United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
4304
EPA 822-R-98-OQ3
June 1998
JLCDJl WATER QUALITY CRITERIA AND
%* trrr STANDARDS PLAN - Priorities for the
Future
INTERIM FINAL
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FOREWORD
I am pleased to release the Water Quality Criteria and Standards Plan Priorities for
the Future. The Plan sets out EPA's commitments to develop and enhance important scientific
and technical tools that will strengthen and modernize the water quality criteria and standards
program. The Plan defines key objectives and activities to be undertaken over the next decade. A
number of these activities build upon ongoing efforts, while others are new and yet to be started.
I encourage you to take the time to carefully review the Plan, and provide us feedback on
the priorities, objectives and activities for the water quality criteria and standards program for the
next ten years. We are especially interested in your thoughts on how best to achieve the
ambitious number of activities described for each priority area. We will be interested in receiving
feedback through the end of August, 1998. Based on the feedback we receive, we will make
changes and additions to the Plan to ensure that it thoroughly reflects the priorities and needs of
the Nation.
As progress is made in achieving the goal of restoring the integrity of the Nation's waters,
the Plan will be reviewed and revised to address new water quality challenges. I also encourage
your participation in this long-term process.
/S/
Robert Perciasepe
Assistant Administrator
Office of Water
Address Comments to:
Water Quality Criteria and Standards Plan
Attention: Plan Comments
Health and Ecological Criteria Division (4304)
Office of Science and Technology
U.S. EPA, Office of Water
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Number
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
II. INTRODUCTION 3
1. What is the Plan? 3
2. What is the Objective of this Plan? 3
3. Why is this Plan Needed? 4
4. Background 5
- What Are Water Quality Standards and Criteria?
Why Are New Water Quality Criteria and Improvements
to the Existing Water Quality Standards Program Needed?
III. RELATIONSHIP TO THE CLEAN WATER ACTION PLAN, APPLICABLE AGENCY
GOALS, AND OTHER INITIATIVES 9
1. The Clean Water Action Plan 9
2. Applicable GPRA Goals 9
3. ANPRM 10
IV. THE FOUNDATION OF THE PLAN 12
1. A Vision for the 21st Century 12
2. Overall Goals of the Plan 12
3. Guiding Principles 13
4. Priority Areas for the Water Quality Criteria and Standards Program 14
V. KEY PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES OF THE PLAN 15
1. Ambient Water Quality Criteria 15
2. Nutrient Criteria 24
3. Microbial Pathogens 27
4. Biocriteria 30
5. TMDLs and Modeling 35
6. Sedimentation, Flow and Wildlife 39
VI. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN 43
VII. CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY OF KEY ACTIVITIES 47
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WATER QUALITY CRITERIA AND STANDARDS PLAN -- Priorities for
the Future
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The U.S. EPA, Office of Science and Technology in the Office of Water developed this
Plan to identify and communicate key scientific and technical priorities the Agency plans to pursue
together with the States and Tribes to enhance and improve water quality criteria and standards
programs across the country.
This Plan is designed to support the Clean Water Action Plan announced by President
Clinton in February 1998. Many of the action items in the Action Plan that will be accomplished
over the next several years rely on improvements in the technical and scientific underpinnings of
the water quality standards program. Improvements need to be made, and new initiatives
undertaken, to strengthen the national water quality standards program.
The Water Quality
Criteria and Standards Plan-
-Priorities for the Future,
describes seven new criteria
and standards program
initiatives that EPA will take
over the next decade.
The Plan presents a
"vision" and strategy for
meeting these important new
initiatives and improvements.
The Plan will guide EPA and
the States and Tribes in the
development and
implementation of criteria and
standards and will provide a
basis for enhancements to the
Total Maximum Daily Load
(TMDL) program, National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permitting,
nonpoint source control,
wetlands protection and other
water resources management
efforts.
PRIORITY AREAS FOR THE WATER QUALITY CRITERIA AND
STANDARDS PROGRAM:
The Office of Water will emphasize and focus on the
following priority areas for the Criteria and Standards
Program over the next decade:
Maintaining and strengthening the existing Ambient Water
Quality Criteria for water and sediments.
Developing Nutrient Criteria and assessment methods to
better protect aquatic life and human health.
Developing criteria for_Microbial Pathogens to better
protect human health during water recreation.
Completing the development of Biocriteria as an improved
basis for aquatic life protection.
