Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of frequently asked questions for the Lawrence County Stormwater Managment Website. If you have further questions, feel free to contact the Lawrence County SWCD.

General Questions
What is stormwater?
What is a watershed?
What kind of pollution is common in stormwater?
What are common non-point source pollutants?

Construction Permit Questions
What is a NPDES permit?
Why am I required to get a NPDES permit and a local permit?
What is the cost of a NPDES permit?
What is the cost of a local earth moving permit?
What must I do in order to obtain a local permit?
Do agricultural projects require a permit?
Where do I get a permit?
Where did NPDES program come from?

Q: What is stormwater?
A: Stormwater is rainwater that does not get absorbed into the ground and runs off the land into streams and other bodies of water. All stormwater that runs into the same body of water is part of the same watershed. Back to Top

Q: What is a watershed?
A: A watershed is an area of land that drains to a specific stream, river, pond, lake, wetland, or ocean. Watersheds are vital to wildlife, humans, the environment, and our economy. Because all land is part of a watershed, everyone lives in a watershed. You and everyone in your watershed are part of the watershed community. What happens in your small watershed also affects the larger watershed downstream. Back to Top

Q: What kind of pollution is common in stormwater?
A: When stormwater runs over the land or soaks into the ground, it picks up pollutants and deposits them into streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and some underground sources of drinking water. These pollutants are known as non-point source pollutants because the pollution cannot be traced to one specific source. Non-point source pollution comes from a variety of sources and, therefore, is hard to control. Non-point source pollution is the leading cause of water quality problems in the nation and Ohio. It affects drinking water supplies, wildlife habitats, recreational areas, and fisheries. For a list of common pollutants, visit our Common Non-Point Source Pollution page. Back to Top

Q: What are common non-point source pollutants?
A: Non-point source pollution comes from a variety of sources and, therefore, is hard to control. Non-point source pollution is the leading cause of water quality problems in the nation and Ohio. It affects drinking water supplies, wildlife habitats, recreational areas, and fisheries. For a list of common pollutants, visit our Common Non-Point Source Pollution page. Back to Top

Q: What is a NPDES permit?
A: NPDES stands for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and was established to govern construction projects that disturb one acre or more of ground. The NPDES also helps controls erosion and sediment runoff to protect the quality of ground and stream water. Back to Top

Q: Why am I required to get a NPDES permit and a local permit?
A: The NPDES  permit is required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the local permit is required by Lawrence County under the Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Standards adopted in January 2006. Back to Top

Q: What is the cost of an NPDES permit?
A: A NPDES permit costs $200 - $500 depending on the amount of acreage disturbed. Back to Top

Q: What is the cost of a local earth moving permit?
A: This fee will be established by the Lawrence County Commissioners soon. Back to Top

Q: What must I do in order to obtain a local permit?
A: You must complete a permit application and submit a site plan that includes a narrative of the proposed construction project to the Lawrence Soil & Water Office. Back to Top

Q: Do agricultural projects require a permit?
A: Normal agricultural practices are exempt from this permit requirement. Projects that involve construction that exceeds one acre do require a permit (barns, houses, etc.). Back to Top

Q: Where do I get a permit?
A: The NPDES permit must be obtained from the Ohio EPA in Logan, Ohio. You can contact the Ohio EPA at (614) 644-3020. The local permit can be obtained at the Lawrence Soil & Water Conservation District Office in Willow Wood, Ohio. You can contact the Lawrence County SWCD at (740) 867-4737 or (740) 867-5513.
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Q: Where did the NPDES program come from?
A: Congress passed amendments to the Clean Water Act in 1987 that established Phase I of the NPDES program in 1990. Phase II of the NPDES program went into effect in 1999. Local communities are required under this legislation to establish a local Storm Water Management Plan. Back to Top

Photograph by Jessica St. James used with permission