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Wisconsin

SWPPP requirements in Wisconsin

Wisconsin issues its own construction general permit. We have read WPDES General Permit No. WI-S067831-6, Storm Water Associated with Land Disturbing Construction Activity and list below the requirements we could cite to it, with the scope limits stated plainly. Screen your own acreage further down.

Who may prepare the plan

No preparer credential found

No preparer credential was found for Wisconsin. On what we have verified, a generated plan can be adopted by the operator without a credentialed signature. Local ordinances can still be stricter than state law.

No preparer credential found in the reviewed sources. Not exhaustively verified; confirm with the state agency and any local ordinance.

No permit section cited. Confirm this with your permitting authority.

Coverage trigger

Worked through at 3 acres

The project disturbs 3 acres, at or above the 1 acre threshold, so it needs permit coverage.

The trigger people miss is the second one. A half acre lot inside a 40 acre subdivision is covered, because the larger common plan of development or sale is what counts, not the lot.

Read these before you act on the answer

  • Requirements below are what we have read and cited directly from WPDES General Permit No. WI-S067831-6, Storm Water Associated with Land Disturbing Construction Activity, not the federal CGP. A category we have not yet transcribed from this permit is omitted here rather than assumed to match EPA's rule.
  • WI has no explicit 'qualified inspector' credential requirement, so inspection.qualifiedPerson is omitted. WI does not use a fixed-day-count or acreage-tiered stabilization deadline like federal Table 2; instead it uses narrative standards ('as soon as practicable'), so stabilization.complete.fiveAcresOrLess/moreThanFiveAcres are omitted. WI does not have a distinct tiered 'majorFix' corrective-action deadline separate from its 24-hour repair requirement, so corrective.deadline.majorFix is omitted. No fixed-hour deadline exists for documenting/reporting a deficiency beyond 'upon request', so inspection.report.deadline and corrective.documentation.identify are omitted. WI's numeric control standard (5 tons/acre/year soil loss) is a narrative/design performance standard incorporated by reference to NR 151.11/151.23, not a direct numeric effluent limit like turbidity/TSS mg/L, so it is reported as a benchmark rather than an effluent limit.
  • No preparer credential was found for Wisconsin. On what we have verified, a generated plan can be adopted by the operator without a credentialed signature. Local ordinances can still be stricter than state law.
  • Basinwise does not perform the physical site inspections the permit requires. Those must be carried out on site by a qualified person.

What the permit requires of a Wisconsin site

Worked for a three acre site with the receiving water unconfirmed. Each line says why it attached to this site rather than in general. Check the notes above for the site sizes this permit does not cover.

Filing

Plan before Notice of Intent

The applicant shall submit erosion control and storm water management plans to the department, as required by s. NR 216.44(2), Wis. Adm. Code, together with the NOI.

The applicant shall submit erosion control and storm water management plans as described in Section 3 of this permit to the department as required by s. NR 216.44(2), Wis. Adm. Code, with the NOI.
VerifiedWPDES Permit No. WI-S067831-6, s. 2.1.2Source
Notice of Intent deadline
14

At least 14 working days prior to beginning any land disturbing construction activities; permit coverage becomes effective 14 working days after the department receives a complete NOI.

Why this applies here: This is the deadline for a new site. A transfer to a new operator or an emergency related project has a different deadline.

At a minimum, the applicant shall submit the completed NOI to the department in accordance with the requirements of this section, at least 14 working days prior to beginning any land disturbing construction activities.
VerifiedWPDES Permit No. WI-S067831-6, ss. 2.1.1 and 2.5Source
Notice of Termination deadline
45

Permittees shall submit a Notice of Termination (NOT) within 45 days after a construction site has undergone final stabilization, temporary sediment control practices have been removed, and all land disturbing construction activities requiring permit coverage have ceased.

Permittees shall submit a Notice of Termination (NOT) to the department within 45 days after a construction site has undergone final stabilization, temporary sediment control practices have been removed and all land disturbing construction activities that required coverage under this permit have ceased.
VerifiedWPDES Permit No. WI-S067831-6, s. 2.7Source

Inspections

Inspection frequency, option 1
7

Weekly inspections of erosion and sediment control BMPs, plus additional inspections within 24 hours after a qualifying rainfall event.

Why this applies here: You have not confirmed whether the site discharges to an impaired or high quality water. If it does, the increased frequency applies instead and this answer changes.

Weekly inspections of erosion and sediment control BMPs; and
VerifiedWPDES Permit No. WI-S067831-6, s. 4.5.1.1Source

Stabilisation

Initiate stabilisation

as soon as practicable

Why this applies here: This applies at both land disturbance amounts.

The construction site erosion control plan shall ensure that existing vegetation is preserved where feasible and that disturbed portions of the construction site are stabilized as soon as practicable.
VerifiedWPDES Permit No. WI-S067831-6, s. 3.1.7.1Source

Corrective action

Corrective action, minor fix

within 24 hours

Repair or replace erosion and sediment control BMPs as necessary within 24 hours of an inspection or notification indicating that repair or replacement is needed.
VerifiedWPDES Permit No. WI-S067831-6, s. 4.5.2Source

Buffers

Natural buffer
75

Protective areas of at least 75 feet shall be maintained adjacent to any Outstanding Resource Water (ORW) or Exceptional Resource Water (ERW).

