El Cerrito Green Infrastructure Plan: Improving Stormwater Quality in El Cerrito and its Watersheds

The City of El Cerrito is one of 76 local government entities subject to the requirements of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board for the San Francisco Bay Region’s (RWQCB’s) Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit (MRP). The MRP was last reissued in November 2015. The MRP mandates implementation of a comprehensive program of stormwater control measures and actions designed to limit contributions of urban runoff pollutants to San Francisco Bay.

This Plan will guide El Cerrito’s shift from conventional “collect and convey” storm drain infrastructure to more resilient, sustainable stormwater management that reduces runoff volumes, disperses runoff to vegetated areas, harvests and uses runoff where feasible, promotes infiltration and evapotranspiration, and uses natural processes to detain and treat runoff. This will include implementing, where and when feasible, Green Infrastructure features such as pervious pavement, bioretention facilities (“rain gardens”), green roofs, and rainwater harvesting systems. This Plan details how these methods can be constructed on public and private parcels and within the public right-of-way.

Click the link below to download the Plan.