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Salt Lake County, UT Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
County Code §17.22.050
Design sign-off
Utah-licensed professional engineer's seal
Performance goal
Post-construction runoff at preconstruction levels
Exceptions
Waiver or county engineer exemption only
Enforcement path
Land disturbance permit and inspections, Part VI
Applies to
Unincorporated Salt Lake County development sites

Summary

Development sites in unincorporated Salt Lake County must meet the post-construction stormwater performance criteria in County Code §17.22.050 unless the county engineer grants a waiver or determines the site exempt. Storm drain designs connected to the county system need a Utah-licensed professional engineer's supervision and seal, and post-construction runoff must be brought back toward preconstruction levels.

City-specific rules exist: West Jordan, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, and West Valley City have their own stormwater management rules that differ from Salt Lake County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

General performance criteria for stormwater management. Unless a site is granted a waiver or determined by the county engineer to be exempt, the following post-construction performance criteria shall be addressed for stormwater management at all sites:1.The design of storm drain systems within the boundaries of or discharging into a county storm drain system shall be supervised by a Utah registered professional engineer, and shall carry the seal of the supervising professional engineer.

Source: Salt Lake County Flood Control and EngineeringView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 49).

Full Breakdown

§17.22.050 applies its performance criteria to all sites by default. The only exits are a waiver or a determination by the county engineer that the site is exempt, so an applicant cannot simply decide the criteria do not apply. Under subsection (B)(1), the design of any storm drain system within the boundaries of, or discharging into, a county storm drain system must be supervised by a Utah registered professional engineer and must carry that engineer's seal. A design without a licensed engineer's seal cannot be approved for anything that touches county drainage infrastructure.

Under subsection (B)(2), systems must control peak flow rates and reduce post-construction runoff back toward preconstruction levels, using pervious areas and infiltration where practical, with the county's adopted BMP manuals supplying the accepted design methods. Sites near sensitive resources such as cold-water fisheries or water supply reservoirs face added performance criteria beyond that baseline. The ordinance also directs applicants to consult the county engineer on design requirements before or during site design, not after plans are drawn, and subsection (C) bars runoff from one lot exceeding pre-existing rates onto a neighboring lot.

Violations & Fines

The chapter's core compliance standard sits in §17.22.050(C): runoff rates from one lot to another may not exceed pre-existing conditions. Enforcement runs through the county's land disturbance permit and inspection program under Part VI of the chapter rather than through a standalone penalty in this section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every project have to meet these stormwater criteria?
Yes, the criteria apply at all sites unless the project is granted a waiver or the county engineer determines it is exempt.
Who must design a stormwater system in Salt Lake County?
A Utah registered professional engineer must supervise the design of any storm drain system within or discharging into a county storm drain system, and the plans must carry that engineer's seal under §17.22.050(B)(1).
What performance level do new systems have to hit?
They must control peak discharge and reduce post-construction runoff back to preconstruction levels per §17.22.050(B)(2), following the county's adopted BMP manuals and using pervious areas and infiltration where practical.
Are some sites held to stricter standards?
Yes. Sites near sensitive resources like cold-water fisheries or water supply reservoirs face added performance criteria.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Salt Lake County

All Salt Lake County rules

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