Protective areas of at least 75 feet shall be maintained adjacent to any ORW and ERW as required under ss. NR 151.12 (5)(d), NR 151.125, 151.24(6), or NR 151.245, Wis. Adm. Code.
VerifiedWPDES Permit No. WI-S067831-6, s. 4.2.4Source

Records you must keep

Record retention
3

All reports required by subch. III of ch. NR 216 or information submitted to obtain permit coverage must be kept for at least 3 years from the date of termination of permit coverage.

Why this applies here: The clock runs from permit expiry or termination, not from when the record was written, so on a multi year project every record stays live for the whole project plus three years.

All reports required by subch. III of ch. NR 216, Wis. Adm. Code, or information submitted to obtain coverage under this permit, including the erosion control and storm water management plans, amendments, and background information used in their preparation, shall be kept by the permittee for a period of at least 3 years from the date of termination of permit coverage.
VerifiedWPDES Permit No. WI-S067831-6, s. 4.6.1.2Source

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Total land disturbance over the whole project, including staging and access. This decides whether you need a permit at all.

Optional. If you phase the work, the most that will be disturbed at once. Leave blank if the whole site is open together. The stabilisation deadline turns on this figure, not the total.

A half acre lot inside a 40 acre subdivision is covered even though the lot alone is under the threshold. This is the most commonly missed trigger in the permit.

Receiving water and site conditions(optional, but they change the inspection frequency)

May allow a reduced inspection frequency during the seasonally dry period.

EPA keeps permitting authority in Indian country even inside a state that runs its own programme.

No account, no card, nothing transmitted.

What a plan has to cover, under the federal permit

This is EPA's list, from the 2022 Construction General Permit. It does NOT govern in Wisconsin, where the state issues its own permit and sets its own contents. It is here as a shape to expect, not as the requirement you will be held to.

