Stormwater Management Program
***Public Notice of TDOT’s Stormwater Management Program ***
TDOT is currently seeking comments from the public regarding its Stormwater Management Program. Any comments, questions, or feedback can be submitted to the following email address, TDOT.Env.FacilityCompliance@tn.gov, by July 24, 2026.
You can view the document describing TDOT’s Stormwater Management Program by clicking here or by selecting the document image below.
When rain events occur they produce what is called stormwater runoff, which is the water that falls during a rain event that cannot be absorbed (infiltrate) into the ground and starts moving across your lawn, driveway, parking lot, or highway. As stormwater runoff moves across a surface, it picks up and transports whatever is in its pathway and generally deposits it in nearby streams, rivers, and lakes. This means that stormwater runoff can transport non-desirable items or pollutants into streams, rivers, and lakes.
Development, implementation, and compliance of the Stormwater Management Program and the TS4 permit are overseen by the Environmental Compliance Unit in coordination with other Divisions throughout TDOT. All questions regarding TDOT’s Stormwater Management Plan should be directed to the following email account: TDOT.Env.FacilityCompliance@tn.gov.
Because stormwater runoff can affect water quality, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). Under this permit, TDOT is responsible for managing
stormwater runoff from more than 15,000 miles of highways and 189 facilities across Tennessee.
Together, these highways and facilities make up TDOT’s Transportation Separate Storm
Sewer System (TS4). This is why TDOT’s NPDES permit is referred to as a TS4 permit rather than the more common MS4 permit used by municipalities such as cities and counties. Stormwater conveyed through TDOT’s TS4 system is managed through a variety of best management practices implemented across multiple TDOT divisions. The Stormwater
Management Program (SWMP) document provides an overview of how TDOT manages
stormwater throughout its extensive network of roadways and facilities.