Developing improved methods for TMDLs and Modeling to
better translate water quality standards into implementable
control strategies.
Evaluating possible criteria initiatives for Sedimentation,
Flow, and Wildlife.,
Ensuring Implementation of these new initiatives and
improvements by EPA in partnership with the States and
Tribes.
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The "Vision" ofthePlan-
The water quality criteria and standards program willfully integrate biocriteria, nutrient criteria
and microbialpathogen control with improved chemical-specific criteria, whole effluent toxicity methods
and possible sedimentation, flow and wildlife criteria, into criteria and standards programs to better
support watershed management for the protection of human health and the maintenance and improvement
of the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Nation's waters. Future criteria initiatives for
excessive sedimentation, flow and wildlife will be investigated.
The national surface water quality protection program is at an important juncture. The
initiatives described in the Plan are needed to better protect aquatic life and the recreational uses
of the Nation's waters. Over the past two decades, State and Tribal water quality standards and
water quality-based management approaches have relied upon aquatic life use designations and
protective criteria based primarily upon narrative, chemical-specific and whole effluent toxicity
methodologies. Using these approaches, outstanding progress has been made. However, not all
of the Nation's waters have achieved the Clean Water Act goal of "fishable and swimmable", and
significant water pollution problems still exist. Approximately 40 percent of the Nation's assessed
waters still do not meet water quality goals and about half of the Nation's 2000 major watersheds
have water quality problems.
Given these facts, there is a critical need for improved water quality standards and a set of
tools to implement those standards. Adding nutrient criteria and biological criteria to the water
quality criteria and standards program ensures further improvements in maintaining and restoring
aquatic life. Improved human health criteria will better protect against bioaccumulative pollutants
and new microbial pathogen controls will better protect human health (especially that of children)
during water related recreation. Better tools also are needed for controlling excessive
sedimentation, flow alterations and for protecting wildlife. The new initiatives discussed in the
Plan also will help to promote water resources management on a watershed basis in support of the
Clean Water Action Plan.
The Plan briefly describes the water quality issues and concerns that the new criteria
initiatives will address. For each initiative, the Plan explains the key objective(s) to be
accomplished and the critical activities EPA is planning to take to achieve these objectives.
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II. INTRODUCTION
1. WHAT IS THIS PLAN?
The Water Quality Criteria and Standards Plan presents a "vision" and strategy for
important new initiatives and improvements that should be made to the water quality criteria and
standards program to better protect human health and enhance and maintain the quality of the
Nation's waterbodies.
This plan will guide EPA and the States and Tribes in their development and implementation
of criteria and standards over the next decade and will enhance the effectiveness of clean water
programs, including the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting,
nonpoint source control, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) derivations, wetlands protection,
water quality certifications and other water resources management efforts.
This Plan does not, however, substitute for the Clean Water Act or EPA's regulations; nor
is it a regulation itself. Thus, it cannot impose legally binding requirements on EPA, States, or the
regulated community and may not apply to a particular situation based on the circumstances.
EPA retains the discretion to adopt approaches on a case-by-case basis that differ from the
approaches discussed in this Plan, where appropriate. EPA may change this Plan in the future.
2. OBJECTIVE OF THIS PLAN
This Plan communicates the new initiatives and improvements that will be taken by EPA
over the next decade to better equip the States and Tribes to implement a more fully integrated
water quality criteria and standards program.
The Plan lays out a vision and a strategy for the next decade that includes new initiatives
such as developing nutrient criteria and standards and new microbiological pathogen tools and
developing biocriteria for use in water quality standards. The Plan also describes the possibility of
three additional initiatives to investigate water quality criteria for sedimentation, flow, and wildlife
protection.
At the same time, the Plan identifies refinements that will help to maintain and improve the
predictive and quantitative capabilities associated with existing chemical-specific and whole
effluent toxicity criteria that have been used for water quality protection for the past two decades.
The Plan also outlines a strategy for improving TMDL modeling techniques and for working with
State and Tribal partners to implement the new criteria and improvements into water quality
standards.
EPA recognizes that there are existing water quality standards program requirements that
create an ongoing workload for States and Tribes, and that addressing these requirements and
resolving related issues will present significant challenges for States and Tribes over the coming
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years. Examples include, application of antidegradation requirements to regulated activities,
completion and periodic public review of use attainability analyses, resolution of issues stemming
from new State water quality laws, adoption of minimally-acceptable water quality standards on
tribal lands, and other important core program activities mandated by CWA section 303(c) and
EPA's implementing regulations.
