United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
Regulations and Standards
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 440/5-88-082
September 1988
6EFA.
Water
State Water Quality
Standards Summary:
Virginia
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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 ah 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: PB89-142145
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VIRGINIA
Responsible Agency: State Contact:
State Water Control Board
P.O. Box 11143
Richiond ' 23230
Standards Available From: State Contact:
ftnne Field, Specialist
Bureau of Enforceient
State Water Control Board
P.O. Box 11143
Richmond 23230
804-257-6355 Fee: Nailing List: no
State Narrative Language For: Antidegradation
Waters whose existing quality is better than the established standards as of the date on which such standards
become effective will be maintained at high quality; provided that the Board (State Hater Control Board) has
the power to authorize any project or developient, which would constitute a new or an increased discharge of
effluent to high quality water, when it has been affinatively demonstrated that a change is justifiable to
provide necessary economic or social development; and provided, further, that the necessary degree of waste •
treatment to laintain high water quality will be required where physically and economically feasible.
Present and anticipated use of such waters will be preserved and protected.
Existing instreai beneficial water uses will be laintained and protected, and actions that would interfere
with or becoie injurious to existing uses should not be undertaken.
In considering whether a possible change is justifiable to provide necessary econoiic or social development,
the Board will provide notice and opportunity for a public hearing so that interested persons will have an
opportunity to present information.
Upon a finding that such a change is justifiable, the change, nevertheless, must not result in violation of
those water quality characteristics necessary to attain the national water quality goal of protection and
.propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife, and recreation in and on the water. Further, if a change is
considered justifiable, it Bust not result in any significant loss of iarketability of fish, shellfish^ or
ather sarine resources, and all practical measures should be taken to eliminate or minimize the impact on
water quality.
Please refer to the "EPfl Water Quality Criteria Summaries: A Compilation of State/Federal Criteria for
additional antidegradation language for Virginia.
State Narrative Language For: Toxics
All State waters shall be free from toxic substances attributable to sewage, industrial waste, or other waste
in concentrations, amounts, or combinations which contravene established standards or interfere directly or
indirectly with reasonable, beneficial uses of such water or which are inimical or harmful to .human, animal,
plant, or aquatic life. Specific substances to be controlled include, but are not limited to: floating
debris, oil, scum, and other floating material; toxic substances; substances that settle to form sludge
deposits, and sustances which nourish undesirable or nuisance aquatic plant life. Effluents which tend to ra
ise the temperature of the receiving water will also be controlled.
State Narrative Language For: Free From
All State waters shall be free from substances attributable to sewage, industrial waste, or other waste in
concentrations, amounts, or coabinations which contravene established standards or interfere directly or
indirectly with reasonable, beneficial uses of such water or which are inimical or harmful to human, animal,
plant, or aquatic life. Specific substances to be controlled include, but are not limited to: floating
debris, oil, scua, and other floating aaterials; toxic substances; substances that produce color, tastes, .
turbidity, odors, or settle to form sludge deposits, and substances which nourish undesirable or nuisance
aquatic plant life. Effluents which tend to raise the temperature of the receiving water will also be
VA-1
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VIRGINIA
cantrolled.
State Narrative Language For: Low Flow
Streat Standards shall apply whenever flows are equal to, or greater than, the lowest flow which, on a
statistical basis, would occur for a 7-consecutive-day period once every 10 years.
State Narrative Language For: Mixing Zones
Zones for lixing wastes with receiving waters shall be determined in a case-by-case basis; shall be kept as
stall as practical; shall not be used for, or considered as, a substitute for minimum treataent technology
required by the Federal Hater Pollution Control Act and other applicable State and Federal laws; and shall be
iapleiented, to the greatest extent practicable, in accordance with the provisions of subsections 1.01A and
1.01B of the Virginia Hater Quality Standards, and shall not contain toxic substances in acutely toxic concen-
trations. An area of initial dilution lay be allowed. This area of initial dilution will be determined on a
case-by-case basis and shall not at any time exceed the lethal concentration for appropriate representative
species for tiie periods of exposures likely to be encountered by that species and likely to cause acute
effects. Mixing within these zones shall be as quick as practical and tay require the installation and use of
devices which insure that waste is fixed with the allocated receiving waters in the scaliest practical area.
The need for such devices shall be deternined on'a case-by-case basis. The boundaries of these zones of
adiixture shall be such as to provide a suitable passageway for fish and other aquatic organisms. In an area
where tore than one discharge occurs and several mixing zones are close together, these mixing zones shall be
so situated that this passageway is continuous.
