MS4 Program

EPA's Stormwater Phase II Final Rule requires that small MS4 stormwater management programs (like VDOT) have at least 6 elements (also referred to as "Minimum Control Measures")

VDOT's MS4 program includes 7 MCMs that must be maintained to maintain its permit to discharge stormwater :

1. Public education and outreach (like this application, digital and paper fliers, in-person and web-based presentations)

2. Public involvement and participation (workshops, stream cleanups, public meetings)

3. Illicit discharge detection and elimination (making sure things that shouldn't go into the stormwater don't get dumped)

4. Construction site erosion control (reduce sediment runoff)

5. Post construction stormwater management (new buildings/ roads have runoff captures

6. Pollution prevention and good housekeeping (reducing pollution from all owned facilities - for example, VDOT roads, and upkeep of sewer system)

7. Infrastructure Coordination & Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Special Conditions

The following tabs at the top of the page will expand upon each of these MCMs and detail how VDOT is approaching them.

For more information about MCM #1 please visit

 USEPA    VADEQ  

Virginia's Adopt-A-Highway Program provides an avenue for individuals, organizations, or businesses to help maintain sections of roadside within Virginia's State Highway System. It is part of the larger  Keep Virginia Beautiful  effort, which has been affiliated with  Keep America Beautiful  since 1956! Groups have the option to participate as volunteers or to hire a maintenance service provider to perform the work on their behalf.

Participation can include one or more of the following activities: Removing litter (work frequency varies with location), planting and establishing trees or wildflowers, removing graffiti, controlling vegetation.

Adoptions usually span a two-mile stretch of roadside, and permits are issued for three-year periods. Groups in good standing may renew their permits indefinitely. Participation is free for all volunteers, and signs are included at no charge.

Illicit Discharges into the stormwater system pose an enormous threat to the ecosystems they drain into. Below you will learn what are considered illicit discharges and how you can report them! 

* If you have questions, comments or concerns about the Stormwater Management Program, contact us at IDDEreports@VDOT.Virginia.gov. For drainage problems contact the VDOT Customer Service Center at 1-800- FOR-ROADS

 Click here  for a full explanation of how to detect and report an illicit discharge.

Below are some characteristics of pollutants that can aid in determining whether a discharge is illicit.

• Plaster
• Concrete
• Drywall Mud
• Paint
• Oil/ Fuel (not related to vehicle accidents)
• Grass Clippings
• Sediment
• Greywater from showers, sinks etc.
• Septic Water
• Commercial Vehicle Wash Water
• Solvents
• Fertilizer, Pesticides
• Chlorinated Pool Discharges

Odor can be a strong indicator of an illicit discharge. You may be able to smell an illicit discharge before you can detect it with your eyes. Some common odors associated with illicit discharges are:

Fuel or Chemical Smell can indicate dumped or released products have entered the storm sewer system.

Sewage or Rotten-Egg Smell  can indicate an illicit discharge of sewage or failing septic system.

Chlorine or Floral Smell can indicate an illicit discharge of fertilizer, detergent, or other cleaners.

DO NOT enter confined areas such as culverts, drop inlets, manholes, etc. to investigate the origin of odors. Gases may accumulate in these areas that can overcome the entrant.

*it is important to recognize the difference between unusual natural phenomenon and man-made pollution

Any odd or unusually-colored water should be noted. Turbid, cloudy water may indicate the presence of excessive silt or other pollutants entering storm water. Such as:

White, Milky, Grey, Cloudy color usually associated with an illicit sewage discharge. Typically a discharge of sewage will be accompanied by an unpleasant odor.

Muddy or turbid water when it has not recently rained, or that appears muddier than different parts of the area on the same day, can indicate an illicit sediment discharge.

Unnatural Colors are generally due to paint, dyes, and industrial chemicals come in a wide variety of colors.

Stains that are an unnatural color, have a sheen or odor, do not follow a normal flow path, or appear to come from a source other than normal stormwater runoff, could indicate a potential illicit discharge. Examples of these are:

Foam that is white and has a sweet or scented odor is likely to be man made. Sources of such foam could be detergents, soaps or shampoos.

An oil sheens often appear thicker and more fluorescent and iridescent.

The presence of dead fish -  if a large population of dead or stressed fish are observed, a potential illicit discharge should be reported.

Stressed or dead vegetation in areas where you would expect healthy vegetation could be an indication of an illicit discharge. Discharges of chemicals can cause vegetation to become stressed or die. 

During daily field activities, you may come across an orange-brown growth in pipes, outfalls, and streams. It can appear as an orange, brown, red, yellow or grayish gelatinous slime, a stain, or as a “feathery” filamentous growth. There might also be a rainbow sheen to it. While unsightly, this growth is from iron-oxidizing bacteria, which are naturally-occurring in the soil and oxidize dissolved iron or manganese found in groundwater.

