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Stormwater Management & SWPPP Compliance in Sacramento County

Protect downstream waterways, pass your inspections, and keep your project moving with professional stormwater management from Northern California's erosion control specialists.

NorCal Erosion Control installs and maintains a full suite of stormwater management Best Management Practices (BMPs) designed to keep your site compliant through every inspection and every storm event. Our crews are experienced with California’s stringent stormwater regulations and work directly alongside your Qualified SWPPP Practitioner (QSP) and Qualified SWPPP Developer (QSD) to make sure your physical controls match your plan on paper.
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Understanding SWPPP Requirements in California

California’s Construction General Permit (CGP), administered by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), requires any construction project that disturbs one or more acres of land to obtain permit coverage and develop a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).

All potential sources of pollution on your site

The Best Management Practices (BMPs) you will implement to prevent those pollutants from reaching storm drains or waterways

An inspection schedule and corrective action protocol

The SWPPP is the plan. NorCal Erosion Control installs the physical BMPs that make that plan a reality on the ground and keeps them functioning through the rainy season so your site passes every inspection.

Our Stormwater Management Services

Inlet Protection

We install and maintain a full range of storm drain inlet protection devices including sediment bags, filter fabric barriers, block-and-gravel protection, and inlet inserts to prevent sediment-laden runoff from entering the storm drain system during and after rain events. Inlet protection is one of the most frequently cited BMP deficiencies during SWPPP inspections in Sacramento County.

Silt Fence Installation & Removal

We install perimeter silt fencing along property boundaries, drainage flow paths, and the downslope edges of disturbed soil areas to intercept and filter sheet flow runoff. Proper silt fence installation including trench-buried toe and appropriately spaced posts is critical for the BMP to perform under heavy rain. We also handle complete removal and disposal once the site has been stabilized.

Fiber Rolls & Wattles

Fiber rolls installed on contour across slopes and along the perimeter of disturbed areas slow runoff velocity, encourage sediment deposition, and protect the toe of slopes from erosion. We install biodegradable coconut, straw, or wood fiber rolls depending on site conditions and project specifications.

Sediment Basins & Traps

For larger construction sites with significant disturbed acreage, we design and install sediment basins and sediment traps to capture and settle suspended solids from runoff before discharge. These structures are engineered to handle the site's peak stormwater flow and sized per California CGP requirements.

Check Dam Construction

Check dams installed in drainage channels and swales slow stormwater velocity, prevent channel erosion, and capture sediment upstream of the dam structure. We build check dams from rock, fiber rolls, or other approved materials depending on the channel's flow volume and slope.

Stormwater Diversion Berms

We construct berms and diversion channels to redirect runoff away from active work areas or toward controlled sediment capture points preventing uncontrolled flow paths from forming during storm events.

Construction Site Perimeter Controls

We design and install complete perimeter BMP systems that integrate silt fencing, fiber rolls, inlet protection, and diversion berms into a unified stormwater control strategy for your specific site layout and grading plan.

Rainy Season Mobilization & Emergency Response

Sacramento’s rainy season (November through March) is when stormwater controls matter most and when under-maintained BMPs fail. NorCal Erosion Control provides:

Pre-Storm Inspection & BMP Reinforcement

Before each forecasted rain event, we can inspect your site, reinforce damaged or degraded BMPs, and install additional controls at newly exposed or high-risk areas identified since the last inspection.

Post-Storm Site Assessment

After significant rain events, we assess your site for BMP failures, new erosion channels, inlet compromises, and sediment accumulation requiring removal. We document all findings and corrective actions taken — exactly what your QSP needs for the next inspection report.

Emergency BMP Installation

If your site receives an inspection deficiency notice or a stop-work order related to stormwater controls, we can mobilize within 24 hours to install corrective BMPs and get your project back into compliance quickly.

Who We Work With

01

General Contractors & Developers

We serve as the field BMP installation and maintenance partner for construction projects of all sizes from single-family custom home sites to large commercial developments in Sacramento, Placer, and El Dorado counties.

