Stormwater Management

Public Information Statement

The Colorado Rockies Baseball Club operates Coors Field for the exhibition of professional baseball games and special events. Facility operations began in March of 1995, and the annual baseball operations extend approximately from March through November of each year. Coors Field is located at 2001 Blake Street in Denver, Colorado, in the lower downtown portion of the city.

Coors Field was designed and constructed under the direction of a statutory Special District and is therefore subject to the Phase II rules of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System that is part of the Clean Water Act. These rules require Coors Field to obtain and adhere to a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Discharge Permit that is administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

An integral part of the Coors Field MS4 permit is the site's Stormwater Management Project Description Document (PDD). The PDD is a written document that formalizes the many procedures and steps that the facility implements to protect the waters of the state from adverse effects related to pollution that could be picked up by storm water generated on and around the site.

Read the South Platte River pollutants E.coli and phosphorous PDF for additional information.

The fundamental objectives of the PDD are to:

• Provide for the effective management of storm water runoff;
• Minimize the potential for pollutants to enter storm water runoff;
• Comply with and be protective of the water quality standards for the South Platte River; and
• Meet the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit requirements specified for the facility under CDPS General Permit No. COR-070090.

Although Phase II of the MS4 permitting program only became effective in 2003, Coors Field has been built and operated under a stormwater management plan since before construction related to redevelopment activities ever began at the site. Coors Field's PDD has evolved over the life of the facility to incorporate construction, industrial, and MS4 planning and actions to effectively manage and prevent storm water pollution related to the site.

The written PDD provides:

• A description of facility activities with the potential to contribute pollutants to stormwater runoff;
• Comprehensive storm sewer system conveyance maps, input points, and management systems;
• An identification and risk assessment of potential pollutant sources;
• Stormwater discharge monitoring requirements;
• Facility - and operation-specific Best Management Practices (BMPs) implemented at Coors Field;
• General BMPs implemented at Coors Field;
• Public Involvement, Participation, Education and Outreach;
• Employee and contractor training requirements; and
• Inspection, reporting, and record keeping requirements.

Coors Field is committed to protecting and enhancing the environment and water quality conditions in waterbodies receiving stormwater runoff from areas within our stadium boundaries. This commitment is driven not only by local, state, and federal regulations, but also by our staff and citizens concerned with the preservation of our lakes, stream, and rivers. Substantial resources are expended each year to ensure compliance with environmental requirements and to promote environmental education so that current and future generations continue to enjoy the natural and enriched beauty of Colorado.

For additional information regarding stormwater MS4 general permits you can go to the CDPHE Water Quality Division website.

You may also view the CDPHE MS4 brochure (PDF).

If you would like to obtain additional information regarding the stormwater program, review the PDD, provide input, suggestions or report an illicit discharge, please contact [email protected] for further support.

Thank you for your continued support of Colorado's environment and Colorado Rockies Baseball.