Caddo Parish, LA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Code of Ordinances Chapter 46
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Public Works director
- Civil penalty
- $500.00 per day, per violation
- Correction window
- 21 days after notice of violation
- Appeal deadline
- 20 days to parish commission
- Coverage
- Unincorporated parish only, not Shreveport/Vivian
Summary
Caddo Parish bans any non-stormwater discharge into its storm drainage system across unincorporated areas, with the Department of Public Works enforcing through inspections, stop-work orders and a $500-per-day civil penalty for violations under Chapter 46.
No person shall introduce or cause to be introduced into the parish's storm drainage system any discharge that is not composed entirely of stormwater, except for discharges within any of the following classes: (1)Discharges that are authorized by an NPDES or LPDES permit other than the LPDES permit for discharges from the parish's storm drainage system;(2)Discharges resulting from firefighting;(3)Agricultural stormwater runoff; and(4)Discharges of flows from water line flushing, landscape irrigation, diverted stream flows, rising groundwaters, uncontaminated pumped ground infiltration to the parish's storm drainage system, uncontaminated pumped groundwater, discharges from potable water sources, foundation drains, air conditioning condensation, irrigation water, springs, water from crawl space pumps, footing drains, lawn watering, individual residential car washing, flows from riparian habitats and wetlands, and street washwater unless any such discharge or flow is determined by the parish to be a significant source of pollutants to the storm drainage system or waters of the United States.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 2).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 46 of the Caddo Parish Code of Ordinances governs stormwater management for the unincorporated parish, expressly excluding the incorporated City of Shreveport, the Cross Lake Watershed, and the Town of Vivian, each of which regulates its own drainage separately (§ 46-1). The Director of the Department of Public Works administers the chapter and may enter any premises discharging stormwater to inspect, sample, or require monitoring equipment, and can seek a search warrant if access is refused (§ 46-3, § 46-30). Article II bars introducing anything but stormwater into the parish's storm drains, with narrow carve-outs for firefighting flows, agricultural runoff, and clean sources like foundation drains or landscape irrigation unless the parish finds them a significant pollutant source (§ 46-27).
A separate section flatly prohibits dumping used motor oil, industrial waste, septic sewage, garbage, pesticides, or untreated washwater from car washes and truck stops into the storm system (§ 46-28), and no sanitary sewer line may ever tie into the storm drainage system (§ 46-29). Major developments, defined as one acre or more of land disturbance, must apply water-quality best management practices sized to treat the six-month, 24-hour design storm and must analyze downstream water-quality impacts at least a quarter mile below the project (§ 46-31, § 46-33).
The parish commission may grant a variance only after a public hearing and only if the applicant shows the variance produces equivalent environmental protection (§ 46-4).
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 46 is declared a public nuisance; the parish may issue stop-work orders, revoke permits, or seek injunctive relief (§ 46-62). A notice of violation gives the responsible party 21 days to correct the problem, after which a cumulative civil penalty of $500.00 per day accrues for each day the violation continues (§ 46-66, § 46-68). Violators may also be billed for the parish's investigation costs, including certified lab analysis (§ 46-70), and can appeal a director's determination to the parish commission within 20 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Caddo Parish's stormwater ordinance apply inside Shreveport?
What can't be dumped into a Caddo Parish storm drain?
How much is the penalty for a stormwater violation in Caddo Parish?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Caddo Parish
Compare Caddo Parish to another location·View the Louisiana environmental rules overview
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