Posts by KCI Now

In October 2000, the Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA), authorized the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to implement the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permitting program.  The NPDES stormwater program regulates point source discharges of stormwater into surface waters of the State of Florida from certain municipal, industrial and construction activities. The Florida…

There are a variety of Best Management Practices (BMPs) that can be implemented to help maintain compliance and regulatory requirements. BMPs can be characterized into two types, either structural or non-Structural. What is the difference? Structural BMPs focus on preventing pollutants in stormwater runoff from leaving site boundaries. All types of structural BMPs require regular…

Construction sites can minimize disruption to local water bodies and reduce pollution by following specific environmental guidelines set by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Construction projects can create a negative impact on the environment.  However, there are specific Best Management Practices (BMPs) that can be implemented to reduce…

Stormwater runoff occurs after a rainfall.  In Florida, especially during the wet and rainy season, rainfall and storms can become torrential at times generating high volume of water in a short period of time.  This stormwater eventually reaches lakes, streams, rivers, and wetlands untreated and potentially contaminated. Stormwater runoff can collect pollutants along its path…

Did you know Florida contains more than 30,000 lakes?  Combined, they make up more than three million acres. The lakes, streams, and rivers in Florida are homes to many species of fish and wildlife. There are over four million fishing licenses registered in the state of Florida.  Additionally, Florida is also well known for water sports…

In February 2015, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) revised the Construction Generic Permit (CGP) for Stormwater Discharge from Large and Small Construction Activities defining the term “site operator†as follows: “The person, firm, contractor, public organization, or other legal entity that owns or operates the construction activity and that has authority to control…

The concerns associated to stormwater started with the Clean Water Act (CWA) recognizing rampant contamination of waterways that brought about important improvements across the nation. During the 1960s and early 1970s, two-thirds of the country’s waters were unsafe. The NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit program, was created in 1972 by the CWA, to dramatically…

A stormwater compliance inspection can be considered a documented snapshot in time of the construction project from the planning phase to the final stabilization.  Each inspection can provide a story to the evolution of a construction project’s performance against minimizing erosion and sediment departing the boundaries of the construction site.  The primary mission of the…

Water quality is increasingly becoming a top priority for the state of Florida. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) performs algae bloom water sampling and produces a public report weekly.  The latest reports indicate relatively low traces of various blue-green algae. Reflecting to this time last year, many of the state’s reports showed satellite…