Stormwater Management Design and Permitting

Impervious surfaces are any land cover that prevents rainwater runoff or melting snow from soaking into the ground. Examples of impervious surfaces include roofs, driveways, roads, parking lots, sidewalks, patios, decks and gravel surfaces.

Many rural home builds with long driveways could result in new impervious surfaces in excess of 20,000 square feet.

Understanding this process and the requirements at the start of the project will help in budgeting for the homeowner. The stormwater permitting approval process is timely; therefore, starting the design process early will help avoid delays in the project.

Carrico Engineering starts with a general site plan to determine the total impervious surface of the site. Adam consults with the owner or builder to determine the permitting needs. It is important to consider impervious surfaces that may be added in the future as well as the current project. For example, if a homeowner intends to add an accessory building in the future that will add impervious surface to the site resulting in a cumulative total of more than 20,000 square feet, stormwater design and permitting is required for the entire site. This includes the home, driveway, sidewalks, patios, etc. Therefore, it is much easier to design and consider stormwater requirements at the start of a project rather than add stormwater features once the house and landscaping are completed.

Carrico Engineering is a great place to start to analyze your project to determine if stormwater management permitting will be required for your project.