02

QSPs and QSDs

If you're a Qualified SWPPP Practitioner managing multiple sites, NorCal Erosion Control provides reliable BMP installation crews that follow your plan specifications precisely with photo documentation you can use directly in your inspection reports.

03

Municipal & Public Works Projects

We have experience working on public infrastructure projects with Department of Fish and Wildlife permit requirements, Section 401/404 coordination, and additional stormwater controls required by public agency contracts.

Don't Let the Next Storm Shut Down Your Project

SWPPP inspection failures cost more than the BMP installation ever would. Get your site’s stormwater controls installed and maintained by Northern California’s most experienced erosion control crew before the rain hits.
(833)-315-5099
Schedule A Quote
Licensed & Insured — Sacramento County & Placer County, CA

Frequently Asked Questions About Stormwater Management

If your project disturbs one or more acres of land including grading, clearing, excavation, or demolition you are required to obtain coverage under California’s Construction General Permit (CGP) and develop a SWPPP before breaking ground. Projects under one acre may still require a SWPPP if they are part of a larger common plan of development. Your project engineer or QSD can confirm your exact threshold. The consequences for starting without permit coverage include significant fines and a mandatory stop-work order from the Regional Water Quality Control Board.
A Qualified SWPPP Developer (QSD) is a certified professional who writes and develops your SWPPP document and the plan itself. A Qualified SWPPP Practitioner (QSP) is the person who conducts site inspections, implements the BMPs on the ground, and files your inspection reports during construction. Larger projects often have separate individuals filling each role. NorCal Erosion Control installs and maintains the physical BMPs required by your SWPPP. We work under the direction of your QSP to ensure field conditions match what your plan requires.
We install the full range of approved inlet protection methods specified in the California Stormwater BMP Handbook: sediment filter bags, block-and-gravel filters, fiber roll barriers, drain inlet inserts, and fabric drop inlet protection. The right method depends on your drain type, drainage area, and expected flow volume. We match our installation to your SWPPP specification and photograph every installed device for your inspection documentation file.
Under California’s CGP, your QSP is required to inspect your site before a predicted rain event, within 48 hours after a rain event of 0.5 inches or more, and at least once every two weeks during the rainy season. BMPs that are damaged, full of sediment, or have been displaced must be repaired or replaced within 72 hours. NorCal Erosion Control can serve as your field BMP maintenance crew throughout the rainy season mobilizing on your QSP’s inspection schedule to keep controls functioning and documented.
A stormwater stop-work order means all construction activity must cease until the Regional Water Quality Control Board determines that your site is back in compliance. The clock moves fast and so do the penalties. The first step is corrective BMP installation or reinforcement. We can mobilize within 24 hours to install emergency controls, generate photo documentation of corrective actions taken, and prepare the field evidence your QSP needs to file for a compliance determination with the RWQCB. Every day of delay on a stop-work order adds schedule and cost to your project.
You can but improperly installed silt fencing is one of the leading causes of SWPPP inspection failures in Sacramento County. Common errors include skipping the toe trench (which allows water to flow under the fence), inadequate post spacing, using the wrong fabric weight for the expected flow, and installing on the wrong side of the flow path. An SMAQMD or RWQCB inspector knows exactly what to look for. A failed inspection carries far more cost than a professional installation from the start.
A check dam is a small barrier constructed across a drainage channel or swale to slow water velocity, reduce channel erosion, and capture sediment upstream. They are required on your site when drainage channels or concentrated flow paths exist on disturbed ground with significant grade. Check dams are typically specified by your QSD in the SWPPP and are inspected during every rain event visited by your QSP. We build check dams from rock, fiber rolls, or sandbags depending on flow volume and site conditions.
Yes. At project completion, your SWPPP requires formal site close-out, including verification that all disturbed areas have been permanently stabilized with vegetation or hardscape and that all temporary BMPs have been removed. We handle the physical removal and disposal of silt fencing, fiber rolls, inlet protection devices, and sediment trap materials and provide documentation that close-out BMPs were removed in accordance with your SWPPP close-out checklist.
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