Stormwater

Vision

The vision of the Stormwater Engineering Division is to build a sustainable and resilient community in Monroe where local waterways and watersheds are protected from stormwater pollution and where flooding risks are minimized, ensuring clean, safe, and abundant natural water resources for current and future generations. 

Mission

Our mission is to serve Monroe by protecting local waterways, reducing flooding risks, and safely conveying stormwater through well maintained drainage systems, while upholding environmental regulations to sustain the quality of our rivers, creeks, lakes, and streams.

Stormwater Management

The City of Monroe works to protect our local waterways and watersheds from the impacts of stormwater pollution. When it rains, pollutants such as sediment, fertilizer, oil, litter, and pet waste are carried by stormwater runoff into the nearest drainage system. The City maintains a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) that includes storm drains and other drainage structures such as ditches, pipes, and outlets, which discharge directly into creeks, streams, and lakes. Since the MS4 is not connected to a treatment system, it is critical to minimize the amount of pollutants that enter our waterways, including Lake Lee, Lake Monroe, and Lake Twitty, our water supply lakes.

The City of Monroe maintains the storm drainage system to address roadway and offsite drainage as well as water quality. The City seeks to improve drainage systems when there are existing unsafe conditions, recurring erosion, or property damage, as determined by the Engineering Department. Assistance may be provided to repair drainage systems outside the street right-of-ways on private property in accordance with the City's Storm Drainage Policy.

The City of Monroe is a proud member of the Regional Stormwater Partnership of the Carolinas, Regional Stormwater Partnership of the Carolinas Logoa collaboration between municipalities of the greater Charlotte area that strives to increase awareness of stormwater and water quality issues in the region through sharing of information and expertise.

Map depicting the different watersheds in Monroe

NPDES MS4 Phase II Program

The City of Monroe is required to comply with all aspects of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Stormwater Regulation. The City was issued its NPDES Phase II Stormwater Permit in October 2005, and it is renewed every 5 years. Under the City of Monroe's NPDES Phase II Stormwater Permit, the City is authorized to discharge stormwater from the City's Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer System (MS4) located within the corporate limits to receiving waters and their tributaries.

To meet both federal and state regulations, the City of Monroe Engineering Department has developed a comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan that is reviewed and revised annually. The plan includes six minimum control measures to control the discharge of pollutants from the MS4, including stormwater runoff and illicit discharges, such as spills and illegal dumping. In addition, the City enforces a Stormwater Management Ordinance to control stormwater pollutants. It also addresses increased stormwater volume and velocity from new developments and redeveloped sites to protect water quality and reduce downstream flooding. The ordinance requires a Stormwater Control Measure (SCM) for all development and redevelopment within the corporate limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Monroe.

Six Minimum Measures

  • Public Education: Teach citizens and business owners about how they can prevent and reduce stormwater pollution.
  • Public Involvement: Increase awareness of the City's water resources and stormwater system through active volunteer projects that work to improve water quality locally.
  • Illicit Discharge: Seek and eliminate unlawful discharges to the stormwater drainage system.
  • Construction Site Runoff Control: Regulate new construction activities to ensure that they provide appropriate treatment for stormwater before it reaches local waterways.
  • Post-Construction Stormwater Management: Regulate the design of new development to promote stormwater treatment from impervious surfaces, such as rooftops, streets and parking lots.
  • Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping: Eliminate or reduce pollution resulting from municipal operations.

Submitting Plans

Please contact the Permit Department about plan submittals or call 704-282-4524.

Submittals should include:

  • Stormwater Management Permit Application
  • Stormwater Management Permit - Gateway Checklist for Construction Plans
  • Floodplain Development Permit Application
  • 07.06.03 Stormwater Checklist
    • A completed Gateway checklist must be included with all first submittals of development plans and first submittals of Revisions To Approved Plans (RTAP). During the Gateway review, incomplete or insufficient sections of the checklist will be noted and the plan submittal will be disapproved and returned to the applicant. Construction Plans will be accepted for full review after satisfactory completion of the Gateway Checklist.

Upload and submit plans

Applications & Forms

  1. Stormwater Management Permit Application (PDF)
  2. Stormwater Management Permit - Gateway Checklist for Construction Plans (PDF)
  3. Floodplain Development Permit Application (PDF)
  4. 07.06.03 Stormwater Checklist (PDF)
  5. 07.11 Post-Construction Checklist (PDF)
  6. 07.12 Post-Construction Checklist for Stormwater BMPs (PDF)
  7. 07.13 As-Built Drawing Checklist (PDF)
  8. Form 1-04A Pre-Construction Certification Form for Post-Construction Stormwater BMP (PDF)
  9. Form 1-04B Final Certification Form for Post-Construction Stormwater BMP (PDF)
  10. Form 1-04 C Engineer Certification of SCMs (PDF)
  11. Stormwater Operation and Maintenance Agreement (DOC)

MS4 Permit Documents

Ordinances