Eugene's 2020 Annual Report, including Appendices, was submitted to DEQ in December 2020 and covers the period from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. The report provides an overview of Eugene's stormwater program, includes a status report for each of the City's best management practices to reduce stormwater pollution. It contains updated water quality trend data for local waterways including Amazon Creek and the Willamette River. Water quality in Amazon Creek and the Willamette River through Eugene is improving. The City has analyzed samples taken from these and other local waterways for over 20 years and data show decreasing trends for certain metals, nutrients, bacteria and turbidity. These trends toward water quality improvement indicate that the City’s stormwater program is having a positive impact. Certain pollutants continue to be problematic in Eugene’s streams, however, including bacteria and zinc. Sources of bacteria in urban areas include pet waste, so it is important to pick up after pets and dispose of animal waste properly. Zinc, which can be toxic to aquatic life at low levels, is commonly found in moss control products, galvanized metal roofing materials, and even in car tires as they degrade over time. For tips on what we can all do to reduce prevent these pollutants from getting into stormwater and reducing the amount discharged into local rivers and streams, see happyrivers.org. To meet NPDES permit requirements and achieve stormwater program goals to provide clean water, healthy habitat, and prevent flooding, the City implements a wide range of activities. For example, in the 2020 reporting year, City crews swept over 31,000 miles of streets, cleaned over 9,000 catch basins, and removed 1,070 tons of debris from the piped stormwater system. Other activities included "greenpiping" 17 miles of open waterways and planting over 5,000 linear feet of open waterways with native willows and trees. | Links to Related DocumentsCurrent NPDES PermitPermitPermit Evaluation Report Stormwater Management Plan - Set of Best Management Practices Current Monitoring PlanStormwater Monitoring Plan (appendices upon request)Past Years' Annual ReportsFinal 2019 ReportFinal 2018 Report Final 2017 Report Final 2016 Report Final 2015 Report Final 2014 Report Supplement to 2014 Report Other ReportsHydromodification AssessmentRetrofit Plan Water Quality DataWater Quality Data (2020)Readme file (for WQ Data) NPDES Permit RenewalRenewal Package (12/15)Stormwater PoliciesComprehensive Stormwater Management PlanTMDL DocumentsCurrent TMDL PlanTMDL Year 9 Report TMDL Year 8 Report TMDL Year 7 Report TMDL Year 6 Report TMDL Year 5 Report TMDL Year 4 Report TMDL Year 3 Report TMDL Year 2 Report TMDL Year 1 Report | |