Tools for Success: What Engineers Need to Know About Post-Development Discharge Standards

With the implementation of Florida’s updated stormwater rule, design flexibility has increased — particularly through the use of off-site compensatory treatment and Regional Stormwater Management Systems (RSMS). However, these strategies may lead to the discharge of partially treated stormwater runoff to wetlands.

While this approach offers permitting efficiency, it also raises a key technical question:

How do we demonstrate that a wetland has the assimilative capacity to receive this runoff without causing an adverse impact? If you have struggled with this scenario in the past, you will want to check out our engineering tip on this topic, which includes a downloadable spreadsheet example to assist in walking through the process of evaluating a wetland’s assimilative and hydrologic capacity for a representative stormwater discharge scenario.

If you want to learn even more about this topic or if you have questions for our team, join our next webinar for a technical presentation on wetland assimilative capacity and its significance for demonstrating your project meets the discharge requirements under Florida's new stormwater rule.

Date: May 6 | Time: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Florida-licensed Professional Engineers will receive 1 complimentary Professional Development Hour (PDH) credit for attending the live event.

New Stormwater Nutrient Credits: Available Now!

Developers in the Tampa Bay watershed can now meet a portion of their stormwater treatment requirements with Stormwater Nutrient Credits (SNCs).

Generated from one of NST’s Regional Stormwater Management Facilities, these credits offer a cost-effective, Water Management District (WMD)-approved solution. By purchasing SNCs, you can minimize on-site stormwater needs, free up valuable land, and streamline compliance.

  • These credits can be applied to your project in less than 60 days!

  • We can build SNC service areas nearly anywhere in the state of Florida — Call us to investigate including NST in your development plan.

To check the status of immediately available and planned SNCs from National Stormwater Trust, please visit and bookmark our HUC-12s layer in ArcGIS Online.

Developer Update: Seascape Resorts Smart Pond Installation

We're excited to announce the latest Smart Pond installation at Seascape Resort! This Continuous Monitoring & Adaptive Control (CMAC) system enhances stormwater management by optimizing water quality and flood control in real-time, helping protect local waterways and communities. We are proudly serving and deploying the latest smart stormwater technology to businesses, local governments, and residential communities across Florida.

Webinar Series: Recordings Available Now!

Discover how Florida’s new stormwater rule, Stormwater Nutrient Credits, and Continuous Monitoring and Adaptive Control (CMAC) technology are transforming stormwater management. Learn how “Smart Ponds” outperform traditional systems with real-world case studies and hurricane data, highlighting cost savings, optimized land use, and improved flood resilience. View the series at your convenience to explore how smart stormwater best management practices can benefit your projects.

From the Archives: Understanding Grandfathering for Conceptual ERPs Under Florida’s Updated Stormwater Rules

By taking this proactive step, consulting engineers can streamline the permitting process, protect their project timelines, and reduce uncertainty under Florida’s evolving stormwater regulations. For projects with Conceptual Environmental Resource Permits (ERPs) issued prior to June 28, 2024, the key question is: Do the new treatment performance standards apply to future construction phases under an existing conceptual ERP? While the rules allow for grandfathering, determining eligibility isn’t always straightforward. To help you better understand the new rule changes, we’ve prepared guidance and a draft Grandfathering Verification Request Letter ready for you to customize.

Recent News: Introducing NST’s CEO, John Ferguson

We are pleased to announce that John Ferguson has been appointed as our new CEO. After three successful years as NST's President and COO, John has proven himself as a smart and capable leader dedicated to delivering value, clarity, and quality to our customers and partners.

Our outgoing CEO, Jack Fiveash, who will remain as Chairman, shared his confidence in John’s ability to guide NST forward, "He excelled, and I couldn’t be prouder to hand him the keys."

With this transition, NST's leadership team remains committed to serving you with the same dedication and expertise you've come to expect.

Providing Flexible, Cost-Effective, Accountable Water Solutions

Interested? Please contact us at [email protected] to explore how we can support your project implementation.

For more updates, enlightening articles, forthcoming events, and webinars, count on National Stormwater Trust, Inc. to be your trusted resource.