The Criteria and Standards Plan describes activities that are in addition to these existing
demands facing States, Tribes and EPA over the next ten years. Although some of the
improvements envisioned by the Plan will help resolve some of the pending issues, EPA
recognizes that the Plan describes an ambitious agenda for the next decade, not only for EPA, but
also for the States and Tribes. Because of this, EPA encourages the States, Tribes, stakeholders
and other interested parties to seek innovative and efficient ways to make the Plan a reality.
3. WHY IS THIS PLAN NEEDED?
The national surface water quality protection program is at an important juncture.
Improvements to the water quality criteria and standards program need to be made to better
protect aquatic life and human health and communicate this information to the public.
To date, State and Tribal water quality standards and water quality-based management
approaches have successfully relied upon beneficial use designations and protective criteria based
primarily upon narrative, chemical-specific, and whole effluent toxicity methodologies. These
approaches and methodologies have worked well for controlling individual sources of pollution
discharged by industry and sewage treatment plants, and will continue to remain as valuable tools,
where applicable. However, if the Nation is to finish the job of restoring and protecting water
quality and fulfill the Clean Water Act goal of "fishable and swimmable" waters, improvements
and enhancements must be made to the water quality criteria and standards program.
Given the remaining sources of water quality impairments, there is an essential need for
nutrient criteria, biocriteria and improved human health and microbiological criteria to ensure
further improvements in maintaining and restoring water quality. Better protection of human
health during water related recreation, enhanced management of wet weather flows, and water
resources management on a watershed basis is also needed. Likewise, better tools should be
developed for controlling excessive sedimentation, flow alterations and for protecting wildlife.
"The challenge is to enhance the water quality criteria and standards
program so that it can accommodate both watershed-wide management
and/or site-specific decision-making, facilitate more effective control of
multiple stressors and measure the complete health of the entire
waterbody."
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4. BACKGROUND
What Are Water Quality Standards and Criteria?
Water quality standards are laws or regulations that the States and Indian Tribes adopt to
enhance and maintain water quality and to protect public health. Water quality standards provide
the foundation for accomplishing the goals and objectives of the Clean Water Act. More
specifically, water quality standards help to:
Restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Nation's
waters; and,
Where attainable, achieve water quality that promotes protection and propagation of
fish, shellfish and wildlife and provide for recreation in and on the water. This goal is
commonly known by the expression "fishable and swimmable "; and,
Prohibit the discharge of toxic pollutants in toxic amounts; and,
Eliminate the discharge of pollutants to navigable waters.
Water quality standards apply to surface waters of the United States, including rivers,
streams, lakes, oceans, estuaries and wetlands. Water quality standards consist, at a minimum, of
three elements: 1) the "designated beneficial use" or "uses" of a waterbody or segment of a
waterbody; 2) the water quality "criteria" necessary to protect the uses of that particular
waterbody; and 3) an antidegradation policy. Typical designated beneficial uses of waterbodies
include public water supply, propagation offish and wildlife, recreation, agricultural water use,
industrial water use and navigation.
Water quality criteria describe the quality of water that will support a given designated use.
Under authority of section 304 of the Clean Water Act, EPA publishes, on an advisory basis,
water quality "criteria" that reflect available scientific information on the maximum acceptable
concentration levels of specific chemicals in water that will protect aquatic life or human health.
These criteria are intended to provide protection for all surface waters on a national basis and may
be used by the States and Tribes for developing enforceable water quality criteria that protect the
designated use as a part of their water quality standards. When properly selected criteria are met,
they are expected to protect the designated use with a margin of safety. The antidegradation
policy ensures that existing water quality is maintained and protected.
States and Tribes use criteria developed by EPA under section 304 to adopt enforceable
maximum acceptable concentration levels of a pollutant in ambient waters. The water quality
criteria adopted into a State or Tribal water quality standard may or may not be the same number
published by EPA under section 304. States and Tribes have the discretion to adjust the section
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304 criteria to reflect local environmental conditions and human exposure patterns or to derive a
criterion from an independent methodology as long as it is scientifically defensible. Water quality
criteria can also be expressed in either numeric form or narrative form by the States and Tribes in
their water quality standards. EPA reviews and approves State and Tribal water quality standards
every three years.