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VIRGINIA
Classifications:
Nutrient Enriched
Waters
Open Ocean
Estuaring Haters
(Tidal Hater-Coastal
Zone to Fall Line)
Non-Tidal Haters
(Coastal Zone I
Peidsont Zones)
Mountainous
Zone Haters
Put and Take
Trout Haters
Natural
Trout Haters
Sweep Haters
Surface Public
Hater Supplies
Protection of
Aquatic Life -
Freshwater
Protection of
Aquatic Life -
Saltwater
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VIRGINIA
Physical
pH
Upper Value
Lexer Value
Dissolved Oxygen
Lower Value
Temperature
Upper Value
Teiperature Change
Upper Value
Nutrients
Toxic Metals
Pesticides
Organics
Bacteria
Fecal Colifon
Upper Value
All
Classes
9.0
6.0
Open Ocean
Narr.
Estuaring Water.. Non-Tidal Hater.
5.0 ig/L 4.0 ig/L
32 C
3 C 3 C 3 C
Narr.
Narr.
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VIRGINIA
Mountainous
Put and Take
Natural
Swaip Haters
Physical
Dissolved Oxygen
Upper Value
Loner Value
Teiperature
Upper Value
Teiperature Change
Upper Value
Nutrients
Toxic Hetals
Pesticides
Organics
Bacteria
Fecal Colifon
Upper Value
31
3
C
C
5.0
21
3
•g/L -
•g/L
C
C
6.0
20
1
•g/L
•g/L
C
C
Narr.
Narr.
3
C
Narr.
Narr.
Narr.
Narr.
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VIRGINIA
Surface Public Protection of Protection of
Physical
Chlorides
Upper Value 250 ig/L
Sulfates
Upper Value 250 ig/L
Total Dissolved Solids
Upper Value 500 ig/L
Nutrients
Nitrate
Upper Value 10.0 ig/L
Toxic Metals
Arsenic
Upper Value
Cadiiui
Upper Value
Chroiiui
Upper Value
Chroiiui - Hexavalent
Upper Value
Chroiiui - Trivalent
Upper Value
Copper
Upper Value
Cyanide
Upper Value
Iron
Upper Value
Lead
Upper Value
Mercury
Upper Value
Zinc
Upper Value
Bariui
Upper Value
Manganese
Upper Value
Nickel
Upper Value
Seleniui
Upper Value
Silver
Upper Value
Pesticides
Aldrin
Upper Value
0.05 ig/L
0.01 §g/L
0.05 ig/L
1.0 ig/L
0.3 ig/L
0.05 ig/L
0.002 ig/L
5.0 ig/L
1.0 ig/L
0.05 ig/L
0.01 §g/L
0.05 ig/L
190 D
funct.
7.2
funct.
Narr.
4.2
1000
funct.
47
funct.
35
funct.
0.03
VA-6
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
36 D
9,3
54
2.0
0.57
5.6
0.10
SB
100
7.1
54
0.023
0.003
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
ug/L
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VIRGINIA
Surface Public Protection of
Protection of
Dieldrin
Upper Value
Chlordane
Upper Value
2,4-0
Upper Value
2,4,5-TP (Silvex)
Upper Value
DDT
Upper Value
Deeeton
Upper Value
Endosulfan
Upper Value
Endrin
Upper Value
Suthion
Upper Value
Neptachlor
Upper Value
Lindane
Upper Value
Halathion
Upper Value
Hethoxychlor
Upper Value
Kirex
Upper Value
Parathion
Upper Value
Toxaphene
Upper Value
Organics
Phenol
Upper Value
Phthalate Esters
Upper Value
PCBs
Upper Value
0.0019 ug/L
0.0043 ug/L
0.1 ig/L
0.01 ig/L
0.001 ug/L
0.1 ug/L
0.056 ug/L
0.0002 ig/L 0.0023 ug/L
0.01 ug/L
0.0038 ug/L
0.004 ug/L 0.080 ug/L
0.1 ug/L
0.1 tg/L 0.03 ug/L
0.00 ug/L
0.04 ug/L
0.005 ig/L 0.013 ug/L
0.001 §g/L 1.0 ug/L
3.0 ug/L
0.014 ug/L
0.0019 ug/L
0.004 ug/L
0.001 ug/L
0.1 ug/L
0.0087 ug/L
0.0023 ug/L
0.01 ug/L
0.0036 ug/L
0.0016 ug/L
0.1 ug/L
0.03 ug/L
0.00 ug/L
0.04 ug/L
0.0007 ug/L
1.0 ug/L
3.0 ug/L
0.03 ug/L
Bacteria
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