Stormwater Management Program

In 1972, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Clean Water Act (CWA) to regulate the discharge of pollutants in rivers, lakes, streams, estuaries and other bodies of water in the U.S. In 1987, the CWA was amended to include regulations for discharges of pollutants into stormwater. The EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System's (NPDES) permit program controls these discharges. The NPDES program requires a permit for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s).

Under the general permit, the City of Hesperia is required to develop a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP). The purpose of the SWMP is to keep the Mojave River and local lakes clean to the maximum extent, practicable by reducing stormwater and non-stormwater runoff and preventing pollutants from flowing to the river and lakes.

Pollutants carried in stormwater runoff have the potential to contaminate the underground aquiphers, which are the source of our drinking water, as well as cause harm to wildlife and citizen recreational areas. Some of the pollutants that contaminate stormwater, the river, lakes and drinking water include:

Sediment Non-sediment solids Nutrients Pathogens Oxygen-demanding substances	Petroleum products Heavy metals Pesticides Herbicides Trash

The City Stormwater Management Program Information Packet, prepared in conjunction with the City of Victorville, Town of Apple Valley and the County of San Bernardino, is available for download.

For more stormwater information, visit the Mojave River Water Shed Group website. To report illegal dumping call (760) 947-1343.