To date, virtually all States have narrative and numeric water quality standards that protect
human health and aquatic life from exposure to some chemicals and conditions in the water,
including toxic and bioaccumulative pollutants. However, few States or Tribes have adopted
numeric criteria for biological integrity, excessive nutrient enrichment, excessive sedimentation,
wildlife protection or flow control.
Why Are New Water Quality Criteria and Improvements to the Existing Water Quality
Standards Program Needed?
Important problems and concerns still exist with the Nation's water quality which warrant
the need for changes and improvements to the water quality criteria and standards program over
the next decade.
Although major successes have been achieved through implementation of technology-based
and water quality-based controls on specific pollutants, studies reveal that there still exist
significant threats to water quality including nutrient imbalances, adverse human health effects,
polluted runoff, excessive wet weather flows, habitat degradation, and severe temperature and
other flow alterations, such as too little water. New and improved criteria and standards tools are
needed to address these remaining water quality problems.
Excessive Nutrient Enrichment
Nutrients are essential to the health and diversity of our surface waters. However, in excess
amounts they can lead to hypereutrophication, resulting in over-growth of primary producers and
decline of the biological community as well as potential human health risks most recently
manifested in the Pfiesteria outbreaks in the Gulf and East Coasts.
Many federal agencies, including EPA, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Geological
Society, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
have ongoing nutrient investigation and abatement projects which can be coordinated. The
national response to the nutrient problem has been limited. However, recent advances in the
approach to pollution management emphasizing a watershed approach and community
involvement now make it possible to address this threat.
Microbial Contamination
Current EPA criteria for protection against pathogenic microorganisms in recreational
waters rely on the use of E. coli and enterococci as indicators of potential risk from acute
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gastrointestinal disease. Since these indicators require a 24-48 hour period from sampling until
the analysis is completed, the ability of public health officials to alert beach goers or to post or
close beaches when pollution problems arise is impaired. Modifications to current indicator
methods or development of new methods will provide "real time" indications of pathogen risk.
The current microbial pathogen indicators are not designed to indicate the presence of other
pathogenic organisms which may cause throat, skin, eye, ear, and respiratory tract infections.
Additional indicators are needed to rapidly detect the presence and quantity of other pathogens in
polluted water that can lead to infectious disease risks. The current monitoring strategy is limited
to routine weekly monitoring at a single point at a beach and do not factor in meteorological or
pollution events which can cause increased short-term risks of disease. Better monitoring
approaches would help public health officials determine when beach conditions are acceptable and
would include assessments of water quality at various distances, depths, and locations.
There also is a need to use new criteria to protect human health. EPA now uses the
National Academy of Science risk assessment paradigm for toxic chemicals (and versions thereof)
for performing microbiological risk assessments. However, there are a number of shortcomings in
the use of this approach. A risk assessment approach that accounts for all of the unique
characteristics of microbial pathogens and human infection that cannot be dealt with directly in the
chemical risk assessment model is essential for performing microbiological risk assessments.
Wet Weather Flows
Excess storm water flows, habitat degradation and alterations to temperature all have
potentially serious consequences on the biota of a receiving waterbody. The high volumes and
velocities of storm water flows into streams and small rivers can result in stream bank erosion,
excessive turbidity and extreme sedimentation which severely damage local habitat. With these
chronic impacts, healthy biological life cannot exist.
To help address wet weather flows, the 1994 EPA Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) policy
presumes that States and Tribes will re-examine their water quality standards on affected waters.
More effective tools, such as biocriteria, habitat assessments and possibly sedimentation and flow
criteria, will help States and Tribes better assess and deal with wet weather overflows.
The introduction of biological criteria and assessment techniques will provide EPA and the
States and Tribes better tools for addressing the impacts of wet weather flows. Biological
assessment methods are potentially the best methods to directly detect the separate or cumulative
impacts of chemical, physical and other stressors in the aquatic environment. Biocriteria and
assessment methods also provide a tool for more specific or refined aquatic life use designations
and more accuracy in detecting aquatic life use impairments. The aquatic life use refinements will
enable the States and Tribes to develop chemical-specific criteria at the waterbody or watershed
level and to more effectively prioritize and target control actions.
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At the same time, existing tools such as chemical-specific criteria for the protection of
aquatic life and human health, whole effluent toxicity criteria and methods must be maintained and
strengthened to prevent erosion of the progress made to date. Chemical-specific and whole
effluent toxicity criteria will remain an essential feature to control the sources of chemical
stressors, however, some of EPA's criteria guidance are over ten years old. Some criteria
guidance need updating and new criteria, especially for sediment quality, should be developed.
