Free Guides
Stormwater and Erosion Control Guides
Plain-English guides to silt fence, erosion control methods and blankets, SWPPPs, NPDES and stormwater ponds.
- 12 free guides
- No sign-up
Silt Fence: How to Install, Inspect and Maintain It So It Actually Works
What silt fence is, step-by-step installation, typical specs, where it fails, and the one-half cleanout rule.
GuideErosion Control Methods: 15 Practices Compared, and Which Works Best Where
15 erosion control practices compared by best use, plus how to pick the right one for the slope and season.
GuideErosion Control Blankets and Matting: Types, Selection and Installation
Blanket types and lifespans, TRMs, choosing by slope and flow, slope and channel installation, wildlife-friendly netting.
GuideWhat Is a SWPPP? Meaning, Who Needs One, and What's Inside
What SWPPP stands for, who needs one, what's inside, who prepares it and how it's used day to day.
GuideWhat Is NPDES? NPDES Permits Explained in Plain English
What NPDES stands for, how permits work, individual vs. general permits, and who issues them.
GuideDetention Pond vs. Retention Pond: Differences, Uses and Maintenance
Detention vs. retention ponds, infiltration and sediment basins, underground storage and catch basins.
GuideHydroseeding and Hydromulch for Erosion Control
What's in the slurry, hydromulch vs. bonded fiber matrix, when to use it, and getting it to establish.
GuideStraw Wattles and Fiber Rolls: Where to Use Them and How to Install Them
Where wattles work, slope spacing, trenching and staking, pavement use, and maintenance.
GuideConcrete Washout: Requirements, Setup Options and Maintenance
Why washout water is harmful, EPA CGP requirements, washout options, sizing, signage and disposal.
GuideStorm Drain Inlet Protection: Types, Installation and Maintenance
EPA CGP requirements, devices for grate and curb inlets, installation, flooding risk and maintenance.
GuideCheck Dams: Spacing, Design and Installation for Swales and Ditches
Materials, the spacing formula, center notch design, installation, maintenance and limits.
GuideStabilized Construction Entrance: Specs, Installation and Track-Out Control
EPA CGP track-out rules, typical exit specs, wheel washes and shaker plates, maintenance and cleanup.
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Short lessons with a graded quiz at the end of each one.
Need Documented Stormwater Training?
QSP Practitioner and SWPPP Preparer courses aligned with the Clean Water Act, NPDES and the Construction General Permit. Certificate of completion. English & Spanish.