Region 10 of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the Pocatello Urbanized Area small municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit as final in December of 2006.  This permit authorizes the four copermittees (Chubbuck, Pocatello, Bannock County and the local Idaho Transportation District) to manage their MS4 in compliance with provisions of the Clean Water Act, including discharges to the Portneuf River and Pocatello Creek.

The City of Pocatello has a new policy, clarifying requirements and providing design guidelines for stormwater treatment, source control and maintenance of stormwater facilities. The goal of this manual is for storm water facilities to treat approximately 90% of the annual runoff from the pollutant-generating impervious surfaces (PGIS) at a project site. Click here for the Portneuf Valley Storm Water Quality Design Manual.

Revegetation is defined as the process by which native vegetation, removed during construction activities, is replaced by appropriate native species of grasses and other pants. Species seeded shall include adaptable perennial species that will grow on the site and provide basic soil and watershed protection. Revegetation is successful when revegetation has achieved 70 percent of the predevelopment vegetative ground cover. If the predevelopment vegetative ground cover is unknown, the ground cover of an adjacent undisturbed area that is representative of the predeveloped ground cover will be used as a standard. Also, the vegetation must have survived three growing seasons following the last seeding, fertilization or irrigation, or the City must provide a determination that the revegetation work has been satisfactorily completed within practical limits where reseeding has occurred and the vegetation has survived one growing season. Click here for the City of Pocatello Re-Vegetation Guide.