The presence of iron bacteria does not indicate an illicit discharge.

• Lawn Irrigation
• Footing Drains
• Sump Pump
• Air Conditioner Condensate
• Discharges from Potable Water Sources
• Dechlorinated Pool Discharges
• Springs, Rising Groundwater
• Diverted Streams, Flows from Wetlands

*While residential car washing is allowed, all VDOT equipment must be washed in approved locations like a wash pad or wash bay. 

*Discharges from accidents are of concern, but VDOT's MS4 permit doesn't require tracking and reporting of these as they are discrete occurrences that ca't be totally eliminated

Check back soon for an easy way to report Illicit Discharges - our application is still under development. 

For now, if you believe that you have observed an illicit discharge entering or leaving VDOT’s storm sewer system please email reports to IDDEReports@VDOT.Virginia.gov.

If you would like to further explore or download this outfalls dataset, use VDOT's Open Data page below, or  click here to open the webpage in a new Tab . 

For more detailed information regarding VDOT's IDDE Program, or illicit discharges in general, please see the links below:

 VDOT's Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program Manual 

 VDOT's Illicit Discharge Detection and Evaluation Field Guide 

Municipalities are required to address stormwater runoff from new development and redevelopment that disturb one more acres of land. The goal of this measure is to try to manage stormwater where it falls and retain it on site. This control measure encourages the use of low impact design techniques and requires the retention of treatment of runoff on site using green infrastructure practices, or BMPs (Best Management Practice). 

BMPs are designed to reduce stormwater volume, peak flows, and/or nonpoint source pollution through evapotranspiration, infiltration, detention, and filtration or biological and chemical actions. 

Stormwater BMPs can be classified as "structural" (i.e., devices installed or constructed on a site) or "non-structural" (procedures, such as modified landscaping practices and nutrient credit trading): 

Non structural BMPs include practices such as modified landscapes that either slow the water flow from entering waterways or in some way filter the water before entering streams and rivers. 

If you would like to further explore or download this BMP dataset, use VDOT's Open Data page below, or  click here to open the webpage in a new tab .

 VDOT Drainage Manual 

Part II B and Part II C BMP Design Manual of Practices

 https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/doing-business/technical-guidance-and-support/technical-guidance-documents/drainage-manual/ 

MCM6 revolves around Best Management Practices (BMPs) implemented at VDOT facilities to prevent potential pollutants from mobilizing in stormwater. VDOT’s Facility Good Housekeeping and Pollution Prevention Guide (aka The Guide) outlines BMPs for potential pollutants used or stored at VDOT facilities. Additionally, certain facilities within the Census Urban Areas are designated as high-priority. High-priority facilities are those with a greater potential to discharge pollutants, such as:

• Composting Facilities
• Equipment Storage and Maintenance Facilities
• Salt Storage Facilities, and
• Pesticide and Materials Storage Yards

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) have been developed for each VDOT high-priority facility. SWPPPs reference all relevant BMPs from the Guide, but include additional requirements such as monthly inspections and training of facility personnel to ensure all BMPs are maintained and functioning. For more information see the  EPA webpage  or the  VDOT Program Plan 

As part of the MS4 permit, VDOT meets with medium and large Phase 1 MS4 localities including:

• Arlington County
• Chesterfield County
• Fairfax County
• Henrico County
• Prince William County
• City of Chesapeake
• City of Hampton
• City of Newport News
• City of Norfolk
• City of Portsmouth
• City of Virginia Beach.

Part of the coordination effort is related to mapping. VDOT hosts and maintains a variety of mapping data on an Open Data Portal called Virginia Roads.

 https://www.virginiaroads.org/ 

The Virginia Roads portal was developed to provide user friendly access for exploring and downloading data. The ESRI ArcGIS Online format is used and is open and available to localities and the public.

Among the many datasets, two noteworthy include:

1) Virginia Roadway Centerlines: The Linear Referencing System (LRS) User Guide describes roadway naming conventions, how the centerline dataset is developed and updated, and much more. The Responsibility Master Route layer displays the entity responsible for maintenance of a particular section. Finally, the dataset itself is available under “Products” and “Formats”.

Check out the LRS Release User Guide Storymap  here , as seen in the image below

2)  GIS Clearinghouse : A compilation of Local Government GIS Datasets across the Commonwealth that may be useful to a wide audience including Designers and the public:

Browse all the ArcGIS Online Instances Across The Commonwealth  here , or below in this live link to the GIS Clearinghouse!

As part of the MS4 Individual Permit, VDOT has two Special Conditions associated with Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL). These include for the Chesapeake Bay and for other Local TMDLs. VDOT outlines actions completed in its Annual Report as well as actions planned in the different TMDL Action Plans.

This map shows the current local Nutrient TMDL watershed areas across the state (map does not show the Chesapeake Bay TMDL boundary):

Access the  Chesapeake Bay TMDL website  to learn more!