United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
Regulations and Standards
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 440/5-88-052
September 1988
Water
State Water Quality
Standards Summary:
Kentucky
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DISCLAIMER
This publication was prepared by Battelle under contract to
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Contract 68-03-3534).
Secondary information sources were used to compile data presented
in this document. Each State was given an opportunity to review
and provide comments on a draft of this information document. In
no event shall either the United States or Battelle have any
responsibility or liability for any use, misuse, or reliance upon
the information contained herein, nor does either warrant or
otherwise represent in any way the accuracy, adequacy, efficacy,
^or applicability of the contents hereof.
The reader should consult the water quality standards of a
particular State for exact regulatory language applicable to that
State. Copies of State water quality standards may be obtained
from the State's Water Pollution Control Agency or its
equivalent.
Additional information may also be obtained from the:
Standards Branch
Criteria and Standards Division (WH-585)
Office of Water Regulations and Standards
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
202-475-7315
This document may be obtained only from the National Technical
Information Service (NTIS) at the following address:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Front Royal Road
Springfield, Virginia 22161
703-487-4650
The NTIS order number is: PB89-141840
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KENTUCKY
Responsible Agency:
Ky. Natural Res. and Env, Prat. Cabinet
Capital Plaza Toner
Frankfurt
502-564-3350
40601
State Contact:
Mr, Bob Hare
Manager
Hater Quality Branch
Kentucky Division of Hater
IB Reilly Road, Frankfort Office Park
Frankfort 40601 502-564-3410
State Contact:
Standards Available From:
Bob Hare
KNREPC
Division of Hater
18 Reilly Road, Frankfort Office Park
Frankfort 40601
502-564-3410 Fee: none Mailing List: yes
State Narrative Language For: Antidegradation
1. It is the purpose of these regulations to safeguard the waters of the CoiionNealth for their designated
uses, to prevent the creation of any new pollution of the waters of the Coiionwealth, and to abate any
existing pollution. ,
2. Hhere the quality of the waters exceeds levels necessary to support propagation of fish, shellfish, and
wildlife and recreation in and on the water, that quality shall be laintained and protected unless the cabinet
finds, after full satisfaction of the intergovernmental coordination and public participation provisions of .
the state's continuing planning process,that allowing lower water quality is necessary to acconodate
icportant econoeic or social developientin the area in which the waters are located. In allowing such
degradation or lower water quality, the cabinet shall assure water quality adequate to potect existing uses
fully. The state water quality standards and continuing planning process designed to provide for the protect-
ion of existing water quality and/or the upgrading or enhanceient of water quality in all waters of the
Coiionwealth shall serve as the itethod for itplenentation of this policy.
3. The iipleientation of this policy shall confon to 40 CFR 131.12'to the extent allowed by KRS 224.020.
4. Kater quality shall be iaintained and protected in waters designated as outstanding resource waters.
5. In those cases where potential water quality iipainent associated with a thenal discharge is involved,
a successful deaonstration conducted under Section 316{a) of the Clean Hater ftct is considered to be in
cospliance with all portions of this non-degradation section.
State Narrative Language For: Toxics
Surface waters shall not be aesthetically or otherwise degraded by substances that injure, be toxic to or
produce adverse physiological or behavioral responses in huians, aniials, fish and other aquatic life.
1. The allowable instreai concentration of toxic substances which are noncuiulative or nonpersistent (half-
life of less than 96 hours) shall not exceed 0.1 of the 96-hour ledian lethal concentration (LC50) of a
representative indigenous aquatic organisi(s).
2. The allowable instreai concentration of toxic substances which are bio-accuiulative or persistent, incl-
uding pesticides, when not specified elsewhere in this section, shall not exceed 0.01 of the 96-hour ledian
lethal concentration (LC50) of a representative indigenous aquatic organisi(s).
3, Where specific application factors have been detersined for a toxic substance such as an acute/chronic
ratio or water effect ratio, they Bay be used instead of the 0.1 and 0.01 factors listed in this subsection
upon approval by the cabinet.
State Narrative Language For: Free From
Surface waters shall not be aesthetically or otherwise degraded fay substances that:
A. Settle to fore objectionable deposits;
B. Float as debris, scui, oil, or other latter to fon a nuisance;
C. Produce objectionable color, odor, taste, or turbidity;
D. Injure, be toxic to or produce adverse physiological or behavioral responses in huians, aniials, fish,
and other aquatic life;
KY-1
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KENTUCKY
E. Produce undesirable aquatic life or result in the dominance of nuisance species,
State Narrative Language For: Mixing Zones
The following guidelines are applicable in determining all lixing zones:
(1) The cabinet shall, on a case-by-case basis, specify definable geoietric liiits for mixing zones. Applic-
able lieits shall include but lay not be limited to the linear distances from the point of discharge, surface
area involvement, volume of receiving Hater, and taking into account other nearby mixing zones.
