Stormwater Management Program

The Stormwater Management Plan, also referred to as a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) was developed by the Town of Cave Creek (Town) to describe the activities and measures implemented in meeting the terms and conditions of the General Permit AZG2021-002 for Stormwater Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) as required by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES). The MS4 Permit was issued by ADEQ effective on September 30th, 2021, and expires on September 29th, 2026.

The SWMP is the principal document that outlines the policies and procedures the Town implements to minimize pollutants in stormwater discharges, including Best Management Practices (BMPs) and pollutant controls established by the Town to comply with the requirements of the MS4 Permit. The Town is authorized to discharge stormwater from MS4 outfalls to waters on the protected surface water list, including discharges to waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) and non-WOTUS protected surface waters.

The overall goal of this program is to reduce the negative impacts of urban runoff to stormwater and to project receiving water bodies from the negative impacts of pollution. To achieve this goal, the SWMP addresses the six (6) Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) to the Maximum Extent Practical (MEP) to protect water quality, and to satisfy water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act (CWA) 33 U.S.C §§ 1251:

• Public Education and Outreach
• Public Involvement and Participation
• Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program (IDDE)
• Construction Activity Stormwater Runoff Control
• Post-Construction Stormwater Management in New Development and Redevelopment
• Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations

The SWMP complies with the requirements specified in Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Chapter 40 Part 122.32, incorporated by reference in Arizona Administrative Code (AAC) R18-9-A902 and A905 and provisions of the Arizona Revised Statues (ARS), Title 49, Chapter 2, Article 3.1. The SWMP has been prepared to meet the requirements identified in the MS4 Permit and is certified according to Section 9.9. The SWMP is reviewed annually and modified or revised as needed. 

Important Links

• General Permit AZG2021-002 for Stormwater Discharges from MS4s
• Stormwater Management Program (SWMP)
• Enforcement Response Plan (ERP)
• Town Code Chapter 54: Stormwater Quality Management and Discharge Control
• AZPDES Small MS4 Annual Report

As of July 1st, 2023, the Town of Cave Creek is a proud member municipal member of STORM.

STORM is a regional non-profit organization promoting stormwater quality education within the greater Phoenix area. STORM was founded in 2002, in response to federal regulations requiring certain municipalities to implement measures to educate the public on ways to protect the quality of stormwater runoff. STORM uses a multimedia approach targeting audiences through radio, television, special events, and providing permit information to the general public and the regulated community.

Find out more about municipal outreach and events at http://www.azstorm.org.

To Learn More About Stormwater:

• Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP)
• Construction BMPs: Protecting Your Job Site from Rain
• Construction Activities: Stormwater Pollution Prevention Brochure
• Stormwater in the Desert Activity Book