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III. RELATIONSHIP TO THE CLEAN WATER ACTION PLAN,
APPLICABLE AGENCY GOALS AND OTHER INITIATIVES
1. THE CLEAN WATER ACTION PLAN
The Criteria and Standards Plan is intended to fully support the Clean Water Action Plan
announced by President Clinton in February 1998. Water quality standards in States and Tribal
lands are an essential foundation for implementing many of the key actions described in the Action
Plan. Numerous goals, principles and key actions described in the Action Plan will be
accomplished through strengthened water quality standards and criteria.
For example, reducing nutrient enrichment and controlling Pfiesteria outbreaks will depend
heavily on the development and implementation of nutrient criteria in all State and Tribal water
quality standards. The more effective control of mercury contamination will be achieved partly
through promulgation of an updated mercury water quality criterion. Assuring beaches are safe
for swimming will depend on better microbial pathogen control, including revised criteria. Better
protection of wetlands and coastal waters can be achieved partially through development and
implementation of wetlands, estuarine and near coastal waters biocriteria. Improved storm water
management and control of polluted nonpoint source runoff can be achieved through the use of
sediment controls, flow controls, biocriteria and habitat monitoring.
Successful watershed management, especially that aimed at restoring healthy aquatic
systems, will depend on watershed managers having a strong and comprehensive set of water
quality standards, including up-to-date chemical criteria, whole effluent toxicity criteria and newly
developed biocriteria and habitat assessment tools.
The Criteria and Standards Plan is a blueprint that identifies the necessary scientific and
technical activities and commitments EPA will undertake over the next decade to strengthen and
improve the water quality criteria and standards program. By making these improvements, a
stronger foundation for water quality management will be created upon which the goals and key
actions of the Clean Water Action Plan can be achieved.
2. GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE RESULTS ACT (GPRA)
The Criteria and Standards Plan is also designed to help achieve the Water Goals established
by the Agency under the Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) as described below in
this section.
Goal 2: Clean and Safe Water
Objective 1: By 2005, protect human health so that 95% of the population served by
community water systems will receive water that meets drinking water standards,
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consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish will be reduced, and exposure to
contamination in waters used for recreation will be reduced.
Subobjective Ib: By 2005, standards that establish protective levels for an additional
10 high-risk contaminants (e.g., disinfection by-products, arsenic, radon) will be issued.
Subobjective If: By 2005, consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish will be
reduced and the percentage of waters attaining designated uses protecting the
consumption offish and shellfish will increase.
Subobjective Ig: By 2005, exposure to microbial and other forms of contamination in
waters used for recreation will be reduced and the percentage of waters attaining the
designated recreational uses will increase.
Objective 2: Conserve and enhance ecological health of the Nation's waters and aquatic
ecosystems so that 75% will support healthy aquatic communities by 2005.
Subobjective 2a: By 2005, restore and protect watersheds so that 75% of waters
support health aquatic communities as shown by comprehensive assessments.
Subobjective 2c: By 2005, provide means to identify, assess and manage aquatic
stressors, including contaminated sediments.
Objective 3: By 2005, pollutant discharges from key point sources and nonpoint source
runoff wi\\ be reduced by at least 20% from 1992 levels. Air deposition of key pollutants
impacting waterbodies will be reduced.
Subobjective 3a: By 2005, annual point source loadings from CSOs, POTWs and
industrial sources will be reduced by 30% from 1992 levels.
Subobjective 3b: By 2005, nonpoint sediment and nutrient loads to rivers and streams
will be reduced. Erosion from cropland, used as an indicator of success in controlling
sediment delivery to surface waters, will be reduced by 20% from 1992 levels.
Subobjective 3c: By 2006, reduce releases of targeted persistent toxic pollutants that
contribute to air deposition by 50-75%, reducing deposition of nitrogen by 10-15% from
1992 levels.
3. ADVANCE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING (ANPRM) FOR THE
WATER QUALITY STANDARDS REGULATIONS AT 40 CFR PART 131
It is helpful to understand the relationship between the ANPRM and the Criteria and
Standards Plan. The ANPRM solicits public comment on potential revisions to the basic water
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quality standards program regulation governing State adoption and EPA approval of water quality
standards under section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act. The ANPRM also requests comments
and suggestions on any improvements or refinements that would make implementation of the
standards program more effective in, a) protecting water quality, b) supporting a watershed
management approach, and c) integrating new criteria and assessment science into standards
programs.
