Who needs a SWP3 in Texas?
Any construction project that disturbs one acre or more — or is part of a larger common plan of development reaching one acre — needs a SWP3 under Texas permit TXR150000.
Texas runs its own delegated stormwater program. Operators obtain coverage from TCEQ under TPDES Construction General Permit (TXR150000), not directly from the EPA. A small subdivision, a solar pad, and a road-widening project all clear the same one-acre line.
Texas adds requirements worth flagging early: Texas uses SWP3 (Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan) terminology; STEERS electronic Notice of Intent; Alternative inspection schedule: the SWP3 may instead require inspections at least once every seven calendar days regardless of rainfall; Initiate stabilization no later than the end of the next work day where construction has ceased for more than 14 days; complete it within 14 calendar days.
What the plan must contain
A Texas SWP3is the site's compliance binder — the document an inspector opens first. It documents:
- 1Site & project descriptionTotal and disturbed acreage, soils, slopes, and the sequence of construction.
- 2Receiving waters & discharge pointsWhere stormwater leaves the site and the waterbodies it reaches.
- 3Erosion & sediment control BMPsSilt fence, stabilized entrances, inlet protection, and stabilization measures.
- 4Inspection schedule & recordsDated, signed inspection logs and the corrective actions taken.
- 5Operator certificationThe SWP3 is signed by the legally responsible party before work begins.
Required and conditional BMPs
| Best management practice | Category | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Perimeter silt fence / sediment barrier | Sediment control | Required |
| Stabilized construction entrance | Tracking control | Required |
| Storm drain inlet protection | Sediment control | Required |
| Soil stabilization (seeding, mulch, blankets) | Erosion control | Required |
| Concrete washout containment | Good housekeeping | Required |
| Sediment basin or trap | Sediment control | Conditional |
| Dewatering / turbidity controls | Pollution prevention | Conditional |
Filing your Notice of Intent
Primary operators of large construction activities submit the Notice of Intent electronically through the TCEQ ePermits system (STEERS) before commencing construction; coverage begins on confirmation of receipt. Operators with an electronic reporting waiver from TCEQ instead submit a completed paper NOI at least seven (7) days before commencing construction and are provisionally covered 48 hours from its postmark date (TXR150000 Part II.E.3(b) and Part II.E.5(b)).
A Notice of Termination closes coverage once the site reaches final stabilization. Keeping the SWP3 and its inspection records on site is what keeps a project clear of stop-work orders.
Inspection requirements
The permit allows 2 inspection schedules; the operator follows one and records the choice in this plan: (a) 14-calendar-day schedule with storm inspections — inspect at least once every 14 calendar days and within 24 hours of the end of a storm producing 0.5 inch of rain or more within a 24-hour period (including multiple smaller storms that together produce 0.5 inches or more in 24 hours, in which case one inspection is due within 24 hours of when 0.5 inches of rain or more has fallen; for a storm producing 0.5 inches or more on consecutive days, inspect within 24 hours of the first day and within 24 hours after the last day; when the 24-hour time frame falls entirely outside normal working hours, inspect no later than the end of the next business day) (TXR150000 Part III.F.8(c)i); or (b) 7-calendar-day schedule — inspect at least once every 7 calendar days (only where the SWP3 is developed to require it; inspect regardless of whether there has been a rainfall event since the previous inspection) (TXR150000 Part III.F.8(c)v). The schedule may be changed at most once per calendar month, implemented within the first five (5) business days of a calendar month, with the reason documented in the SWP3 (TXR150000 Part III.F.8(c)vi); linear construction sites may use representative inspections on either schedule (TXR150000 Part III.F.8(d)). Every inspection is dated and signed, and any failed control is corrected before the next storm.
| Trigger | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Routine — 14-calendar-day schedule with storm inspections | At least once every 14 calendar days and within 24 hours of the end of a storm producing 0.5 inch of rain or more within a 24-hour period (including multiple smaller storms that together produce 0.5 inches or more in 24 hours, in which case one inspection is due within 24 hours of when 0.5 inches of rain or more has fallen; for a storm producing 0.5 inches or more on consecutive days, inspect within 24 hours of the first day and within 24 hours after the last day; when the 24-hour time frame falls entirely outside normal working hours, inspect no later than the end of the next business day) |
| Routine — 7-calendar-day schedule | At least once every 7 calendar days (only where the SWP3 is developed to require it; inspect regardless of whether there has been a rainfall event since the previous inspection) |
How Texas differs from the federal permit
| Texas | Federal (EPA) | |
|---|---|---|
| Authority | TCEQ | U.S. EPA |
| Permit | TXR150000 | EPA CGP |
| Disturbance threshold | 1 acre | 1 acre |
| Plan name | SWP3 | SWPPP |
Because Texas 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
Does Texas require an engineer to prepare the SWP3?+–
No. Texas does not require a licensed PE stamp on a construction SWP3 statewide. The operator certifies the plan; engineer review is optional for complex sites.
What is the disturbance threshold in Texas?+–
One acre — including sites under an acre that are part of a larger common plan of development totaling one acre or more.
How often must inspections happen in Texas?+–
The permit allows 2 inspection schedules; the operator follows one and records the choice in this plan: (a) 14-calendar-day schedule with storm inspections — inspect at least once every 14 calendar days and within 24 hours of the end of a storm producing 0.5 inch of rain or more within a 24-hour period (including multiple smaller storms that together produce 0.5 inches or more in 24 hours, in which case one inspection is due within 24 hours of when 0.5 inches of rain or more has fallen; for a storm producing 0.5 inches or more on consecutive days, inspect within 24 hours of the first day and within 24 hours after the last day; when the 24-hour time frame falls entirely outside normal working hours, inspect no later than the end of the next business day) (TXR150000 Part III.F.8(c)i); or (b) 7-calendar-day schedule — inspect at least once every 7 calendar days (only where the SWP3 is developed to require it; inspect regardless of whether there has been a rainfall event since the previous inspection) (TXR150000 Part III.F.8(c)v). The schedule may be changed at most once per calendar month, implemented within the first five (5) business days of a calendar month, with the reason documented in the SWP3 (TXR150000 Part III.F.8(c)vi); linear construction sites may use representative inspections on either schedule (TXR150000 Part III.F.8(d)).
Is a SWP3 the same as a SWPPP?+–
Yes. Texas uses the term "SWP3" for what other states call a SWPPP — the same plan and the same requirements.
Texas-ready in minutes
Siltworks fills in your site data automatically, applies the Texas requirements, and hands you an inspection-ready SWP3 — at 70–90% less than a consultant.
Requirements summarized from the publicly available TPDES Construction General Permit (TXR150000) for planning purposes. The operator must review and certify every SWP3 before use.