UFC 3-210-10
25 October 2004
CHAPTER 3
WATER RESOURCE PROBLEMS, ISSUES, AND CHALLENGES
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INTRODUCTION. Stormwater management efforts at DoD facilities will have
a higher value when the design objectives involve not only the control of runoff at the
drainage area outlet but also on-site water conservation, strategic conveyance of runoff,
pollution prevention, stormwater treatment, and habitat preservation. DoD facility staff,
however, currently face several significant challenges when pursuing these objectives
because they must simultaneously consider mission, environmental, facility and
budgetary goals. In many instances, LID can benefit several of these goals at the same
time. For instance, LID can help to reduce expenditures on piped or channelized
conveyance systems and large retention basins, because a fundamental LID technique
is to provide storage and treatment on-site before runoff builds up in significant
quantities. The following sections present the key issues and challenges associated
with implementing LID on DoD facilities.
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COASTAL ZONE ISSUES. Coastal zone issues are of particular concern for
the DoD. DoD facilities located on the coast or along major water bodies often receive
increased public and regulatory scrutiny. The primary stormwater management
challenge facing DoD facility managers is minimizing uncontrolled runoff from industrial
operations (e.g., ship maintenance operations and fueling areas) and from impervious
areas (e.g., cantonment areas, docks, parking lots). Retrofitting a site using
strategically placed LID components will enable DoD to conduct operations on a
landscape that is less detrimental to water quality.
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REGULATORY COMPLIANCE. This section lists the major federal laws
concerning stormwater management and natural resource conservation at DoD
facilities, and how implementing LID can help reduce the burdens associated with
complying with these regulations.
3-3.1
Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act (CWA) is the primary Federal law
concerned with protecting the quality of the nation's waters. The major CWA programs
pertaining to stormwater management are:
3-3.1.1 Section 303. Total Maximum Daily Loads. Section 303 of the CWA
requires states, territories, and authorized tribes to develop lists of impaired waters and
establish total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) allowable for these waters. States use the
TMDL process to allocate pollutant loadings among pollution sources in a watershed
and to provide a basis for establishing controls to reduce both point and non-point
source pollutant loadings. LID can be used to help states meet TMDL targets in
designated watersheds.
3-3.1.2 Section 311. Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure
releases, providing EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard with the authority to establish a
program for preventing, preparing for, and responding to oil spills that occur in navigable
waters of the United States. EPA requires that certain facilities develop and implement
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