Sediment and Stormwater

The DNREC Sediment and Stormwater Management Program operates within the Division of Watershed Stewardship’s Conservation Programs Section. The program employs a comprehensive approach to sediment control (both during and after construction) and stormwater management that includes monitoring of stormwater quantity and water quality control.

Notice: The Sediment and Stormwater Program has released a revised regulatory guidance document for public review.

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The Sediment and Stormwater Program was created by the Delaware General Assembly in 1978 (7 Del. Code, Chapter 40, Erosion and Sedimentation Control). It oversees activities governed by Delaware’s Sediment and Stormwater Regulations (7 DE Admin. Code 5101).

Program responsibilities include:

Sediment control and inspection during construction
Post-construction inspection of permanent stormwater facilities
Stormwater quantity and water quality control
Education/training relating to stormwater

For more information, please contact the Sediment and Stormwater Program at 302-608-5458.

Revised Regulatory Guidance Document

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Division of Watershed Stewardship Sediment and Stormwater Program has released a revised regulatory guidance document for public review. This document supports Regulation No. 5101, Sediment and Stormwater Regulations (DSSR), as set forth at 7 Del.C. §4006(h) and (i).

The revised regulatory guidance document and a brief description of changes follows:

DURMM v 2.6 – General updates to address omissions in underlying formulas, including:
- LOD Tab, Step 2.1 to reference the impervious percentage in 1.4.b.
- RPv Tab, BMP #2 Steps 3.7, 4.3, 5.4, to ensure the crediting and release rate calculations are appropriate.
- Report Tab, Row 40 to ensure BMP #2 reports credits appropriately.
- TMDL Tab, Step 4.1 for the C&D Canal East TSS Value.

Supporting information relevant to these revisions is published in a special notice (Aug. 17, 2026) on the Sediment and Stormwater Newsletter.

The proposed revised regulatory guidance document is published in the September 2026 issue of the Delaware Register of Regulations.

A public hearing will not be held unless the DNREC Secretary receives a meritorious request for a hearing by September 16, 2026. A request for a public hearing shall be in writing and show familiarity with the regulatory guidance document and provide a reasoned statement of the regulatory guidance document’s probable impact.

Questions regarding the revised regulatory guidance document may be directed to Bonnie Arvay, bonnie.arvay@delaware.gov.

Delegated Agencies

There are delegated agencies in all three Delaware counties, and in several municipalities who perform sediment and stormwater services including plan review, construction inspection, and maintenance inspection.

NPDES Construction General Permits

Delaware’s Regulations Governing the Control of Water Pollution provide for a general permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) for controlling stormwater discharges from construction sites.

For permit coverage, construction activities with land disturbing activities of 1 acre or more must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) prior to plan approval and agree to comply with requirements outlined in the NPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activity, also known as the Delaware Construction General Permit or CGP. Permit coverage is required until conditions of terminating permit coverage are met.

General Permit and Regulations

Delaware Construction General Permit (Effective March 11, 2026)

Fact Sheet for the Delaware Construction General Permit

Special Conditions for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities (7 DE Admin. Code 7201 Part 2)

Electronic Notice of Intent (eNOI)

The eNOI System is an online tool to review, submit or manage NOIs or NPDES construction permits.

eNOI User Guide

List of Notices of Intent

Regulatory Guidance Documents

The Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook provides background information on erosion and sedimentation, information on Delaware’s regulatory program and standards and specifications for erosion and sediment control. The standard details to be used on Sediment and Stormwater Plans are also available for download.

The Post Construction Stormwater BMP Standards and Specifications contains design guidelines, construction guidelines and maintenance recommendations for the various permanent Best Management Practices (BMPs) intended for both quality and quantity management of stormwater runoff.

The Standard Guidelines for Operation and Maintenance of Stormwater BMPs summarizes the maintenance items and frequency from the Post Construction Stormwater BMP Standards and Specifications into a single document. Maintenance review checklists for a selection of those practices are also included.