Stormwater Management Plan (Act 167)

Watershed and Impaired Stream MapACT 167 - Stormwater Management Plan
The Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Act of 1978 (Act 167) provides for the regulation of land and water uses for flood control and stormwater management purposes. The Act authorizes a comprehensive stormwater management program designed to preserve and restore the flood carrying capacity of streams, preserve natural stormwater areas, and encourage planning and management of runoff consistent with sound water and land uses practices. The Act directs each County to prepare and adopt a stormwater management plan for each designated watershed.

The Plan is a policy document to manage stormwater runoff. The goals of the Plan were established during the early stages of the project with input from the Plan Advisory Committee (PAC) to meet requirements of the Act 167 Program as well as to meet the needs of Washington County. The Plan develops strategies with these objectives in mind to address each of the Plan’s goals. A Model Ordinance was developed through the planning process that must be adopted by all municipalities and will implement the standards and criteria of the Plan.

Before now, no Act 167 Stormwater Management Plans have been prepared for the watersheds in the County. Those watersheds include the Ohio River, Robinson Run, Chartiers Creek, Raccoon Creek, Wheeling Creek, Cross Creek, Monogahela River, Tenmile Creek, Pike Creek, Pigeon Creek and Peters Creek watersheds. The Act 167 Plan provides an inventory of the many elements that impact stormwater runoff and offers guidance for its management as Washington County moves into the future.

The Plan shows both the water quality classifications and protected uses of all surface waters within the County as well as identified impaired stream representing those streams not achieving the designated uses. Through the implementation of the Model Ordinance, the Volume Control Criteria will ensure that water quality will not worsen by the impacts of future development. Two important provisions of the Model Ordinance will help ensure future growth will not impact water quality: 
  • Riparian Buffers consistent with new proposed Chapter 102 requirements.
  • Optional Existing Resources and Site Analysis in special protection watersheds

In addition, the Plan identifies a recommended strategy to improve existing stream impairments.

Municipal Compliance


Washington County Planning Commission, using Department of Environmental Protection data and municipal information, has created a spreadsheet that lists municipal adoption status for the stormwater management ordinance.  As with all municipal ordinances and plans, Washington County Planning Commission recommends that individuals inquiring about the adoption status of a particular municipality in Washington County should confirm that status with said municipality.  This is especially true if there is no adoption notification listed.

Documents & Materials