The purpose of this draft guide is to assist EPA, states and local governments in developing new or improving existing long-term stormwater plans that inform stormwater management implemented by communities on the ground. The document describes how to develop a comprehensive long-term community stormwater plan that integrates stormwater management with communities’ broader plans for economic development, infrastructure investment and environmental compliance. Through this approach, communities can prioritize actions related to stormwater management as part of capital improvement plans, integrated plans, master plans or other planning efforts. Early and effective stormwater planning and management by communities as they develop will provide significant long-term cost savings while supporting resilience, economic growth and quality of life.

EPA considers this guide a draft that will be supplemented with an integrated online tool to assist communities in implementing the planning process, piloted through community-based technical assistance efforts and updated over time with feedback from users. If you would like to provide feedback on this draft, please send to Piziali.Jamie@epa.gov by March 31, 2017.

• Community Solutions for Stormwater Management: A Guide for Voluntary Long-Term Planning - Draft (PDF)(16 pp, 2 MB, October 2016)
• Memorandum - Community Solutions for Stormwater Management: A Guide for Voluntary Long-Term Planning (PDF)(2 pp, 164 K, October 2016)