Surprise, AZ Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

The City of Surprise is located in an urbanized area of Maricopa County and is a regulated Phase II Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) under the Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) program administered by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). Operators of construction sites that disturb one acre or more (or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan of development) must file a Notice of Intent (NOI) for coverage under the AZPDES Construction General Permit AZG2020-001 and develop a site-specific Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) before any earth-disturbing activity begins. The SWPPP must identify erosion controls (such as preserved vegetation, soil stabilization, and surface roughening) and sediment controls (such as silt fences, fiber rolls, inlet protection, and stabilized construction entrances) appropriate to the desert environment, plus a schedule of inspections, recordkeeping, and corrective action. At the city level, grading, drainage, and erosion-control design submittals are reviewed under Chapter 107 (Design and Engineering Requirements) of the Surprise Land Development Ordinance, which incorporates the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Standard Specifications and the Maricopa County Drainage Design Manual. The city's Stormwater Management Program also requires post-construction stormwater controls and prohibits illicit non-stormwater discharges to the city's storm drains and washes. Confirm current submittal requirements and disturbance thresholds with Surprise Development & Community Services and the Public Works Stormwater coordinator before mobilizing.