Last Updated 07/21/2026
San Diego Stormwater Laws & Regulations
The City of San Diego has enacted a Stormwater Ordinance in order to establish minimum stormwater management requirements and controls to protect and safeguard the general health, safety, and welfare of the public residing in watersheds within this jurisdiction. The City of San Diego is the permitting authority for all land disturbing activities and requires the land owner to maintain all on-site stormwater control facilities and all open space areas (e.g. parks or “green” areas) required by the approved stormwater control plan. The City of San Diego will only provide construction permits to projects that establish a plan to manage stormwater runoff occurring during the construction process. The City of San Diego, under the NPDES program, also has the authority to inspect properties for noncompliance and can issue a notice of violation (NOV) for any deficiency or infraction onsite. Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of any stormwater facilities or practices located on the property. The City of San Diego has the authority to inspect stormwater facilities and practices in order to ascertain that they are properly maintained and functioning.
Excerpt-San Diego Stormwater Standards, 2016
Summary
In May 2013, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board for the San Diego Region reissued (SDRWQCB) a municipal storm water, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems [MS4] Permit) that covered its region. The San Diego Region is comprised of San Diego, Orange, and Riverside County Copermittees. The MS4 Permit reissuance to the San Diego County Copermittees went into effect in 2013 (Order No. R9- 2013-0001).
The reissued MS4 Permit updates and expands storm water requirements for new developments and redevelopments. The MS4 Permit was amended in February 2015 by Order R9-2015-0001, and in November 2015 by Order R9-2015-0100. As required by the reissued MS4 Permit, the Copermittees have prepared the Model Best Management Practices (BMP) Design Manual to replace the current Countywide Model Standard Urban Stormwater Mitigation Plan (SUSMP), dated March 25, 2011, which was based on the requirements of the 2007 MS4 Permit.
The City of San Diego is required to adopt jurisdiction1 specific local BMP Design Manual. Part 1 of the Storm Water Standards is the adaption of the Model BMP Design Manual to the specific considerations for development projects within the City jurisdiction. Part 1 of the Storm Water Standards is designated as the City of San Diego BMP Design Manual (“manual”); this manual significantly conforms to the Model BMP Design Manual and will continue to be used in its present form until the next required permit update.
What this manual is intended to address:
This manual addresses, and provides guidance for complying with, updated onsite post-construction storm water requirements for Standard Projects and Priority Development Projects (PDPs), and provides updated procedures for planning, preliminary design, selection, and design of permanent storm water BMPs based on the performance standards presented in the MS4 Permit. The intended users of this manual include project applicants, for both private and public developments, their representatives responsible for preparation of Storm Water Quality Management Plans (SWQMPs) and the City staff personnel responsible for review of these plans and associated documents.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Priority Development Project, and does my San Diego property qualify?
It’s a category of development the city’s BMP Design Manual singles out for more rigorous stormwater controls, distinct from Standard Projects that face a lighter set of requirements. Which category your project falls into determines how much design detail and what kind of permanent BMPs you’ll need to plan for, so it’s worth confirming your project’s classification early rather than assuming Standard Project treatment applies.
Why does San Diego have its own BMP Design Manual instead of just following the state's model?
The regional MS4 Permit, covering San Diego, Orange, and Riverside County copermittees, requires each jurisdiction to adopt its own local BMP Design Manual adapted from the shared Model BMP Design Manual. The city’s manual conforms closely to that regional model but is tailored to San Diego-specific considerations, and it stays in effect until the next required permit update forces a revision.
What is a Storm Water Quality Management Plan, and do I need one in San Diego?
A SWQMP is the document project applicants, or their representatives, prepare to show how a development will meet the city’s post-construction stormwater requirements. It’s the core deliverable the BMP Design Manual is built around, and city staff use it to review and approve a project’s proposed permanent stormwater controls before construction moves forward.
Has San Diego's stormwater permit changed recently?
The underlying regional MS4 Permit was reissued in 2013 and has been amended twice since, in February 2015 and again in November 2015. Each amendment can shift specific design or reporting requirements, so a project’s SWQMP should be checked against the current version of the manual rather than an older copy.
Who has to follow San Diego's BMP Design Manual?
Both private and public development applicants, along with the professionals preparing their Storm Water Quality Management Plans. The manual is written for that dual audience, project teams on one side and the city reviewers on the other, so it functions as the shared reference point both sides use during plan review.
Does San Diego's stormwater program apply the same way to every property in the region?
Not exactly. San Diego is one of several copermittees under the same regional MS4 Permit alongside jurisdictions in Orange and Riverside counties, but each city or county adopts its own local version of the Model BMP Design Manual. That means specific design standards can vary somewhat by jurisdiction even though the underlying permit and regional framework are shared.
How can AQUALIS help my property navigate San Diego's stormwater standards?
AQUALIS helps San Diego property owners and developers determine whether their project is a Standard Project or Priority Development Project, prepare the Storm Water Quality Management Plan the city requires for review, and design permanent BMPs that meet the current BMP Design Manual’s performance standards.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Regulations change frequently — AQUALIS makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of this content, and any reliance on it is at your own risk. Consult a qualified professional or your local regulatory authority to confirm requirements applicable to your specific property.
