Jefferson County, AL Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Jefferson County and Birmingham operate as Phase I MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) permittees under EPA's NPDES stormwater program administered by Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) under Ala. Admin. Code 335-6-12. Each jurisdiction maintains a Stormwater Management Program with six minimum control measures: public education, public participation, illicit discharge detection, construction site runoff control, post-construction stormwater management, and pollution prevention. Construction sites disturbing 1 acre or more require ADEM NPDES General Permit ALR10 coverage with Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). Village Creek (Pratt City, Ensley, northwest Birmingham) has long faced industrial legacy contamination and frequent flooding. Valley Creek flows through Homewood, Bessemer, and industrial areas. Five Mile Creek in north Birmingham faces similar challenges. The Cahaba River Basin (Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Trussville) drains to the Cahaba, a designated national wild and scenic river with extensive biodiversity requiring enhanced protection under ADEM Clean Water Act §303(d) listings. Birmingham Land Development Ordinance Chapter 6 and Jefferson County Stormwater Management Program govern post-construction. Karst geology (limestone sinkholes) across much of the county complicates stormwater design, particularly around Trussville, Irondale, and Leeds. Low-impact development (LID) including rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavers is encouraged.