SWPPP Requirements in Tennessee

Who needs a SWPPP in Tennessee?

Any construction project that disturbs one acre or more — or is part of a larger common plan of development reaching one acre — needs a SWPPP under Tennessee permit TNR100000.

Tennessee runs its own delegated stormwater program. Operators obtain coverage from Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Water Resources under General NPDES Permit for Discharges of Stormwater Associated with Construction Activities (CGP) (TNR100000), not directly from the EPA. A small subdivision, a solar pad, and a road-widening project all clear the same one-acre line.

Tennessee adds requirements worth flagging early: Submit the NOI, SWPPP, and fee through MyTDEC Forms at least 30 days before construction; land disturbance may not start until the primary operator receives the Notice of Coverage (Subparts 3.2 and 3.3); EPSC plan sheets for the initial, interim, and final grading stages (a single sheet allowed for single-lot homes, commercial lots, or linear projects of 5 acres or less), showing limits of disturbance, outfalls, outfall drainage areas, and control locations (Section 5.5.2); Site assessment by a TN PE/RLA, CPESC, or Level II graduate within 30 days of construction starting at each outfall draining 10 or more acres (5 or more to waters with unavailable parameters or Exceptional Tennessee Waters), with monthly follow-up until structural BMPs are built (Subsection 5.5.3.8); Sediment basin sized for the 2-year, 24-hour storm (or justified equivalent) for outfalls draining 10 or more disturbed acres; sediment trap or equivalent for 5.0–9.9 acres; all design calculations in the SWPPP (Subsection 5.5.3.5); More than 50 acres disturbed at one time: notify the Division, quarterly site assessments, twice-weekly and post-rain inspections, soil erodibility data, and monthly turbidity/TSS/flow discharge monitoring reported through NetDMR (Subsection 5.5.3.3); Keep a rain gauge (or a reference site giving daily precipitation) and accurate rainfall records on site, and record rainfall daily on the inspection form (Subpart 7.2; Subsection 5.5.3.13); Post a notice near the main entrance with the permit tracking number, operator or local contact name, email, phone, and address, and the SWPPP location (Subpart 7.2); Pre-construction vegetative cover may not be removed more than 14 days before grading begins unless the area is then stabilized; EPSC measures in place and functional before earth moving (Subsection 5.5.3.1); Sites covered under the 2021 permit must update the SWPPP to this permit within 12 months and have the updated SWPPP and NOC on site by October 1, 2027 (Subparts 3.2 and 5.3).

What the plan must contain

A Tennessee SWPPPis the site's compliance binder — the document an inspector opens first. It documents:

1. 1Site & project descriptionTotal and disturbed acreage, soils, slopes, and the sequence of construction.
2. 2Receiving waters & discharge pointsWhere stormwater leaves the site and the waterbodies it reaches.
3. 3Erosion & sediment control BMPsSilt fence, stabilized entrances, inlet protection, and stabilization measures.
4. 4Inspection schedule & recordsDated, signed inspection logs and the corrective actions taken.
5. 5Operator certificationThe SWPPP is signed by the legally responsible party before work begins.

Required and conditional BMPs

Filing your Notice of Intent

Submit the Notice of Intent with the SWPPP, site map, and fee electronically through MyTDEC Forms at least 30 days before construction begins; start land disturbance only after the Notice of Coverage is received.

A Notice of Termination closes coverage once the site reaches final stabilization. Keeping the SWPPP and its inspection records on site is what keeps a project clear of stop-work orders.

Inspection requirements

Inspect at least twice every calendar week (inspections at least 48 hours apart) (TNR100000 (2026) Subsection 5.5.3.11(a)). On projects disturbing more than 50 acres at one time, also inspect after a storm producing more than 0.5 inch of rain in 24 hours (an inspection following a rainfall event can count as one of the twice-weekly inspections) (TNR100000 (2026) Subsection 5.5.3.3(c)). The Division may require more frequent inspections (TNR100000 (2026) Subsection 5.5.3.11(a)). Every inspection is dated and signed, and any failed control is corrected before the next storm.

How Tennessee differs from the federal permit

Because Tennessee administers its own program, the federal EPA Construction General Permit does not apply directly here — the state permit governs. Sites inside a regulated municipal storm sewer system may carry additional local ordinance requirements on top of the state permit.

Frequently asked questions