Regional Stormwater Management Program

The Regional Stormwater Management Program's participation is an alternative means of compliance to onsite detention requirements for development applicants who demonstrate that no onsite detention is necessary to prevent adverse flooding impacts to neighboring properties from increased runoff. Funding received through the program is used for planning, designing, and constructing drainage infrastructure improvements to reduce the risk of flooding.

The application types include Drainage Criteria Manual 1.2.2.G, DCM 8, and Prior Regional Stormwater Management Program Participation. The DCM 1.2.2.G and DCM 8 RSMP application types are for sites without an executed Regional Stormwater Management Program Agreement for the proposed impervious cover. A site with Prior Regional Stormwater Management Program Participation must have an executed Regional Stormwater Management Program Agreement.

Feasible developments may make a payment or construct approved offsite drainage infrastructure improvements in lieu of onsite stormwater detention.

Austin Watershed Protection collects and spends Regional Stormwater Management Program funds in the same watershed on projects that reduce flood risk. Austin Watershed Protection uses a watershed-wide approach to analyze potential flooding problems and identify appropriate mitigation measures.

Payment Calculator

History

The City of Austin experienced deadly floods during the 1980s. Our neighbors lost lives, homes, and businesses to the floodwaters that surged due partly to increased stormwater runoff across the city.

Austin has since implemented changes to reduce flood risks to people and property, including adding a detention requirement for stormwater runoff increases due to development or redevelopment. Responsible stormwater management becomes increasingly crucial as our rain events become more intense than previously recorded.

The City of Austin established the Regional Stormwater Management Program in the 1980s as an alternative to the stormwater detention requirement for qualifying developments. Regional Stormwater Management Program participants either construct drainage improvements that provide significant public benefits or pay into watershed Regional Stormwater Management Program funds. Austin Watershed Protection uses Regional Stormwater Management Program funds for many types of flood risk mitigation projects, including:

Watershed strategic plans
Property buyouts
Land and easement acquisitions
The Regional Stormwater Management Program continues to grow and change to provide applicants with more participation options and improved programming.
Regional pond facility, storm drain, culvert, and channel upgrades and modifications.

The Regional Stormwater Management Program continues to grow and change to provide applicants with more participation options and improved programming.

Application & Participation Types

DCM 1.2.2.G & DCM 8 & Prior Regional Stormwater Management Program Participation

Qualifying developments may apply for the Regional Stormwater Management Program in one of three ways, depending on site and project characteristics.

DCM 1.2.2.G participation allows applicants to adhere to simplified Regional Stormwater Management Program participation requirements for smaller sites.

Small developments within the DCM 1.2.2.G.1 size requirements, the site’s most restrictive impervious cover limits, and that do not discharge increased runoff to neighboring properties may qualify for Regional Stormwater Management Program participation per DCM 1.2.2.G. See the DCM language for more details.

A subdivision or plat application may require a site plan exemption if grading is required to meet DCM 1.2.2.G.4.

DCM 8 Regional Stormwater Management Program participation is for larger projects that do not meet DCM 1.2.2.G participation criteria. DCM 8 participation requires detailed modeling and drainage analysis to prove no adverse flooding impact on a receiving storm system, creek, or neighboring property. Find more information about the required analyses in the Regional Stormwater Management Program Participation Handbook.

Prior Regional Stormwater Management Program Participation may apply to redevelopments on the same site as the original RSMP Agreement since Regional Stormwater Management Program Agreements are bound to the land.

The Regional Stormwater Management Program Team assesses each incoming application claiming Prior Regional Stormwater Management Program Participation on a case-by-case basis to investigate whether the past Agreement applies to the new development application.

Proposed plats and subdivisions, especially those participating per DCM 8, that will require significant review or modeling must complete a Project Assessment before formal review.

Payment & Improvements

Applicants must demonstrate that no adverse flooding impacts to neighboring properties will occur due to the proposed development to participate.

For developments proposing Regional Stormwater Management Program participation per DCM 8, the Regional Stormwater Management Program Team requires models and drainage calculations to confirm no adverse impact on the receiving storm drain infrastructure, tributary, or creek.

Regional Stormwater Management Program approval for qualified developments and redevelopments is at the discretion of the Regional Stormwater Management Program Team.

There are two ways to participate in Regional Stormwater Management Program:

Payment into a watershed Regional Stormwater Management Program fund. Austin Watershed Protection uses Regional Stormwater Management Program funds within the same watershed to mitigate local and regional flood risk issues.
Improvements to offsite drainage infrastructure. Applicants may apply the amount of the Regional Stormwater Management Program Payment to drainage infrastructure improvements that provide a significant public benefit. The Regional Stormwater Management Program Team must approve the proposed improvements.

