Shasta County, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited
- Any pollutant discharge to storm drains (Sec. 18.10.090(A))
- Exempted
- NPDES-permitted & listed discharges (Sec. 18.10.100)
- Enforcement
- Resource Management / Public Works Director
- Cease-and-desist
- Immediate order for threats to receiving waters
- Default penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine/1 yr jail (Sec. 1.08.020(B))
- Reimbursement
- County recovers regional board fines from violator
Summary
Shasta County Code Section 18.10.090 makes it unlawful to discharge any pollutant, any non-storm water, or any storm water violating a permit limit into the county's storm drains, ditches, or channels that feed local creeks and rivers. The Resource Management and Public Works departments enforce the ban under the county's federal Clean Water Act permit, with cease-and-desist power for immediate threats.
It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge, or cause to be discharged to the county storm water conveyance system or to receiving waters: A.Any pollutant;B.Any non-storm water discharge, except as provided in Section 18.10.100;C.Any storm water discharge which results in, or contributes to a violation of a receiving water limitation or a violation of an NPDES permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code: Supplement 22).
Full Breakdown
10 of the Shasta County Code, adopted by Ordinance No. 2016-03 in 2016, implements the county's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, MS4 Permit No. CAS000004, for its storm drain system. 020 to include paint, sediment, automotive fluids, pesticides, fertilizers, and construction wastes discharged to the "county storm water conveyance system," meaning county roads, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, and storm drains that carry runoff to creeks and rivers. 100 exempts narrow categories, including water line flushing, individual residential car washing, footing and foundation drains, air conditioning condensation, and dechlorinated swimming pool water, so long as the discharge doesn't violate a receiving water limitation.
230, may enter and inspect any property to check compliance. 300 lets the county recover from the violator any fine the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board imposes on the county because of that person's discharge.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 18.10.290, the director can order an immediate cease and desist for any discharge that threatens human or aquatic life, the storm system, or receiving waters, and can abate the violation and bill the violator if the order isn't obeyed. Because Chapter 18.10 defers to Chapter 1.08, a first discharge violation is an infraction, but a third violation of the same provision within 12 months becomes a misdemeanor punishable under Section 1.08.020(B) by up to $1,000 and a year in county jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as an illegal storm water discharge in Shasta County?
Are any discharges allowed into storm drains?
What can the county do if I violate the storm water ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shasta County
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