Stormwater Matters Program

The Town’s stormwater program provides several opportunities for the community to become involved in improving water quality and protecting local waterways. Check out our Get Involved page.

Visit our Outdoor Classroom page to learn more about how you or your community group can utilize this space for hands-on service learning projects. 

The Town also coordinates an active Adopt-A-Stream program under the umbrella of the Water Quality Forum, a consortium of private and public partners working to promote healthy waterways through education and public involvement. A similar stream clean-up event, River Rescue, is managed by Ijams Nature Center and takes place in April each year.

If you would like to provide oversight of the Town’s stormwater program in an advisory capacity to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, the Municipal Planning Commission and Town staff, then consider applying for a position on the Stormwater Advisory Committee.

Additional opportunities exist periodically to conduct invasive plant species removal and tree plantings. Contact us if you are interested in getting involved in any of these activities.

Do you have a drainage or flooding issue on your property? 

Do you have a drainage easement on your property and need to know how to maintain it?

The Town’s Stormwater Drainage System Maintenance Policy details the Town’s level of service regarding drainage system maintenance.

Essentially, the Town of Farragut is responsible for maintenance of the stormwater and drainage system located in public rights-of-way along public streets and other public lands. Maintenance of stormwater and drainage features located on private property, including those within easements on private property, are the responsibility of the property owner.

For more information on drainage easements and how to maintain them, view our drainage easement maintenance brochure.

Should you still like to have a Town staff member contact you regarding a flooding or drainage issue, please submit a citizen request online through the Solution Center module at myGovernmentonline.org.

An illicit discharge is defined as any discharge to a storm sewer that is not entirely composed of stormwater.

Did you observe an illicit discharge and/or illegal dumping?

If so, please report it to Town staff. You may report an illicit discharge or illegal dumping in a variety of ways.

1. Submit a citizen request
2. Call 865-966-7057

What to look for...

• Yard waste (grass clippings, leaf/debris piles)
• Foam, bubbles, or a milky appearance in a ditch or waterway 
• A strange odor coming from a storm drain
• Spilled or dumped auto fluids (motor oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, etc) or chemicals (paint, cleaners, etc) on the street or into a storm drain       
• Wastewater piped to a creek or ditch (i.e. from a washing machine, floor drain)
• Washing equipment outdoors using chemicals    
• Sediment flowing off a construction site
• Fecal material (from dogs or other large animals)
• Sewage spills should be reported immediately to the local utility district responsible for the sanitary sewers system.

Only Rain Down the Storm Drain!

Stormwater pollution is caused by the daily activities of people everywhere. As rainwater and snowmelt run over streets and lawns, pollutants such as fertilizers, soil, pesticides, oil, grease, and pathogens are picked up and carried by the stormwater. The runoff carrying these pollutants is then discharged without treatment into bodies of water used for swimming, fishing and the provision of drinking water, such as Turkey Creek and Lake Loudon.

Homeowners

Property owners can reduce levels of pollution by implementing stormwater best management practices. To learn what you can do to reduce your impact on local waterways, visit the Stormwater 101 page and view the Healthy Habits brochure.

If you own a pool, be sure to check out our Pool Maintenance brochure to better understand why NOT to discharge chlorinated pool water and to learn the correct way to dispose of that water.

Check out our events page for opportunities to learn more at a workshop or other local event.

If you have drainage issues or questions regarding maintenance of drainage easement areas, you can find more information in the "Drainage Issues" tab to the right.

HOAs

Many residential neighborhoods have a detention or retention basin that collects stormwater and slows its release during rain events. Maintenance of these basins is crucial for proper function to prevent flooding, and the HOA is typically responsible for maintenance of these basins. To learn more about these basins and how to properly maintain them, view the detention basin brochure or retention/wet basin brochure.

Developers and builders within the Town of Farragut must obtain the proper permits before beginning construction. Visit the Planning Department webpage for information on the application process and necessary permits based on your project.

A grading permit must be obtained for any site requiring a site plan or plat, in addition to borrow and fill sites. Apply for one through MyGovernmentOnline.org.

The following are stormwater-specific requirements:

• The Town's Stormwater Ordinance requires all construction site operators to control waste at construction sites within the jurisdiction. 
• For sites disturbing an acre or more (or smaller sites part of a larger common plan of development), site design must be consistent with the requirements of the current Tennessee Construction General Permit.
• Construction site operators must implement appropriate erosion prevention and sediment control best management practices consistent with those described in the TDEC EPSC Handbook. Violations related to erosion protection and sediment control will be enforced according to the approved Enforcement Response Plan.
• The Town's Stormwater Ordinance requires that sites incorporate post-construction stormwater controls to meet drainage and water quality requirements. Permanent stormwater control measures must be consistent with those described in the Tennessee Permanent Stormwater Management and Design Guidance Manual.
• The Town's Aquatic Buffer Ordinance currently requires a 25 foot buffer on all perennial and intermittent streams.
• Long-term maintenance agreements are required for all new development and redevelopment sites with permanent stormwater management facilities.
  • Requirement Summary
  • Maintenance Agreement
  • Sample Operation & Maintenance Plan
  • Maintenance Guidance and Inspection Checklists

Stormwater pollution, or non-point source pollution, comes from many different sources. Some types of urban land uses contribute higher than normal pollutant loadings and are considered hot spots. 

The following land use types have been identified as hotspots:

• Vehicle or equipment maintenance, fueling, washing or storage facilities;
• Parking lots over 400 spaces or parking areas greater than 120,000 square feet;
• Recycling and/or salvage yard facilities;
• Restaurants, grocery stores, and other food service facilities;
• Commercial facilities with outside animal housing areas

If you own and/or operate a business that is identified as a hot spot, you have a responsibility to properly maintain your facility and implement stormwater best management practices (BMPs). View the appropriate brochure below to learn more about industry-specific BMPs you can implement at your place of business.

Animal Housing

Automotive Repair

Food Service

Gas Station

Golf Course

Large Parking Lot

Kids are naturally curious and ask a lot of questions. We have plenty of fun resources for the little ones to learn about stormwater, pollution and how they can help (they may even teach adults some neat things they learned). 

The resources include games, experiments, activity books and projects. All of the resources can be found on our For Kids page.