Watershed Protection and Stormwater Management
Statement of Responsibilities
The Watershed Protection & Stormwater Management Section administers, maintains, and enforces Guilford County’s Stormwater Program to help support responsible growth and development in our community. This program includes Water Supply Watershed Protection (WSWP), National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase 2 for post-construction stormwater control, protection of riparian buffers in the Jordan Lake and Randleman Lake Watersheds, public education & outreach, and annual inspections of Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs). These state and federally mandated programs help protect Guilford County’s nine (9) drinking water supply watersheds and non-water supply watershed areas. The Watershed Section is also responsible for floodplain management and permitting through the implementation of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). As an active member of the Guilford County Technical Review Committee (TRC), the Section collaborates with others in the Planning & Development Department and other Departments to review proposed site and subdivision development plans to help ensure compliance with local and state regulations.
For stormwater and floodplain questions in other jurisdictions, please contact these communities directly:
| Jurisdiction | Department | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| City of Greensboro | Water Resources | 336-373-2055 |
| City of High Point | Engineering Services | 336-883-3194 |
| Town of Gibsonville | Planning | 336-449-4144 |
| Town of Jamestown | Public Services | 336-454-1138 |
| Town of Oak Ridge | Town Hall | 336-644-7009 |
| Town of Summerfield | Planning | 336-643-8681 |
To help determine the jurisdiction of a property, you may go to the Guilford County's GIS Data Viewer, search or zoom to the property of interest, and turn on the jurisdictional boundary map layers by clicking “Map Layers” in upper left corner of the GIS Data Viewer and checking the boxes for the “City Limits Boundaries” and “Extra Territorial Jurisdictions” layers. This will help you determine the appropriate community to contact for your questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Watersheds are areas encompassed by nature’s boundaries in which the surface runoff flows to water supply reservoirs, by way of surface flow, streams, and creeks.
Watershed Critical Areas cover the most sensitive portion of the watershed adjacent to a water supply intake or reservoir where risk associated with pollution is greatest. The General Watershed Area covers the remainder of the watershed draining to the reservoir or intake.
Built-upon area is the portion of a property that is covered by impervious or partially impervious surface including buildings, pavement, gravel, and recreation facilities. To calculate built-upon area add the square footage of all surfaces covered by building, asphalt, gravel, concrete and divide by area of the tract of land.
Yes. Gravel is considered to be an impervious material.
Tiers are areas within the Watershed Critical area. Their distance from normal pool elevation of a reservoir determines each of the four tiers. Each tier has it’s own development standards.
Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs) are permanent structural devices that are designed, constructed, and maintained to remove pollutants from stormwater runoff.
Low-density expresses that development density or intensity that does not exceed certain limits established in the Water Supply Watershed Protection Rules. High-density development exceeds the limits, thereby requiring for engineered stormwater controls in conformance with the requirements of the Water Supply Watershed Protection Rules.
Maintenance of drainage easements is the responsibility of the property owner.
Stream buffers are natural or vegetated areas through which stormwater runoff flows in a diffuse manner so that the runoff does not become channelized and which provides for infiltration of the runoff and filtering of pollutants.
To find out if your property is located within a watershed please call Guilford County Planning and Development or view watershed map.
To help determine the jurisdiction of a property, you may go to the Guilford County's GIS Data Viewer, search or zoom to the property of interest, and turn on the jurisdictional boundary map layers by clicking “Map Layers” in upper left corner of the GIS Data Viewer and checking the boxes for the “City Limits Boundaries” and “Extra Territorial Jurisdictions” layers. This will help you determine the appropriate community to contact for your questions.
Water pollution hurts everybody. Sediment is one of the top three pollutants in the state. Reducing flooding problems is a by-product of water quality management.
No. Exceptions are made for minor encroachments such as driveways and utilities.
Floodplains are the flat or low areas adjacent to the channel of a river, stream, or watercourse, lake or other body of standing water, which has been or may be covered by floodwater.
Floodplain certificates for a home mortgage can be obtained by contacting a professional land surveyor. Many mortgage companies rely on national certification companies to determine floodplain location.