Guides / SWPPP requirements in Montgomery County (Clarksville)

SWPPP requirements in Montgomery County (Clarksville)

State coverage plus recently rewritten local rules: Montgomery County's 2024 stormwater regulations and Clarksville's grading and water-quality permits for one of Tennessee's fastest-growing markets.

Clarksville and Montgomery County are among the fastest-growing places in Tennessee, driven in part by Fort Campbell, and the local stormwater rules were recently rewritten to keep up. Which set applies to you depends on whether your site is inside the City of Clarksville or in the unincorporated county.

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The state permit is your baseline

Anywhere in Tennessee, a project that disturbs one acre or more (including a lot inside a larger common plan of development) needs coverage under the Construction General Permit (TNR100000): a written SWPPP, a Notice of Intent filed in MyTDEC (form CN-0940), twice-weekly inspections documented on form CN-1173, and a Notice of Termination at closeout. If that is new to you, start with Do I need a SWPPP in Tennessee? and how to file your NOI.

Montgomery County's new stormwater regulations

On February 12, 2024, the Montgomery County Commission adopted new Stormwater Regulations (Resolution #24-2-2), setting county rules for construction-site runoff control, post-construction stormwater management, illicit discharge detection, and more. For unincorporated county sites you submit a Land Disturbance Permit application to the county Stormwater office at 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 309, Clarksville; the published number is 931-648-5718. Because this is karst country, the county also uses sinkhole and Class V injection well remediation certifications where those features are involved.

Inside the City of Clarksville

The City of Clarksville administers its own stormwater ordinance through the Director of Streets. Grading permits are required for land-disturbing activities, and the city requires an approved grading, drainage, and erosion control plan before any disturbance, plus a separate stormwater quality plan for new development and redevelopment. Water-quality buffers must be flagged before work begins and marked with permanent signage before final grading inspection, and a Certificate of Occupancy will not issue without a compliance certification. The city's civil penalty runs from $50 to $5,000 per day, per violation, with each day counted separately.

What this means for your SWPPP

Confirm whether you are in the city or the county, since the office and the exact plan set differ. Your SWPPP should support the local grading and water-quality plans, address karst features if present, and be ready for review under the county's 2024 regulations or Clarksville's ordinance. Verify current submittals and fees with the office that governs your parcel.

From the engineer who built this: SWPPP Builder was created by a practicing Tennessee civil engineer, not a national template service. The generated plan is written to the current state Construction General Permit and to the TDEC forms your reviewer and inspector actually expect to see, so it reads like something that belongs on a Tennessee jobsite. Local programs still vary block to block, so the plan is built to be reviewed, signed, and adjusted to your specific site rather than filed blind.

Getting your Montgomery County SWPPP

SWPPP Builder generates a field-ready Tennessee SWPPP built to the state Construction General Permit in about an hour. Pricing is flat and posted up front: $349 for a standard non-engineered contractor SWPPP, $99 for a single-family homebuilder plan (built on TDEC form CN-1249), and $499 when your site needs engineered or pre-approved plans. That is a fraction of the $1,500 to $5,000 a consultant typically charges, and you keep the file in your account to reuse and update as the job changes.

Common questions

What changed in Montgomery County's stormwater rules?

On February 12, 2024, the county adopted new Stormwater Regulations (Resolution #24-2-2) covering construction-site runoff control, post-construction management, and illicit discharge. Unincorporated county sites now follow those rules.

Who administers stormwater permits in Clarksville?

The City of Clarksville administers its stormwater ordinance through the Director of Streets, requiring an approved grading, drainage, and erosion control plan and a separate stormwater quality plan before land disturbance.

What is the penalty for a stormwater violation in Clarksville?

The city's ordinance provides for a civil penalty of not less than $50 and not more than $5,000 per day, with each day of violation counted as a separate violation. Verify current amounts with the city.

Who do I contact for a Montgomery County land disturbance permit?

The county Stormwater office at 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 309, Clarksville; the published number is 931-648-5718. City projects go through the City of Clarksville.

This guide is general information for Tennessee construction sites, not legal, engineering, or regulatory advice. Requirements change and local rules vary; always confirm current details with TDEC and your local permitting authority before relying on them. Fees, thresholds, and contacts cited here can change, so verify them with the office directly.