-••v
vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
Regulations and Standards
Washington, OC 20460
EPA 440/5-88-088
September 1S88
Water
State Water Quality
Standards Summary:
Wyoming
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DISCLAIMER
+u TTrhiS Publicati°n 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: PB89-142202
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WYOMING
Responsible Agency! State Contact:
. Wyoming Env. Qual. Council c/o William L. Barland
Hater Quality Div., Dept. of Env. Qual.
Herschler Bldg., 4th Floor '
122 W. 25th St.
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Standards Available From: State Contact:
John F. Wagner, Technical Support Supervisor
Hater Quality Division
Dept. Environiental Quality
Hathaway Office Building
• Cheyenne 82002
307-777-7781 Fee: no Bailing List: yes
State Narrative Language Fors Antidegradation
Beneral Policy - It is the policy of the Department that those surface waters not designated as Class I, but
whose existing water quality is better than these standards, shall be maintained within these standards and
existing instream water uses will be iaintained. However, the State of Wyoming shall allow any project or
developient which would constitute a new source of pollution or an increased source of pollution to these
waters as long as the quality will not be lowered below these standards. Any degradation of high quality
waters will be allowed only within the framework of Wyoming's Continuing Planning Process.
State Narrative Language For: Toxics
Toxic or potentially toxic materials attributable to or influenced by the activities of man shall not be
present in any Wyoming surface waters in concentrations or combinations which would damage or impair the
normal growth, function or reproduction of human, animal, plant or aquatic life. Unless otherwise specified
in these Standards, maximum allowable concentrations shall be based on the latest edition of Quality Criteria
for Hater, published by EPft or its successor agency, and/or tore generally accepted scientific information.
In those cases where naxiaut allowable concentrations must be determined through bioassay, the appropriate
protocol and application factors as outlined in the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of
Water and Wastewater or other methods approved ,by the EPA shall be used. The bioassay shall be conducted with
an ecologically or economically important sensitive resident specie in the most sensitive portion of its life
cycle, if applicable, as a test organism. Makeup water for the analysis should be constituted so as to appro-
xiaate the sost probable chemical and physical characteristics of the receiving water in question. The
observed 96-hour LC50 is then to be multiplied by an application factor, where established by EPA, to deter-
mine the "safe1 concentrations for the compound in question. Where appropriate application factors have not
yet been established, the method for deriving said application factor shall be that described in the latest
edition of Standard Methods or other methods approved by EPA.
Toxic substances specifically designed to kill or eliminate problem-causing aquatic life may be added to sur-
face waters of the State provided such substances are administered in accordance with label directions.
However, compliance with label directions shall not exempt any person from the penalty provisions of W.S.
35-ll-901(b).
This Section shall not apply to the use of fish toxicants by the Wyoming Same and Fish Department.
State Narrative Language For: Free From
In all Hyoaing surface waters settleable solids attributable to or influenced by the activities of man that
will settle to form sludge, bank or bottom deposits shall not be present in quantities which could result in
significant aesthetic degradation, significant degradation of habitat for aquatic life or adversely affect
public water supplies, agricultural or industrial water use, plant life or wildlife, etc.
In all Wyoming surface waters floating debris, scum, and other floating materials attributable to or
influenced by the activities of man shall not be present in quantities which could result in significant
aesthetic degradation, significant degradation of habitiat for aquatic life, or adversely affect public water
supplies, agricultural or industrial water use, plant life or wildlife, etc.
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WY-1
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WYOMING
fill class I, IIj and III Maters shall not contain substances attributable to or influenced by the activities
of lan Hhich produce taste, odor and color and that would:
a^ Of themselves or in combination, impart an unpalatable or off-flavor in fish flesh;
b. Visibly alter the natural color of the watertor iipart color to skin, clothing, vessels, or structures;
c. Produce detectable odor; or
d. Directly through interaction aiong thetselves, or with cheiicals used in existing water treatment
processes, result in concentrations that will iipart undesirable taste or odor to public water supplies.
