NPDES Design

Florida is known for its beautiful beaches, lakes, streams and rivers. Yet, over time, due to urbanization and population growth, the increase in stormwater runoff can have a detrimental effect on our water quality without critical best management practices.

Stormwater runoff is generated from rain events that flow over land or impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots and building rooftops, and does not soak into the ground. The runoff picks up pollutants like trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment that can harm our water quality.

Programs like the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), prevent pollution by controlling it at its source.

At MDA, our civil engineers are skilled at creating NPDES-approved designs that use best available technology to reduce pollutants from their discharge and ensure water quality is achieved throughout the duration of the site design and development.

This can be particularly challenging when working on an existing project to be redeveloped due to unknown factors related to pre-existing conditions in the underlying foundation. Once unearthed, you may discover additional issues in the drainage that require re-engineering of the stormwater management plans. Due to the extensive experience in design and knowledge of local, state and federal regulations, our team can quickly find a solution in a way that maintains the usability of the site, supports the NPDES program, and stays within budget.

You’ll find examples of our work on this level throughout the state of Florida at medical facilities, hospitality spaces, real estate development projects, municipal sites, and more.

Sunset Pointe: Developed by D.R. Horton, Sunset Pointe is a single-family residential subdivision on 20 acres along Cape Coral Parkway in the City of Cape Coral, FL. Offering 58 lots, each containing 0.20 – 0.25 acres in size, the gated community features 3.4 acre lake and privacy wall, with a lush landscaping design surrounding the perimeter of the project.

The scope of services completed included land use planning required to rezone the property to a Planned Development Project (PDP), accompanied by engineering and landscaping architecture design for Cape Coral Site Plan approval, SFWMD Environmental Resource Permit, and Utilities permitting, along with subdivision platting for the creation of the access roadway, lake and utilities in support of the lots.

Enhanced engineering design was necessary to comply with requirements for the impaired basin status of the Caloosahatchee River to include water quality treatment for the stormwater runoff conveyed to the City’s stormwater management system.  The project design attenuates for 100% of the nitrogen loading from the stormwater runoff prior to discharge from the site.

The design required close attention to the concerns of the neighboring residents in order to compliment the scale of the homes with the surrounding development.  A number of deviations from the Land Development Regulations were needed to balance the type and number of units with the infrastructure required by the City.

San Carlos Estates Water Control District: Formed in 1969, the District is responsible for the quality of water flowing through the canals and swales of San Carlos Estates. Covering over 1,100 acres, the district is comprised of 932 low-density, single-family homesites as well as 19 miles of roadways.

Since 2000, Bill Morris, PE, has served as the District Engineering, actively working to economically implement the ever-evolving NPDES program requirements with the FDEP and San Carlos Estates’ Board of Supervisors and Staff.

The MDA team has also provided services in support of stormwater management maintenance and access infrastructure. The team’s efforts were recognized by the FDEP for the District’s complete implementation of the stormwater treatment program as a co-permittee with Lee County and Bonita Springs in the NPDES program.