Plan Overview

Stormwater Management Plans are “clean water toolboxes” that have been used in communities across the U.S. both to help maintain water quality, and to determine locally how to best meet federal and state regulatory water quality requirements triggered by population growth. In the 2010 U.S. census, the Mat-Su Borough passed EPA’s population threshold of 50,000. Because of the health, safety, and cost issues associated with water quality, as communities become more populated and urbanized, their storm water discharges fall under the Clean Water Act of 1972, as amended in 1987. Once a community meets a population threshold, a Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer System (MS4) permit is required to outline how a community must work together to keep pollutants out of their stormwater and environment. The need to enhance and regulate stormwater in the Mat-Valley’s core area is an issue on the immediate horizon. Anticipating this need, the Borough sought and was awarded EPA funds to develop a Stormwater Management Plan (SMP). Creating the plan prior to regulations being enforced takes advantage of the time before regulations become law, develop a usable toolbox, and set the stage for streamlined and locally-tailored permitting in the future.

Plan Justification

During 2011-2013 a Stormwater Management Plan was developed by the Borough to anticipate how to best respond locally to MS4 regulatory requirements. The adopted plan and other resources that were developed through the process are linked below, and are intended to help the region work together to improve water quality and drainage outcomes.