Federal and State regulations based on the Clean Water Act require communities with a certain population density to develop, implement, and enforce Storm Water Management Programs that will control pollutants in water being discharged from their storm drain systems into local water bodies. As a result of the 2000 Census, the Fairbanks community was triggered to comply with these regulations and in 2005 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued two permits to the local government agencies that own and operate storm drain systems. One permit was issued to the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) and the other was issued collectively to the City of Fairbanks, City of North Pole, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Control Measures

On October 31, 2009, the State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation assumed authority over management of the two permits. The permits include six minimum control measures which comprise the Fairbanks Storm Water Management Program, as follows:

• Public Education and Outreach: Maintain a program to educate the public about the impacts of storm water discharges on local water bodies and the steps that can be taken to reduce storm water pollution
• Public Involvement and Participation: Maintain a program that involves the public in developing, implementing, updating, and reviewing the local Storm Water Management Program
• Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination: Maintain and enforce an illicit discharge detection and elimination program that includes regulatory mechanisms prohibiting non-storm water discharges, educational components for employees and the general public, and a comprehensive map of the system
• Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Control: Maintain and enforce a program to reduce pollutants in storm water runoff from construction activities including regulatory mechanisms requiring use of proper erosion and sediment controls along with plan review and site inspection procedures
• Post-construction Storm Water Management: Maintain and enforce a program to reduce pollutants in post-construction storm water runoff from new development or redevelopment projects including regulatory mechanisms requiring the use and maintenance of post-construction best management practices
• Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations:  Adhere to an operations and maintenance program that reduces or prevents pollutant runoff from municipal operations to include employee training on pollution prevention and good housekeeping techniques

Storm Drain Map

Community Survey on Fairbanks Storm Water Quality - 2020

Management Plans,  Annual Reports,  and Storm Water Permits

For more detailed information on the requirements for each minimum control measure and agency efforts to meet these requirements, click the links below.  Reports from previous years can be obtained by contacting the appropriate agency listed under Storm Water Contacts.