Requirements and Procedures

Transportation and Utilities reviews all stormwater improvements and conveyance systems that are contained within a proposed subdivision. These may include pipe systems, open drainage ways, natural channel buffers, and detention ponds. Design standards and criteria related to these stormwater systems can be found in the City of Lincoln Design Standards and the Flood and Water Quality Protection Manual. Also available is the Watershed Management Checklist(PDF, 65KB) used to review all projects.

For potential developments that may be near an area where the City has completed a Watershed Master Plan, additional information may be obtained from Watershed Management pertaining to future capital improvement projects and existing watershed hydraulics and hydrology. Proposed developments which are located in or near a floodplain should refer to the Floodplain Standards for New Growth Areas and Existing Urban Areas.

Related Links

• City of Lincoln Floodplain Map
• Watershed Management Preliminary Checklist(PDF, 962KB)

Federal regulations define an illicit discharge as "...any discharge to a Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer System (MS4) that is not entirely comprised of storm water..." with some exceptions. These exceptions include discharges from National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitted industrial sources and discharges from fire fighting activity.

The City is required to have a program to detect and remove "illicit discharges" (the source of illegal pollutant discharges). Pollution finds its way to local streams from a system of drainage ways and storm drain pipes. If a pollutant source can be determined from a specific location, it is called a "point source." If the origin of a pollutant discharge cannot be directly located it is called a "non-point source."

Methods required by the State of Nebraska include an ordinance to restrict illicit discharges and methods to locate pollutant sources such as the random monitoring of stormdrain system. The Lincoln/Lancaster County Health, Environmental Quality Unit administers the Illicit Discharge program in the City of Lincoln.

The City is required to monitor and control pollutants in stormwater discharges to the municipal stormwater system from landfills, hazardous waste treatment, disposal and recovery facilities and industrial facilities that are categorized under the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system.

The City has reviewed a list of SIC listed facilities that have the potential to contribute to stormwater pollution and fall under the SIC classification. Primarily, any business/industry that has a SIC classification and has a connection to the stormdrain system or has an overland flow of stormwater runoff from the site may be included in this program. City facilities such as landfills and water resource recovery facilities also fall into this category and are regulated by a State permit.

Prior to land disturbance of sites one (1) acre or greater in size, a Notice of Intent (NOI) and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for erosion and sediment control must be submitted. Prior to beginning construction activity, authorization through an INOI permit is required for erosion and sediment control of individual lots (mostly residential) that are part of a larger common plan of development (subdivision).

Grading in a floodplain will require a Flood Plain Development Permit(PDF, 471KB) from the Building and Safety Department.

Changes to Navigable Waterways - Encroachments into open drainage channels or wetlands may require the engineer to file a 404 permit with the Army Corps of Engineers.

Any business/industry that has a SIC classification and has a connection to the stormdrain system or has an overland flow of stormwater runoff from the site may be included in the State's NPDES industrial permit program.