The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has initiated a comprehensive storm water management program to comply with the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act. The program's main components include a statewide storm water management plan, monitoring and research studies, and institutional changes. The monitoring and research studies are designed to characterize Caltrans storm water runoff, evaluate the effectiveness of best management practices, and support watershed planning. The institutional changes include training, manuals, standard contract language, and compliance reviews. The program is designed to develop and implement science-based, cost-effective solutions for mitigating the harmful environmental effects of storm water runoff from roadways and related facilities.