State Narrative Language For: Low Flow
Where stream flow data are available, these standards shall apply at all times except during periods when
flows are less than the average of the tiniiut seven consecutive day flow which has the probability of
occurring once in ten years.
During periods when strean flows are less than the liniiuas described above, the Wyoming Bate and Fish Dept.
and the Departient iay require the discharger to institute operational •edifications as necessary to insure
the protection of aquatic life. Where streai flow data are not available, the Departient iust take into
consideration the possible existence of aarkedly abnonal flows when deteriining violations of these
standards.
In addition, Sections 15, 16, 17 and 28 shall apply at all streai-flow conditions.
State Narrative Language For: Mixing Zones
Except for Sections 15 (Settleable Solids), 16 (Floating Solids), 17 (Taste, Odor and Color) and 28 (Undesir-
able Aquatic Life) of these regulations, compliance with Hater Quality Standards shall be determined after
allowing reasonable time for lixing. Size of the lixing zone shall be determined after consideration of the
effect of the discharge on, the biological coiiunity, water uses and aesthetic conditions, as well as consider-
ation of the flow conditions and physical nature of the receiving water. The portion of a surface water body
designated as a mixing zone shall be limited to that which will not interfere with biological coiiunities or
populations of important species to a degree which is damaging to the ecosystem and which will not cause sub-
stantial damage to other beneficial uses. In addition, there shall be a zone of passage through the mixing
zone sufficient to allow passage of free-swimming and drifting organisms in a manner producing no significant
effects on their populations, except during periods when stream flows are less than the average of the minimum
7 consecutive day flow which has the probability of occurring once in 10 years.
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WYOMINB
Classifications
Agriculture
Fish and Wildlife
Industry
Public Hater Supply
Recreation
Scenic Value
Surface Mater
Class 1
Surface Water
Class II
Surface Hater
Class 111
Surface Hater
Class IV
Those surface waters in which no further water quality degradation by point
source discharges other than from dais will be allowed. In designating Class I
waters, the Environmental Quality Council shall consider water quality,
aesthetic, scenic, recreational, ecological, agricultural, botanical,
zoological, municipal, industrial, historical, geological, cultural,
archaeological, fish and wildlife, the presence of significant quantities of
developable water and other values of present and future benefit to other people
Those surface waters, other than those classified as Class I, which are
detereined by the Hyoming 6aie and Fish Department to be presently supporting
game fish or have the hydrologic and natural water quality potential to support
game fish.
Those surface waters, other than those classified as Class I, which are
determined by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to be presently supporting
non-game fish or have the hydrologic and natural water quality potential to
support non-game fish.
Those surface waters, other than those classified as Class I, which are
determined by the Myoming Same and Fish Department not to have the hydrologic or
natural water quality potential to support fish.
WY-3
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WYOMIN6
Physical
PH
Upper Value
Loiter Value
Teaperature Change
Upper Value
Nutrients
Toxic Metals
Pesticides
Organks
Bacteria
Classes
9.0
6.5
Narr.
Agriculture Fish and Hildli.. Industry
WY-4
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WYOMING
Public Hater Su,. Recreation
Physical
Dissolved Oxygen
Lower Value
Teeperature
Upper Value
Turbidity
Upper Value
Nutrients
Aiaonia
Upper Value
Toxic Metals
Pesticides
Organics
Bacteria
Scenic Value Surface Hater
Class 1
6 ig/L
Narr, •
Narr.
0.02 -•g/L
WY-5
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WYOMING
Surface Hater . Surface Water Surface Hater
Class II Class III Class IV
Physical
Dissolved Oxygen
Loner Value
Teiperature
Upper Value
Turbidity
Upper Value
Nutrients
Aiionia
Upper Value
Toxic Metals
Pesticides
Organics
Bacteria
6.0 ig/L
Narr.
Narr.
0.02 ig/L
5 ig/L
Narr.
Narr.
0.02 ig/L
WY-6
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