The Criteria and Standards Plan highlights the ongoing and new scientific and technical
initiatives that need to be taken by EPA, in partnership with the States and Tribes, to improve the
water quality criteria program. The ANPRM solicits comments on how these might be best
implemented in water quality standards by the States and Tribes.
The ANPRM emphasizes improving and refining designated uses and tailoring criteria to
match those uses. The Plan identifies the necessary new criteria tools that are essential to
improving and refining the designated uses. The ANPRM discusses and takes public comment on
each of these new criteria tools regarding how and when these new criteria should be
implemented, i.e.; whether the water quality standards regulation should be amended to require,
or merely recognize, these additional forms of criteria. Once ANPRM comments are received and
reviewed, EPA will consider relevant comments for future revisions or amendments to this Plan.
EPA acknowledges that efforts to improve and refine the water quality standards program
could encounter significant resource constraints in some States and Tribes. In order for a new,
data-intensive, watershed-specific approach to succeed, it must be manageable for the States and
Tribes that will be in the position of implementation. The ANPRM also highlights the potential
resource challenges for States and Tribes and requests comment regarding concerns over resource
constraints and ideas for how to address them.
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IV. THE FOUNDATION OF THE PLAN
To improve and enhance the effectiveness of water quality management efforts in the United
States, the U.S. EPA, Office of Water establishes the Water Quality Criteria and Standards Plan
for the future of the water quality criteria and standards program. The vision of the Plan provides
an overarching objective.
1. A "VISION" FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
The "Vision" of the Plan-
The water quality criteria and standards program willfully integrate biocriteria,
nutrient criteria and microbialpathogen control with improved chemical-specific criteria,
whole effluent toxicity methods and possible sedimentation, flow and wildlife criteria, into
criteria and standards programs to better support watershed management for the protection of
human health and the maintenance and improvement of the chemical, physical and biological
integrity of the Nation's waters. Future criteria initiatives for excessive sedimentation, flow
and wildlife will be investigated.
2. OVERALL GOALS OF THE PLAN
EPA will strive to achieve the following goals when implementing this Plan:
Improve the scientific basis of all water quality criteria and the implementing tools, such
as models, to support better decisions about appropriate stressor management.
Provide necessary technical and policy guidance and training to support the new criteria
and assessment methodologies. Improve delivery of technical assistance/outreach to the
States and Tribes.
Support the States and Tribes with programmatic resources to implement these new
initiatives, encourage innovation through program flexibility, and ensure equity between
different State and Tribal programs.
Improve communication of the policy and technical bases for water quality criteria to
stakeholders and the general public.
Better communicate the quality and uses of the Nation's waters to the public in a
manner that enables the public to better understand and more effectively participate in
water quality management decisions.
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Help to achieve, in a timely fashion, the applicable water goals defined for EPA under
the Government Performance Results Act (GPRA).
3. GUIDING PRINCIPLES
EPA will adhere to the following guiding principles during the implementation of the Plan.
EPA will continue to support the lead role States and Tribes play in restoring and
maintaining the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Nation's waters.
EPA will provide current, high quality, peer reviewed science as the foundation for the
criteria and standards program.
EPA will maintain the scientific integrity of the historical chemical-specific and effluent
toxicity parameters and will develop the necessary scientific and policy tools to fully
integrate biological criteria and assessments into the suite of water quality tools.
EPA will actively involve States and Tribes in the criteria development process by
making published methods and the data used in those methods more accessible.
EPA will continue to support the national program model based on generally applicable
national or regional criteria and use of site-specific local data and analysis, as necessary,
for needed improvements on a watershed or eco-region basis.
EPA will communicate to local governments, the regulated and environmental
communities and the public the science and processes used for implementing the
activities identified in this Plan.
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4. PRIORITY AREAS OF THE PLAN
The Office of Water will emphasize and focus on the following priority areas for the
Criteria and Standards Program over the next decade.
PRIORITY AREAS FOR THE WATER QUALITY
CRITERIA AND STANDARDS PROGRAM
4 Maintain and strengthen the existing Ambient Water Quality
Criteria for water and sediments.
Develop Nutrient Criteria and assessment methods to better
protect aquatic life and human health.
Develop criteria for Microbial Pathogens to better protect
human health.
Complete the development of Biocriteria to better protect
aquatic life.
