Surface Water Management

Stormwater Management Program

What We Do

The Federal Clean Water Act (CWA), through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, regulates runoff from rain, storms, and snowmelt, as well as other “non-point source” discharges. The Washington State Department of Ecology is responsible for issuing and managing NPDES permits in Washington State, including the Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit (Permit) that Skagit County holds. This general stormwater Permit essentially allows Skagit County to discharge runoff, from our Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), into natural watercourses like streams, rivers, lakes and bays. Skagit County has developed a comprehensive Storm Water Management Program (SWMP) to fulfill Permit requirements and reduce the amounts of pollutants transported into our natural, water resources by runoff.

Because pollution in runoff comes from many different sources, many different methods are required to reduce that pollution. Our main methods are:

• Educate the public about sources of pollution that they can control
• Educate our own employees to ensure that county facilities do not contribute to pollution
• Host a spill response hotline, and participate in spill cleanup as needed
• Monitor stormwater management facilities to ensure they function properly
• Monitor stormwater outfalls and receiving waterways for pollution
• Investigate and eliminate sources of pollution when they are found
• Control runoff from new development, redevelopment, and construction sites

2025 Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) Plan

The 2025 Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) Plan outlines actions the County has proposed to comply with the Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit issued to Skagit County by the Washington State Department of Ecology. The version of the 2025 SWMP Plan posted below is the draft plan. The public comment period for the draft 2025 SWMP Plan will run from April 16, 2025, to May 16, 2025, after which the final version of the 2025 SWMP Plan will be posted. Please direct comments on the Plan, as well as any stormwater-related comments or questions, to Jason Quigley, Stormwater Permit Program Coordinator, using the contact information below.

Email: jasonq@co.skagit.wa.us
Phone: 360-416-1463

Mail: Jason Quigley
         1800 Continental Pl.
         Mount Vernon, WA 98273

2024 Annual Report on NPDES Stormwater Program

Planning Commission Worksession: Stormwater Code Update (4/18/2022)

View a map of the area that our program covers.

Interested in stormwater permitting and development? Visit our Stormwater Permitting page.

Our stormwater code was updated in 2015. Learn more about the update here.

Current Projects

• Big Lake East Catchment SMAP
• Lorenzan Creek in Concrete, WA