The University of Virginia's Stormwater Management Site

Construction Management


Sediment barriers are in place at the John Paul Jones Arena to prevent sediment from polluting stormwater
Virginia Code requires that all state agencies submit an Environmental Impact Report for each state project costing in excess of $100,000. The report details the environmental impacts that the project is likely to have on the site and the surrounding areas. Please see the related EIR documents below. Under Virginia law, any construction site disturbing over 10,000 sqft. of land is required to have a Sediment and Erosion Control Plan for the site. UVA's construction activities are bound by the UVA Higher Education Capital Outlay Manual and UVA Facilities Design Guidance Document. Both documents specify State requirments for and review of Erosion and Sediment Control site plans. UVA is required to prepare E&S Control Plans for all land disturbances exceeding 5,000 sqft. The Virginia Sediment and Erosion Control Handbook is used as the standard for E&S Control Design elements. All E&S plans must be reviewed and approved by the DCR before construction begins. DCR also inspects construction sites to be sure proper E&S controls are in place. In addition to preparing an E&S Control Plan, any construction site disturbing 2,500 sqft of land in Albemarle county or 1 acre of land or more in the City of Charlottesville must have a Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) Permit for Stormwater from Construction Activities and a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for the site. Albemarle County is a participant in the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and therefore requires more stringent regulation of land disturbing activities. As of January 28, 2004 authority to regulate the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) programs relating to municipal separate storm sewer systems and construction activities transferred from the DEQ to the DCR. The DCR's VSMP Permit replaces the DEQ's VPDES General Permit for Construction Sites. A blank copy of the VSMP permit as well as a sample SWPPP can be found on this page under the "Documents and Regulations for Project Managers on Construction Sites" section. All construction on Grounds must deal with stormwater as required by UVA's Storm Water Management Master Plans for Moores Creek and the West Side of Grounds. This means that construction sites must deal with any increase in storm water quantity or decrease in storm water quality that may occur as a result of the project. Techniques for dealing with storm water include creating storm water retention ponds into which the project site drains, creating vegetative swales to absorb water on site, and installing water retention boxes under the site, just to name a few.
Documents and Regulations for Project Managers on Construction Sites EIR UVA's Website on EIR Submission Please forward necessary EIR data to Jeff Sitler or Jess Wenger. If you have any questions call Jeff at 982-4901 or Jess at 982-5540 Erosion and Sediment Control Information Construction Site Runoff Control Minimum Control Measures (PDF) Regulations for Stormwater Discharge at Construction Sites (PDF) Example Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan for Construction Activity (PDF) Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook (link to DCR) Erosion and Sediment control on Construction Sites (link to DCR) Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook (link to DCR) VSMP Information VSMP Program Information (link to DCR) VSMP Permit Regulations (PDF) VSMP General Permit Registration for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities (PDF) VSMP Registration Fee Form (PDF)

Without proper operation and maintenance, storm pipes can become filled with debris. Instructing employees on proper storm water management is the easiest and most efficient way to ensure that storm water remains free of pollutants.
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Tips for Construction Sites Divert runoff on construction sites away from disturbed soil. Divert runoff into ponds to allow sediment to settle out before being discharged into surface waterways. Install silt fences, vegetative cover, or other erosion controls to prevent sediment from leaving the site Make sure silt fences and other erosion controls are maintained and inspected regularly, especially after rainstorms Minimize the amount of disturbed area as much as possible during construction. Ensure that the construction site is inspected after project completion to ensure that storm water controls are functioning properly. Provide a concrete truck washing pit to collect the waste water used to wash out the trucks.
Click here for examples of good sediment and erosion control at the John Paul Jones Arena Construction Site Click here for information on concrete truck washout pits and other concrete BMPs from the California Stormwater Quality Association (PDF)
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