Low-erosion counties and dates in Texas (2026)
107 Texas counties have a window where a short small-site job needs no SWP3.
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Key takeaways
- The county must be on the list and the work must start and finish inside its dates, including stabilization.
- Final stabilization must be done within 30 days after the window ends.
- You sign and post Form 20964 and send a copy to the storm sewer operator at least 2 days before you start.
- Dallas, Tarrant, Harris, Travis, Bexar and Williamson counties are not on the list.
A small site (1 to under 5 acres) in a listed county, working inside its dates, can use Form 20964 instead of writing a SWP3. Every condition below must be met.
What must be true to use the low-erosion notice?
| Condition | What it says |
|---|---|
| County and dates | The work happens in a county and date range listed in Appendix A |
| Start and finish | Work is started and completed, with final or temporary stabilization of all disturbed areas, inside the window |
| Stabilization | Temporary stabilization is maintained, and final stabilization is complete no later than 30 days after the window ends |
| Notice | You sign Form 20964 with its certification and post it at the site before work starts, until final stabilization |
| Copy | A signed copy goes to the storm sewer operator at least 2 days before work starts |
| Batch plants | Any supporting concrete or asphalt batch plant is permitted separately |
| Other discharges | Any non-stormwater discharge has its own permit, is not wastewater in TCEQ's view, or is captured and taken to a licensed facility |
If every condition is met, the operator does not have to develop a SWP3. If one is not, use the regular small-site route in do I need a SWPPP.
Which counties are on the list?
The 107 counties are mostly in West Texas, the Panhandle and the Concho Valley. The list includes Lubbock, Midland, Ector, Potter, Randall, Taylor, Tom Green, Wichita and El Paso.
A county with more than one window lists alternatives. You may use any one window.
| County | Dates the low-erosion notice can be used (any one window) |
|---|---|
| Andrews | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Archer | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Armstrong | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Bailey | Nov. 1 - Apr. 30 Nov. 15 - May 14 |
| Baylor | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Borden | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Brewster | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Briscoe | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Brown | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Callahan | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Carson | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Castro | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Childress | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Cochran | Nov. 1 - Apr. 30 Nov. 15 - May 14 |
| Coke | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Coleman | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Collingsworth | Jan. 1 - Mar. 30 Dec. 1 - Feb. 28 |
| Concho | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Cottle | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Crane | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Crockett | Nov. 15 - Jan. 14 Feb. 1 - Mar. 30 |
| Crosby | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Culberson | Nov. 1 - May 14 |
| Dallam | Nov. 1 - Apr. 14 Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Dawson | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Deaf Smith | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Dickens | Nov. 15 - Jan. 14 Feb. 1 - Mar. 30 |
| Dimmit | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Donley | Jan. 1 - Mar. 30 Dec. 1 - Feb. 28 |
| Eastland | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Ector | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Edwards | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| El Paso | Jan. 1 - Jul. 14 May 15 - Jul. 31 Jun. 1 - Aug. 14 Jun. 15 - Sept. 14 Jul. 1 - Oct. 14 Jul. 15 - Oct. 31 Aug. 1 - Apr. 30 Aug. 15 - May 14 Sept. 1 - May 30 Oct. 1 - Jun. 14 Nov. 1 - Jun. 30 Nov. 15 - Jul. 14 |
| Fisher | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Floyd | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Foard | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Gaines | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Garza | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Glasscock | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Hale | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Hall | Feb. 1 - Mar. 30 |
| Hansford | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Hardeman | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Hartley | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Haskell | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Hockley | Nov. 1 - Apr. 14 Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Howard | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Hudspeth | Nov. 1 - May 14 |
| Hutchinson | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Irion | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Jeff Davis | Nov. 1 - Apr. 30 Nov. 15 - May 14 |
| Jones | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Kent | Nov. 15 - Jan. 14 Feb. 1 - Mar. 30 |
| Kerr | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Kimble | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| King | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Kinney | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Knox | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Lamb | Nov. 1 - Apr. 14 Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Loving | Nov. 1 - Apr. 30 Nov. 15 - May 14 |
| Lubbock | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Lynn | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Martin | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Mason | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Maverick | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| McCulloch | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Menard | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Midland | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Mitchell | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Moore | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Motley | Nov. 15 - Jan. 14 Feb. 1 - Mar. 30 |
| Nolan | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Oldham | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Parmer | Nov. 1 - Apr. 14 Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Pecos | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Potter | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Presidio | Nov. 1 - Apr. 30 Nov. 15 - May 14 |
| Randall | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Reagan | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Real | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Reeves | Nov. 1 - Apr. 30 Nov. 15 - May 14 |
| Runnels | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Schleicher | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Scurry | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Shackelford | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Sherman | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Stephens | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Sterling | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Stonewall | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Sutton | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Swisher | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Taylor | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Terrell | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Terry | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Throckmorton | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Tom Green | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Upton | Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Uvalde | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Val Verde | Nov. 15 - Jan. 14 Feb. 1 - Mar. 30 |
| Ward | Nov. 1 - Apr. 14 Nov. 15 - Apr. 30 |
| Wheeler | Jan. 1 - Mar. 30 Dec. 1 - Feb. 28 |
| Wichita | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Wilbarger | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Winkler | Nov. 1 - Apr. 30 Nov. 15 - May 14 |
| Yoakum | Nov. 1 - Apr. 30 Nov. 15 - May 14 |
| Young | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
| Zavala | Dec. 15 - Feb. 14 |
What is the rainfall waiver?
A small site can instead apply for a Low Rainfall Erosivity Waiver (LREW) when the calculated rainfall erosivity (R) factor for the whole project is less than 5.
The waiver covers stormwater only. It does not cover non-stormwater discharges.
You can calculate R with EPA's calculator at lew.epa.gov, which the permit allows.
The waiver is filed online in STEERS. It is not posted at the site.
If the job runs past the dates, recalculate R from the original start date. If it is still under 5, file a new waiver at least 2 days before the old period ends. Otherwise get regular small-site coverage before it ends.
FAQ
Is Harris County, Dallas County or Travis County on the list?
No. These counties are not in Appendix A, so a small site there uses the regular small-site route.
What if my county has two windows?
Use any one of them. The work must fit inside the one you pick.
Does the low-erosion notice skip the city copy?
No. The signed notice still goes to the storm sewer operator at least 2 days before you start.
Does a Texas city still apply its own rules?
Yes. The permit does not limit local governments. See the city guides.
Facts and sources
- TCEQ permit TXR150000 (2023), Part II.E.1, II.G, Appendix A
- TCEQ Form 20964
- EPA low erosivity waiver calculator
- The permit text says conditions "(a) – (h)" but lists (a) to (g). We follow the listed conditions.
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