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What are TCEQ's SWPPP requirements for construction sites?

TCEQ requires construction operators disturbing one acre or more (or part of a larger common plan that will) to develop and implement a SWP3 before construction, post a TCEQ site notice, and, for large sites of 5+ acres, file a Notice of Intent in STEERS before work. The plan must meet the content, inspection, maintenance and record rules in TXR150000. TCEQ

Last reviewed October 19, 2026. Prepared by our team led by Mohamed Elansary, PhD. We are not a licensed engineering firm and do not seal plans. General information, not legal advice; the permit text controls.

1. Is the site regulated?

Disturbed area	TCEQ class	Key obligations
Under 1 acre, not part of a larger common plan of 1+ acres	Not regulated by the CGP	No CGP coverage needed. TCEQ
1 to under 5 acres (or part of a common plan in that range)	Small construction activity	SWP3 before work; post Form 20963 at least 2 days before work; copy to MS4 operator 2 days before; no NOI. TXR150000 Part II.E.2
5 acres or more (or part of a 5+ acre common plan)	Large construction activity	SWP3 before coverage; primary operator files NOI in STEERS before work; post Form 20961 or 20962. TXR150000 Part II.E.3

Acreage includes the disturbed area of all construction and construction support activities. TXR150000 Part I.A

2. Plan before you dig

Prepare the SWP3 before obtaining authorization and implement it before soil disturbance. TXR150000 Part III.C

3. Authorization steps

Small site	No NOI. Post signed Form 20963 at least 2 days before construction, keep it posted until final stabilization, and give a copy to the MS4 operator 2 days before work. TXR150000 Part II.E.2
Large site	Primary operator files an NOI electronically in STEERS before construction. TCEQ's fee is $225 online ($325 on paper). Coverage is immediate when the NOI is submitted in STEERS. Post the large site notice until final stabilization and the NOT. TXR150000 Part II.E.3 TCEQ fee TCEQ steps
Data-center projects	Applications associated with data centers, including CGP coverage, are temporarily halted per the Governor's directive. TCEQ notice

4. Plan contents

Site or project description: nature of the work, potential pollutants and sources, schedule or sequence of soil-disturbing activities with start dates and durations, total acres and disturbed acres (including support activities), and soil or discharge-quality data. TXR150000 Part III.F.1
A general location map and detailed site map(s) showing property boundaries, drainage patterns and slopes before and after grading, disturbed areas and phasing, all controls and buffers, stabilization areas, support activities, nearby surface waters (including wetlands, and whether they are impaired), discharge points to waters or an MS4, vehicle wash areas and exits onto paved roads. TXR150000 Part III.F.1(f)-(g)
Names of receiving waters, a copy of (or link to) the permit, and the NOI and acknowledgement (large sites) or the site notice (small sites and secondary operators). TXR150000 Part III.F.1(i)-(k)
A description of BMPs with the timing or sequence of installation: erosion control and stabilization practices, sediment controls, permanent stormwater controls and other required controls such as tracking, materials storage and velocity dissipation. TXR150000 Part III.F.2-4
Consistency with approved local sediment and erosion plans, maintenance requirements, dewatering evaluations, and inspection procedures. TXR150000 Part III.F.5-8

5. Controls that every site must meet

Part IV requires erosion and sediment controls designed to control stormwater volume and velocity, minimize exposed soil and steep-slope disturbance, minimize sediment discharges, keep natural buffers around surface water, preserve topsoil and minimize compaction. TXR150000 Part IV.A See erosion control plan requirements.

6. Inspections and maintenance

Inspect at least every 14 calendar days and within 24 hours after 0.5 inch of rain, or on the alternative schedule of every 7 days. Reports are due within 24 hours of each inspection, and the SWP3 must be revised within 7 days when inspections show changes are needed. TXR150000 Part III.F.8 Details: SWPPP inspection rules.

7. Keep it available and current

Keep the SWP3 on site (or post where it is) and make it available to inspectors; update it within 7 days of significant changes. TXR150000 Part III.D-E

8. Termination and records

Final stabilization must be achieved before coverage is terminated. TXR150000 Part III.F.2(b)iv Keep the SWP3, reports, site notice and NOI data for at least 3 years after the NOT. TXR150000 Part VII

Edwards Aquifer note

If a site needs a separate plan under 30 TAC Chapter 213 (Edwards Aquifer), such as a WPAP or Contributing Zone Plan, a copy must be in the SWP3 or available to TCEQ, along with the approval letter. TXR150000 Part III.F.5(c)

What this page does not cover

City and county ordinances (some cities add their own rules), oil and gas sites under Railroad Commission jurisdiction, industrial permits, and the full text of TXR150000.

Have it written for you

SWPPP Desk prepares site-specific SWPPPs from your drawings for construction sites in the states we cover (coverage by state), for a fixed price, delivered the next business day after your inputs are complete. Small site (1 to under 5 acres): $449. Large site (5 acres or more): $749. Background: all guides.

Small site: $449 Large site: $749