f '
                  United States
                  Environmental Protection
                  Agency
Office of Water
Regulations and Standards
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 440/5-88-060
September 1988
                 State Water Quality
                 Standards  Summary-
                 Mississippi

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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:  PB89-141923	

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                                          MISSISSIPPI
 Responsible   Agency:
   Hississippi Dept. of Natural Resources
   Bureau of Pollution Control
   P.O. Box 10385
  Jackson, HS
  601-961-5171
39209
State  Contact:
 Hr. Robert    Seyfarth
 Chief
 Hater Quality Hanagement Branch
 Bureau of Pollution Control
 P.O. Box 10385
 Jackson               39209

State  Contact:
                                                                                                601-961-5171
 Standards  Available  From:
  Robert H. Seyfarth, Chief
  Mater Quality Management Branch
  Bureau of Pollution Control
  P.O. Box 10385
  Jackson               39209
  601-961-5171   Fee;  no       Nailing Lists  yes

 State  Narrative  Language  For:   Antidegradation
  The policy inherent in the standards shall be to protect water quality existing at the time these water
  quality standards were adopted and to upgrade or enhance water quality within the State of Mississippi.
  Haters whose existing quality is better than the established standards will be maintained  at high quality,
  unless the emission (Hississippi Air and Mater Pollution Control Coiiission) finds,  after full  satisfaction
  of the intergoverniental coordination and public participation provisions of  the State's  continuing'planning
  process,  that allowing lower water quality is necessary to accommodate  iiportant economic or social develop-
  ment in the area in which the waters  are located.   In no event,  however, lay degradation  of water quality
  interfere with or becoie injurious to existing instreat water uses,   Furhter,  in no case  will  water quality
  be degraded below {or above) the base levels set forth in these  standards for the protection of the beneficial
  uses described herein.  In  addition the State will  assure that there shall  be achieved  the highest statutory
  and regulatory requirements for all new and existing  point sources and all  cost-effective  and  reasonable best
  ianagetent practices  for nonpoint source control.  Hhere the Commission  determines  that high  quality Haters
  constitute an outstanding national resource,  such as  waters of National and State parks and  wildlife refuges
  and waters of exceptional recreational  or ecological  significance, that water quality shall  be  maintained and
  protected.
  In  view of the fact that industry  is continuing to  produce new materials  whose  characteristics  and effects are
 unknown at this  time,  such  materials shall  be evaluated  on their  merits as  information becomes  available to
  the Commission.   The  use of such information  should be  limited to that part applicable to  the  indigenous
 aquatic community found  in  the  State of Hississippi.

State  Narrative   Language  For:   Toxics
 Haters shall  be  free  from substances attributable to  municipal, industrial,  agricultural or  other discharges
 in  concentrations  or combinations  which are toxic or  harmful  to humans, animals or aquatic life.
 There shall be no  substances added,  whether alone or  in  combination  with other substances, that will impair
 the use of waters  from that which  it is classified.   The concentration of toxic pollutants shall not exceed
 one-tenth  (1/lOth)  of  the   96-hour  median tolerance limit  based on available data.  The concentration  of toxic
 pollutants that are cumulative  and/or persistent may  be  furhter limited on  a case-by-case basis, where such
 data is available.
 available references to  be  used  in  determining  toxicity  limitations  shall include, but not be limited  to
 Quality Criteria for Hater  (Section  304(a)), Federal Regulations under Section 307, and Federal Regulations
 under Section 1412 of the Public Health Service Act as amended by the Safe Drinking Hater Act (Pub. L.
 93-523).  The use of such information should be limited to that part applicable to the indigenous  aquatic
 community found in the State of Hississippi.

State   Narrative  Language  For:   Free  From
 A.   Haters shall be free from  substances attributable to municipal,   industrial,  agricultural or  other
 discharges that will settle to form putrescent or otherwise objectionable  sludge  deposits.
 B.   Haters shall be free from floating debris, oil,  scum, and other floating materials  attributable to
                                                  MS-1

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                                         MISSISSIPPI
 lunicipal, industrial, agricultural or other discharges in amounts sufficient  to be unsightly or deleterious.
 C.  Haters shall be free froi laterials attributable to municipal, industrial, agricultural or other
 discharges producing color, odor, or other conditions in such degree as to create a nuisance.
 D.  Haters shall be free froi  substances attributable to municipal,  industrial, agricultural or other
 discharges in concentrations or coibinations which are toxic or hanful to hutans, aniials or aquatic life.

State  Narrative  Language  Fors   Low  Flow
 All criteria contained herein shall apply to all stages of streamflow greater than or equal to the 7-day,
 10-year minimum flan in unregulated, natural streams,  and the legally guaranteed siniaua flo« in regulated
 streams.  This requirement shall not be interpreted to periit any unusual  waste discharges during periods  of
 lower flow.

