When stormwater drains off a construction site, it carries sediment and other pollutants that harm lakes, streams and wetlands. According to the 1996 National Water Quality Inventory, stormwater runoff is a leading source of water pollution. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 20 to 150 tons of soil per acre are lost every year to stormwater runoff from construction sites.
Controlling erosion can significantly reduce the amount of sedimentation and other pollutants transported by runoff from construction sites. To keep Minnesota’s valuable water resources clean the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) issues permits to construction site owners and their operators to prevent stormwater pollution during and after construction.
This page provides links to pages that address topics related to construction stormwater.
Construction Stormwater permit
- 2023 permit
- Construction stormwater permit overview and permit application
- Construction stormwater permit and program forms
- Construction stormwater permit general information
Previous Construction Stormwater General permits
- 2018 permit - File:Wq-strm2-80a.pdf
- 2013 permit - File:Wq-strm2-68a.pdf
- 2008 permit - File:CSW permit 2008 wq-strm2-51.pdf
- 2003 permit - File:CSW permit 2003 wq-strm2-51a.pdf
- 1998 permit - File:CSW permit 1998 sw-cpermit.pdf
Compliance guidance
- Construction stormwater best management practice – Homeowner fact sheet
- Stormwater Compliance Assistance Toolkit for Small Construction Operators
- Stormwater Construction Inspection Guide
- Stormwater Construction Inspector's Field Guide
- Construction Stormwater Inspection Checklist
Guidance, tools, and resources for construction stormwater
- Who needs a Construction Stormwater Permit?
- Construction Stormwater Permit timelines
- Construction stormwater permit fact sheets
- Planning, scheduling, and sequencing for construction
Best Management Practices
- Erosion prevention practices - Links to a page that provides a portal to information on individual erosion prevention practices.
- Sediment control practices - Links to a page that provides a portal to information on individual sediment control practices.
- Construction practices to minimize sediment discharge
- Winter construction practices for site stabilization, erosion prevention and sediment control
- General principles for erosion prevention and sediment control at construction sites in Minnesota
- 10 Steps to Stormwater Pollution Prevention on Small Residential Construction Sites
Other links
- Construction stormwater photo gallery
- Alleviating compaction from construction activities
- Links for construction stormwater
- Definitions and terminology for construction stormwater
- Construction stormwater technical support documents for manual updates
- Construction Program FAQ
- Information on soil
Construction Stormwater Permit Application
Click here to log into the e-Services then once logged in, click on Construction Stormwater General Permit Application
Visa, Master cards or checks are accepted for the $400 fee payment.
Construction stormwater permit application - FAQ
Special Waters and Impaired Waters
Information: When searching for special or impaired waters, we recommend using the Construction Stormwater Special Waters Search tool (see link below). Mapping layers in this tool include Special Waters, Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMAs), location of active construction sites, Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) areas, and Environmental Justice areas.
Construction Stormwater Special Waters Search tool link
NPDES/SDS permits for construction sites near specially-protected and impaired waters require additional controls, conditions or an individual permit:
- Sites that discharge near waters with qualities that warrant extra protection (special waters) must use additional best management practices and enhanced runoff controls (Permit items 23.3-23.6)
- Sites within one mile (aerial radius measurement) of and that discharge to a water impaired for phosphorus, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and biotic impairment, must meet special conditions (Permit item 23.7). There are no additional requirements for waters impaired for other pollutants.
- Sites that discharge to calcareous fens, need a letter of approval from the Department of Natural Resources.
The MPCA has several documents and an interactive map called Special Waters Search to help project planners identify those waters near their site that may require extra protections or an individual permit. The specific requirements are outlined in the General Stormwater Permit.
- Known Calcareous Fens List. For access to maps and a shapefile, see Calcareous Fens - Source Feature Points.
- General Information about Impaired Waters and the Current TMDL List of Impaired Waters
- Special and Impaired Waters Search: This is an electronic map tool using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. Find the construction site location, draw the site boundaries and create a list of special waters.