(2) Concentrations of toxic substances which exceed the ninety-six (94) hour LC50 or other appropriate LC50
tests for representative indigenous aquatic organisms are not allowed at any point within the mixing zone. A
zone of initial dilution jay be assigned on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the cabinet. -
(3) The location of a mixing zone shall not interfere with spawning areas, nursery areas, fish migration
routes, public water supply intakes, bathing areas, nor preclude the free passage of fish or aquatic life.
(4) Whenever possible the mixing zone shall not exceed one-third (1/3) of the width or cross-sectional area
of the receiving stream and in no case shall exceed one-half (1/2) of this volume.
(5) In lakes and other surface impoundments, the volume of a mixing zone shall not affect in excess of ten
percent of the volume of that portion of the receiving waters available for mixing.
(6) In all cases, a mixing zone must be limited to an area or volume which will not adversely alter the
legitimate uses of the receiving water; nor shall a mixing zone be so large as to adversely affect an
established community of aquatic organisms.
(7) In the case of thermal discharges, a successful demonstration conducted under Section 316(a) of the
Clean Water Act shall constitute compliance with all provisions of this section.
(8) Criteria listed in Section 4 of 401 KAR 5:031 do not apply in the mixing zone.
State Narrative Language For: Low Flow
Gn occasion surface water quality may be outside of the limits established to protect designated uses because
of natural conditions. When this condition occurs during periods when stream flows are below the low flow
which is used by the cabinet to establish effluent limits for wastewater treatment facilities consistent with
the definition contained in 401 KAR 5:029, Section 1(1)(n), a discharger shall not be considered a contributor
to instream violations of water quality standards, provided that treatment in compliance with permit
requireisnts is maintained.
KY-2
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KENTUCKY
Classifications
Outstanding Resource
Haters
Hanwater Aquatic
Habitat
Coldxater Aquatic
Habitat
Doiestic Hater
Supply Use
Priiary Contact
Recreation Haters
Secondary Contact
Recreation Haters
Protective of productive wanwater aquatic coiiunities, foul, aniial wildlife,
arborous growth, agriculture, and industrial uses.
Protective of productive colditater aquatic coiiunities and streais which support
trout populations (whether self-sustaining or reproducing) on a year round
basis.
Applicable at the point of withdrawl for use for doiestic water supply froi
surface water sources.
Suitable for full body contact recreation during the recreation season of Hay 1
through October 31.
Suitable for partial body contact recreation, with liniial threat to public
health due to water quality.
KY-3
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KENTUCKY
All
Classes
HariHater Aquat.. Coldwater Aquat., Domestic Hater
Physical
P«
Upper Value
Loner Value
Dissolved Oxygen
Loner Value
Teiperature
Upper Value
Total Dissolved Solids
Upper Value
Nutrients
Anonia
Upper Value
Nitrate
Upper Value
Toxic Metals
Arsenic
Upper Value
Cadiiui
Upper Value
Secondary Upper Liiit
Chrosiui - Total
• Upper Value
Cyanide
Upper Value
Iron
Upper Value
Lead
Upper Value
Bariui
Upper Value
Berylliui
Upper Value
Secondary Upper Lieit
Manganese
Upper Value
Seleniua
Upper Value
Silver
Upper Value
Pesticides
Chlordane
Upper Value
Organics
Phthalate Esters
Upper Value
9.0
6.0
4 ig/L
31.4 C .
Narr.
0.05 ig/L
50
ug/L
4.0 ug/L
12.0 ug/L
100 ug/L
5 ug/L(free)
1.0 tg/L
11 ug/L
1100 ug/L
0.0043 ug/L
3 ug/L
9.0
6.0
5 tg/L
Narr.
Narr.
0.05 ig/L
10 tg/L
0.05 ig/L
0.05 ig/L
1 ig/L
0.05 ig/L
0.01 ig/L
0.05 ig/L
KY-4
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KENTUCKY
All
Classes
PCBs
Upper Value
Bacteria
Fecal Colifon
Upper Value
HariHater fiquat.. ColdMater Aquat.. Doiestic Hater
0.0014 ug/L
2000 /lOOil 6H
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KENTUCKY
Primary Contact Secondary Conta..
Physical
pH
Upper Value
Lower Value
Nutrients
Toxic Metals
Pesticides
Organics
Bacteria
Fecal Coliforn
Upper Value
9.0
6.0
9.0
6.0
200 /lOOtl 6H 1000 /lOOtl 611
KY-6
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