State  Narrative   Language  Fors   Mixing   Zones
 It is recognized that limited areas of mixing are sometimes unavoidable;  however, mixing  zones shall  not be
 used for, or considered as a substitute for waste treatment.   Mixing zones constitute an  area whereby
 physical mixing of a wastewater  effluent with a receiving water body occurs.   Applications of mixing zones
 shall be made on a case-by-case basis and shall only occur in cases involving  large  surface water bodies in
 which a long distance or large area is required for the wastewater to  completely mix with the receiving water
 body.
 The location of a mixing  zone shall  not significantly alter the  designated uses of the  receiving  water outside
 its established boundary.   Adequate zones of passage for the  migration  and free movement  of fish  and  other
 aquatic biota shall  be  maintained.   No conditions shall  be allowed to exist within the  mixing  zone that would
 result in an  endangerment  to  public  health,  nuisance,  or fish mortality.
                                                  MS-2

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                                        MISSISSIPPI
Classifications:
 Public Water Supply           Water in this classification is for use as a source of raw water supply for
                               drinking and food processing purposes.  The Nater treatient process shall be
                               approved by the Mississippi State Board of Health.  The ran water supply will be
                               such that after approved treatment process it will satisfy the regulations
                               established pursuant to Section 1412 of the Public Health Service Act as amended
                               by the Safe Drinking Hater Act (Pub. L. 93-523).  Haters that ieet Public Hater
                               Supply Criteria shall also be suitable for incidental recreational contact.
 Shellfish Harvesting
 Areas
 Recreation




 Fish 4 Hildlife


 Epheieral  Streai
Haters classified for this use are for propagation and harvesting shellfish for
sale or use as a food product,  These waters will teet the requirements set
forth in the latest edition of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program, Manual
of Operations, Part I, "Sanitation of Shellfish Browing Areas1, as published by
the U.S. Public Health Service.

The quality of waters in this classification is to be suitable for recreational
purposes, including such water contact activities as swiuing and water skiing.
The waters shall also be suitable for use for which waters of lower quality will
be satisfactory.

Haters in this classification are intended for fishing and for propagation of
fish, aquatic life, and wildlife.

Haters in this classification do not support a fisheries resource and are not
usable for human consumption or aquatic life.  Ephemeral streams normally are
natural watercourses, including natural watercourses that have been aodif-ied by
channelization, that flow only in  direct response to precipitation in the
immediate locality and whose channels are normally above, the groundwater table.
Haters in this classification shall be protective of wildlife and huaans which
may come in contact with the waters.  Haters contained in ephemeral streams
shall also allow maintenance of the standards applicable to all downstream
waters.

                                                 MS-3

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                                                  MISSISSIPPI
  Physical
      pH
          Upper Value
          Loner Value
      Dissovled Oxygen
          Lower Value
      Tesperature
          Upper Value
      Teaperature Change
          Upper Value
      Chlorides
          Upper Value
      Total Dissolved Solids
          Upper Value

 Nutrients

 Toxic Metals
     Arsenic
          Upper Value
     Cadiiui
          Upper Value
     Chroiiui - Hexavalent
          Upper Value
     Cyanide
          Upper Value
     Lead
          Upper Value
     Mercury
          Upper Value
     Bariui
          Upper Value
     Seleniui
         Upper Value
     Silver
         Upper Value

Pesticides

Organics
    Phenol
         Upper Value

Bacteria
    Fecal  Colifon (Geo Mean, Max)
         Upper Value
         Secondary Upper Liiit
                                          All
                                          Classes
8.5
6.0

5 ig/L daily avg.

90     F

5      F
                   Public Water Su..  Shellfish Harve..   Recreation
                   250    ig/L

                   500    ig/L
                  0.05   ig/L

                  0.01   ig/L

                  0.05   ig/L

                  0.025  ig/L

                  0.05   ig/L

                  0.002  ig/L

                  1.0    ig/L

                  0.01   ig/L

                  0.05   ig/L
                  0.001   ig/L
                  2000    /100 iL
                  4000    /100 iL
                    1500   ig/L
14
43
/100 iL     200    /100  iL
/100 iL     400    /100  iL
                                                          MS-4

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                                                MISSISSIPPI


                                         Fish 4 Wildlife    Ephemeral Strea..
Physical
    Total Dissolved Solids
         Upper Value                     1500   §q/L

Nutrients

Toxic Hetals

Pesticides

Organics
    Phenolic Compounds
         Upper Value                     0.05   ig/L

Bacteria
    Fecal Col if on
         Upper Value                     2000   7100 •(.     Harr.
         Secondary Upper Litit           4000   /100 iL
                                                         MS-5

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