Boone County, IN Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Boone County Code Chapter 53, the Stormwater Management ordinance adopted by Ord. 2023-02 in January 2023, regulates how stormwater moves through the county's drainage system. Section 53.021 sets the core prohibition: no person may discharge anything other than stormwater or an exempted discharge into an MS4 conveyance, watercourse or waterbody, and anyone discharging stormwater itself must use best management practices to minimize the pollutants that travel with it. The Boone County Drainage Board and the Boone County Surveyor jointly administer the chapter and can require a specific discharger to adopt pollution-prevention measures beyond the baseline rule.

Section 53.022 exempts a long list of low-risk flows from the ban, including residential car washing, uncontaminated pumped groundwater, fire suppression water, dechlorinated swimming pool discharges and footing or foundation drains, so the prohibition targets contaminated or unauthorized discharges rather than routine household water use. Section 53.024 places a separate maintenance duty on any property owner whose land includes a watercourse: the owner or lessee must keep that stretch free of trash, debris and excessive vegetation and maintain any structure near it so it does not become a hazard to the watercourse's flow or integrity.

Enforcement runs through Section 53.999: a violation of any provision in the chapter is a civil infraction carrying a maximum fine of $5,000 for a first offense and $10,000 for a subsequent offense, plus costs, damages and expenses, with each day of a continuing violation counted separately. The Drainage Board may also substitute compensatory action, such as storm drain stenciling or a compliance workshop, in place of a fine.