1. Policies and Procedures
  2. Storm Water Management

Storm Water Management

Goal: To prevent contaminants from entering surface water and storm water collection systems.

  • No work can be done in a wetland resource area including riverfront protection areas and wetland buffer zones without prior approval from the Facilities Management (FM) resource protection area coordinator. Each College vehicle will carry a copy of the protection area map, and each site work contractor will be given a copy of the map before commencing work.
  • All site work disturbing more than 1 acre requires a Storm Water Permit. All permitting is coordinated by the FM resource protection area coordinator.
  • Coordinate work to minimize exposed soil.
  • Cover all excavated soil at the end of each work day and during rain or threatened rain events until it is reused or removed from the site.
  • Install and maintain silt fences around all areas with exposed soil. Alternative methods must be approved by the FM resource protection area coordinator.
  • Install and maintain a “sock” in every catch basin in the vicinity of a site work project.
  • Inspect silt fences and catch basin inserts at least weekly and after each rain event keeping a log of inspections.
  • Avoid placing soil piles on paved surfaces.
  • Divert rainwater around soil piles on pavement (e.g. sandbag the upslope side of the soil pile).
  • Hydroseed, or soil tackify as soon as possible on all sloped exposed soil areas.
  • Filter any water pumped from an excavation before discharge to a catch basin.
  • Maintain on-site a spill clean-up kit that includes several bags of absorbent and a temporary catch basin cover.
  • All hazardous material releases, including oil, must be reported immediately to Facilities Management at ext. 2012 or after hours to Campus Police at 1911 (cell phone or off-campus: 413-538-2304).
  • Any costs incurred by the College associated with spills will be charged back to the responsible contractor.
  • Place a tarp under all generators and compressors to catch any petroleum release. Any released material must be absorbed and disposed of as hazardous waste.
  • Remove all vehicles and equipment from wetland resource areas, including riverfront areas and wetland buffer zones, at the end of every business day.
  • Design storm water collection systems to introduce storm water runoff back into the soil where soil conditions allow. If recharge is not feasible, divert runoff to storm water collection systems to prevent overland flow to water bodies.