Inspection Notebook

 

Maintaining an inspection notebook is required under all Surface Water Discharge permits. SDDENR personnel will review the inspection notebook for your facility during each inspection.

 

If the inspection sheets are loose sheets of paper, they should be bound and kept in a three-ring binder to allow for easy retrieval during an inspection. A pocket calendar is another easy way to keep track of the facility and lift station inspections.

 

An example sheet that lists required documentation for an inspection notebook is located at the bottom of this this page. Column headings found on the example sheet are defined below:

 

  • Day – Mark or write down the day the inspection is conducted.
  • Time – Write down the time the inspection is conducted.
  • Initials – Write the initials of the person(s) conducting the inspection.
  • Discharge – Indicate if the facility is discharging. If so, this needs to be noted within the notebook by writing down the date and time the discharge is started (or ended). Include unauthorized discharges within this column.
  • Flow (Influent) – All facilities should keep track of the flow entering the facility. The measurement should be written in this column.
  • Flow (Effluent) – All facilities are required to keep records of the flow leaving the facility. This measurement should be written in this column.
  • Pond Depth or Freeboard – Depths for each cell must be written down at each inspection. If a facility does not have pond depth indicators, the measured amount of freeboard should be written here (freeboard is the distance from the water surface within the cell to the top of the dike).
  • Problems Identified – Examples of the problems that should be identified within the notebook during an inspection are:

 

    • Are there any strong or unusual odors coming from the facility or complaints from locations near the facility?
    • Is there a problem with weeds along the dikes of the ponds or wetlands?
    • Are cattails growing within the stabilization ponds?
    • Are there floating solids or algae mats within the ponds or wetlands?
    • Is there any evidence of rodents (muskrats, gophers, beavers, etc.)?
    • Any problems with mosquitoes in the facility or complaints coming from locations near the facility?

     

  • Recommendations – For each of the problems identified, make a recommendation of the action(s) that should be taken. If you are unsure of what can be done, write "unknown" or make suggestions of what you think may help the problem.
  • Actions Taken – If any action is taken to address the problems identified, it should be written down here. For example, if cattails have been a problem and you have either cut or sprayed them, write down the day they were cut/sprayed. Other things that are a good idea to include in an inspection notebook are:

 

    • Condition of gate and fence around facility;
    • Lock gate after leaving facility;
    • Condition of dikes;
    • Condition of flow measurement devices;
    • Weather (cloud cover, rainfall, snowfall, wind direction, air temperature, water temperature)
    • Manhours

 

REMEMBER!! Inspection notebooks are required under all Surface Water Discharge permits! Maintaining this book will also help in the operation and maintenance of the facility!

 

 

Month_______     Year_______

 

Day
Time
Initials
Discharge
Influent
Effluent
Pond Depth or freeboard
Problems Identified
Recommended
Actions Taken
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15