General SWPPP requirementPart 7.1Verified
  • All operators associated with a construction site under this permit must develop a SWPPP consistent with Part 7 prior to their submittal of the NOI. The SWPPP must be kept up-to-date throughout coverage under this permit. If a SWPPP was prepared under a previous version of this permit, the operator must review and update it before submitting an NOI.
All Site OperatorsPart 7.2.1Verified
  • Include a list of all other operators who will be engaged in construction activities at the site, and the areas of the site over which each operator has control.
Stormwater TeamPart 7.2.2Verified
  • Identify the personnel (by name and position) on the stormwater team pursuant to Part 6.1, their individual responsibilities, and which members are responsible for conducting inspections. Include verification that each member has received the Part 6.2 training, and documentation that inspection personnel have received the Part 6.3 training (EPA inspector training certificates, or documentation of a current non-EPA program certification plus confirmation the program satisfies the Part 6.3b minimum elements).
Nature of Construction ActivitiesParts 7.2.3a - 7.2.3iVerified
  • A description of the nature of your construction activities, including the age or dates of past renovations for structures undergoing demolition
  • The size of the property (in acres, or length in miles if a linear construction site)
  • The total area expected to be disturbed by the construction activities (to the nearest quarter acre, or nearest quarter mile if a linear construction site)
  • A description of any on-site and off-site construction support activity areas covered by this permit
  • The maximum area expected to be disturbed at any one time, including on-site and off-site construction support activity areas
  • A description and projected schedule for: commencement of construction activities in each portion of the site (clearing and grubbing, mass grading, demolition, site preparation, final grading, and creation of soil and vegetation stockpiles requiring stabilization); temporary or permanent cessation of construction activities in each portion; temporary or final stabilization of exposed areas for each portion; and removal of temporary stormwater controls and construction equipment or vehicles and cessation of construction-related pollutant-generating activities
  • A list and description of all pollutant-generating activities on the site, with an inventory of pollutants or pollutant constituents associated with each, taking into account where potential spills and leaks could occur and any known hazardous or toxic substances such as PCBs and asbestos that will be disturbed or removed
  • Business days and hours for the project
  • If conducting construction activities in response to a public emergency, a description of the cause of the emergency, information substantiating its occurrence (e.g. a State disaster declaration), and a description of the construction necessary to reestablish affected public services
Site MapParts 7.2.4a - 7.2.4kVerified
  • Boundaries of the property
  • Locations where construction activities will occur, including: locations of earth-disturbing activities (noting any phasing) including demolition; approximate slopes before and after major grading (noting any steep slopes); locations where sediment, soil or other construction materials will be stockpiled; any receiving water crossings; designated points where vehicles will exit onto paved roads; locations of structures and other impervious surfaces upon completion; and locations of on-site and off-site construction support activity areas
  • Locations of any receiving waters within the site and all receiving waters within one mile downstream of the site's discharge point(s), identifying whether any are listed as impaired or identified as a Tier 2, Tier 2.5 or Tier 3 water
  • Any areas of Federally listed critical habitat within the action area of the site
  • Type and extent of pre-construction cover on the site (e.g. vegetative cover, forest, pasture, pavement, structures)
  • Drainage patterns of stormwater and authorized non-stormwater before and after major grading activities
  • Stormwater and authorized non-stormwater discharge locations, including discharges to storm drain inlets (noting whether the inlet conveys stormwater to a sediment basin, sediment trap or similarly effective control), discharges directly to receiving waters, and locations where turbidity benchmark monitoring will take place
  • Locations of all potential pollutant-generating activities identified in Part 7.2.3g
  • Designated areas where construction wastes covered by the Part 2.3.3e.ii exception will be stored
  • Locations of stormwater controls, including natural buffer areas and any shared controls utilized to comply with this permit
  • Locations where polymers, flocculants or other treatment chemicals will be used and stored
Non-Stormwater DischargesPart 7.2.5Verified
  • Identify all authorized non-stormwater discharges in Part 1.2.2 that will or may occur.
Procedures for Inspection, Maintenance, and Corrective ActionParts 7.2.7a - 7.2.7eVerified
  • The inspection schedule you will follow, based on whether your site is subject to Part 4.2 or Part 4.3, or whether it qualifies for any of the reduced inspection frequencies in Part 4.4
  • If conducting inspections under Part 4.2.2, Part 4.3 or Part 4.4.1b, the location of the rain gauge or the address of the weather station you will use to obtain rainfall data
  • If reducing your inspection frequency in accordance with Part 4.4.1b, the beginning and ending dates of the seasonally defined arid period for your area or the valid period of drought
  • If reducing your inspection frequency in accordance with Part 4.4.3, the beginning and ending dates of frozen conditions on your site
  • Any maintenance or inspection checklists or other forms that will be used
Procedures for Turbidity Benchmark Monitoring from Dewatering Discharges (if applicable)Part 7.2.8Verified
  • If required to comply with the Part 3.3 turbidity benchmark monitoring requirements, describe the procedures you will follow to collect and evaluate samples, report results to EPA, keep records of monitoring information, and take corrective action when necessary. Include the specific type of turbidity meter you will use and any manuals or manufacturer instructions on how to operate and calibrate it. Describe any coordinating arrangement with other permitted operators on the same site, including which parties are tasked with specific responsibilities. If EPA has approved an alternate turbidity benchmark, include the data and documentation relied on to request it.
Compliance with Other RequirementsParts 7.2.9a - 7.2.9cVerified
  • Threatened and Endangered Species Protection: include the documentation required in the Endangered Species Protection section of the NOI in NeT, or the ESA worksheet in Appendix D, supporting your eligibility
  • Historic Properties: include the documentation required in Appendix E supporting your eligibility with regard to the protection of historic properties
  • Safe Drinking Water Act Underground Injection Control (UIC) requirements: if using infiltration trenches, commercially manufactured pre-cast or pre-built proprietary subsurface detention vaults/chambers/devices designed to capture and infiltrate stormwater, or drywells, seepage pits or improved sinkholes, document any contact with the applicable State agency or EPA Regional Office responsible for underground injection wells. Such controls would generally be considered Class V UIC wells
SWPPP CertificationPart 7.2.10Verified
  • Your signatory must sign and date your SWPPP in accordance with Appendix G, Part G.11.
Post-Authorization Additions to the SWPPPParts 7.2.11a - 7.2.11cVerified
  • A copy of your NOI submitted to EPA along with any correspondence exchanged between you and EPA related to coverage under this permit
  • A copy of the acknowledgment letter you receive from NeT assigning your NPDES ID (i.e. permit tracking number)
  • A copy of this permit (an electronic copy easily available to the stormwater team is also acceptable)

Read the permit itself at the source document.

What people ask about SWPPP requirements in Wisconsin

What are the SWPPP requirements in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin issues its own construction general permit, and we have read WPDES General Permit No. WI-S067831-6, Storm Water Associated with Land Disturbing Construction Activity. The requirements listed on this page, such as inspection frequency, who may inspect, stabilisation, corrective action and record retention, are cited to that permit rather than to EPA's. Anything we have not transcribed is left out instead of assumed to match the federal rule, and the scope note on this page says which sites the permit does not cover. Confirm the current permit and any site-size variant with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR).

Who may prepare a SWPPP in Wisconsin?

No preparer credential was found for Wisconsin. On what we have verified, a generated plan can be adopted by the operator without a credentialed signature. Local ordinances can still be stricter than state law.

How often must a Wisconsin site be inspected?

The inspection frequency is set by the Wisconsin construction general permit, which we have not read. Confirm it with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR).

Who may prepare a stormwater plan in Wisconsin

The permit makes you keep the record, not just know the answer

Screening is free. Pro generates the site specific plan document and retains the inspection and corrective action log.

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