Technical Reports
These publications were written with a scientific audience in mind. Less technical reports are also available.
The Environmental Affairs Board (EAB) is an advisory board to the City of Durham Stormwater Division as well as other divisions within both the city and county.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
Our most recent Stormwater Management Plan (PDF) was published on April 6, 2023.
Comments from the public on the SMP are always welcome. Please fill out this community feedback form to submit any comments.
A stormwater management plan outlines how the city intends to meet the requirements of its minimum NPDES permit requirements including:
- Illicit discharge detection and elimination
- Industrial inspection
- Municipal pollution prevention and good housekeeping
- Post-construction runoff
- Public education and outreach
- Public participation and involvement
- Water quality monitoring and assessment
The Stormwater Management Plan is developed at the beginning of the permit cycle and revised each year based on conditions, ordinance revisions, etc.
Additional Stormwater Management Plan Documents
NPDES Annual Report
The city provides the state with an annual report on stormwater management. This report is required by the city’s federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
- The most current report: 2021-2022 (PDF).
- Archived reports from previous years
The report provides information about new initiatives and programs, compares collected data to water quality standards, and summarizes water quality investigations. It also outlines how the city met the minimum permit requirements in the areas of public education and outreach, public participation and involvement, illicit discharge detection and elimination, post-construction runoff, municipal pollution prevention and good housekeeping, industrial inspection, and water quality monitoring and assessment.
Note: Beginning in 2007-2008, the reporting period changed from running July 1 through June 30 to running from October 1 through September 30.
CITY OF DURHAM STORMWATER PERMIT (NPDES PERMIT)
Because the city has a storm drain system that carries rainwater away from developed areas to creeks and lakes, we are required by the federal Clean Water Act to have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
This permit is the basis of many of the division's technical documents. The permit is evaluated every five years to adapt to changing water quality needs and technological advances. The following link is for the permit from October 10, 2018 - October 9, 2023 (PDF).
TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD (TMDL) RESPONSE PLANS
Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires states to identify water bodies that do not meet surface water quality standards. A TMDL may be required when a water body is listed as impaired. A TMDL determines the maximum amount of a pollutant allowed to enter a water body so that water quality standards can still be achieved. The City of Durham is currently subject to a fecal coliform bacteria TMDL for the Northeast Creek watershed and a turbidity TMDL for the Third Fork Creek watershed. TMDL Response Plans were completed for both watersheds in 2019. The objectives of the TMDL Response Plans are to identify and implement measures that will reduce the levels of the targeted pollutants in Northeast Creek and Third Fork Creek. You can read the full plans at the links below.
TMDL Response Plan for Northeast Creek
TMDL Response Plan for Third Fork Creek
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