Participation Process

The application process consists of three main steps:

Regional Stormwater Management Program Feasibility Determination
Formal Regional Stormwater Management Program Application Package Review
Regional Stormwater Management Program Approval or Conditional Approval

1. Regional Stormwater Management Program Feasibility Determination

A) Use the Regional Stormwater Management Program Feasibility Viewer to provide initial guidance regarding whether Regional Stormwater Management Program participation is potentially feasible for a development project

We consider: 

Watershed Regional Stormwater Management Program participation
Site location relative to its watershed, tributary, and drainage area 
Local flooding concerns 
Stormwater infrastructure condition and capacity 
Regional detention facilities nearby 
DCM 1.2.2.G and DCM 8 participation eligibility  
Prior Regional Stormwater Management Program Participation  
Proposed conditions 
Other relevant site-specific characteristics

The Regional Stormwater Management Program Team makes the final feasibility determination for Regional Stormwater Management Program participation. The Regional Stormwater Management Program Feasibility Viewer does not account for grading or potential adverse impacts that can affect Regional Stormwater Management Program participation for a project.

Submit the Regional Stormwater Management Program Feasibility Determination Request Form to RSMP@austintexas.gov for projects in the right of way.

B) Attend the Regional Stormwater Management Program Feasibility Meeting 

The Regional Stormwater Management Program and project teams will review basic participation requirements and processes. We’ll also address any site-specific concerns and anticipated challenges to Regional Stormwater Management Program approval.

Bring drainage area maps, preliminary site layouts, drainage calculations for existing and proposed conditions, No Adverse Impact analyses, and other relevant information.

2. Formal Regional Stormwater Management Program Application Package Review

C) Submit a COMPLETE Regional Stormwater Management Program Application Package to Austin Development Services Intake for completeness check, then to formal review

Include the Regional Stormwater Management Program Application Form and all requested Supporting Documentation as a complete Regional Stormwater Management Program Application Package.

Preliminary plan and final plat applications must submit complete Regional Stormwater Management Program Application Packages at formal review update zero (U0) to participate in Regional Stormwater Management Program. All other applications must submit complete Regional Stormwater Management Program Application Packages to pass Completeness Check.

See the Regional Stormwater Management Program Participation Handbook for further information.

Note: The Regional Stormwater Management Program Team does not review applications outside the formal review cycle. Anything submitted for Regional Stormwater Management Program review must be submitted through Austin Development Services Intake to be formally approved.

D) Satisfy all Regional Stormwater Management Program and drainage review comments

We consider: 

Regional Stormwater Management Program Application Package (Application Form with all applicable Supporting Documentation)
DCM compliance 
Potential adverse flooding impacts 
Drainage area maps & plans
Grading plans 
Engineering reports and summaries 
Drainage models and calculations 
Impervious cover allowances 
Property appraisal information 
Proposed improvements 
Other relevant information

For Regional Stormwater Management Program participation per a Prior Regional Stormwater Management Program Agreement, we consider:

Regional Stormwater Management Program Application Package (Application Form with all applicable Supporting Documentation)
Prior executed Regional Stormwater Management Program Agreement
Proposed and allowable impervious cover
Conditions of the Prior Regional Stormwater Management Program Agreement

3. Regional Stormwater Management Program Approval or Conditional Approval

E) Receive Regional Stormwater Management Program Approval Documentation (or Conditional Approval Documentation) and update the Regional Stormwater Management Program plat or cover sheet note

The Regional Stormwater Management Program Team will issue Approval Documentation or Conditional Approval Documentation via email and the RS folder associated with the project.

Add the date on the Approval Letter and the new RS number to the cover sheet or plat note.

Example Approval Documentation: 

Regional Stormwater Management Program Agreement 
Regional Stormwater Management Program Approval Letter 
Regional Stormwater Management Program Payment Calculation 
See the Payment page for more information

F) Return the signed Regional Stormwater Management Program Agreement

Upload the signed Regional Stormwater Management Program Agreement to the project RS folder in the AB+C Portal

G) Pay the Regional Stormwater Management Program Payment invoice or complete the agreed-upon storm drain infrastructure improvements

H) Receive the executed Regional Stormwater Management Program Agreement and get final Regional Stormwater Management Program approval on the development application

Formal Development Review

The Regional Stormwater Management Program Team assesses Regional Stormwater Management Program Application Packages within the formal development review process facilitated by Austin Development Services.

An applicant may begin the Regional Stormwater Management Program Application process by using the Regional Stormwater Management Program Feasibility Viewer to assess a site for potential Regional Stormwater Management Program participation feasibility. If the project is potentially feasible for Regional Stormwater Management Program participation, the Regional Stormwater Management Program Feasibility Viewer will direct the user to schedule a Feasibility Meeting with the Regional Stormwater Management Program Team.