Develop improved methods for TMDLs and Modeling to
better translate water quality standards into implementable
control strategies.
Evaluate possible criteria initiatives for Sedimentation, Flow
and Wildlife.
Ensure Implementation of these new initiatives and
improvements by EPA in partnership with the States and
Tribes.
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V. KEY PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES OF THE PLAN
1. AMBIENT WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
EPA's ambient water quality criteria program began with the enactment of the Clean Water
Act (CWA). The CWA requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to
publish criteria for water quality that accurately incorporates the latest scientific knowledge on the
kind and extent of all identifiable effects on health and welfare resulting from the presence of
pollutants in any body of water, including ground water. Aquatic life and human health water
quality criteria establish water column chemical concentrations that protect aquatic life health
(water column organism) and human health.
EPA first published water quality criteria guidance in 1972 in the "Blue Book." More
criteria guidances were published in 1976 in the "Red Book." In 1980, EPA issued a
methodology and guidelines for deriving water quality criteria along with a series of water quality
criteria guidance documents for 64 pollutants/pollutant classes. The criteria guidance documents
provided two types of information: 1) discussions of available scientific data on the effects of the
pollutants on public health and welfare, aquatic life, and recreation; and 2) quantitative
concentrations or qualitative assessments of the levels of pollutants in water which, if not
exceeded, will generally ensure adequate water quality for a specified water use. Many of the
previously published EPA criteria guidances and some new criteria guidances were summarized in
the "Gold Book" which was published in 1986. Ambient water quality criteria are based on data
and scientific judgments on the relationship between pollutant concentrations and environmental
and human health effects. The criteria do not reflect consideration of economic impacts or the
technological feasibility of meeting the chemical concentrations in ambient water. The criteria
guidances are used by States and Tribes to establish water quality standards, and ultimately
provide a basis for controlling
discharges or releases of pollutants.
To date, aquatic life and human
health criteria form the foundation of
the ambient water quality program.
However, over the years it has been
recognized that to fulfill all the goals of
the CWA, EPA would have to address
more than just specific chemical
pollution. The Agency developed a
variety of tools in addition to aquatic
life and human health chemical-specific
criteria guidance to provide a more
holistic approach to aquatic resource
protection. For example, whole effluent
toxicity testing was developed and
AMBIENT WATER QUALITY
CRITERIA
Key Objectives:
1. Existing chemical criteria and criteria
methodologies and whole effluent
toxicity methods for the protection of
aquatic life will be maintained, updated
and improved, where necessary.
2. Existing human health criteria will be
maintained, updated and improved,
where necessary.
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chemical criteria were expanded to include some wildlife criteria (for the Great Lakes). In
addition, national sediment criteria guidances were proposed for the protection of benthic
organisms. To continue this progress in ambient water quality criteria development, this portion
of the Plan lays out the key objectives of the ambient water quality criteria program for the next
several years.
-AQUATICLIFE - Key Activities:
Aquatic life criteria guidance are derived to be protective of most aquatic species. The
protective value is derived from a strict standard set of toxicity data collected for at least one
species of aquatic organism (usually the most sensitive life stages) in at least eight different
taxonomic families. Criteria also consider such things as water hardness which may impact the
bioavailability of the chemical. There are also adjustments that can be made to provide for site-
specific conditions. Because the final chronic value of the aquatic life criterion is protective of
both water column and benthic organisms (when tested in water only tests; no sediment) it is the
protective value used in the derivation of sediment quality criteria for the protection of benthic
organisms. The calculation of sediment quality criteria also includes the organic carbon content
or acid volatile sulfide content of the sediment and the octonal/water partitioning coefficient of the
chemical of concern. The numeric values derived for aquatic life and sediment quality can then be
incorporated into a State's water quality standards and be used for developing total maximum
daily loads and wasteload allocations which may lead to permit limitations on point source
discharges and other controls on non-point sources.
Though EPA developed it's aquatic life and sediment quality criteria based on a rigorous
data standard, many of the aquatic life criteria have not been updated in several years and the
sediment quality criteria program is just getting underway. In order to achieve the goals of the
CWA it is imperative that the base program keep pace with advancing science and incorporate
new approaches and insights. To promote a sound science foundation, a variety of maintenance,
improvement, and re-engineering efforts must be undertaken.
To meet the ambient water quality criteria objectives for aquatic life, a number of key
activities need to be carried out. First, EPA must update the existing aquatic life criteria
derivation methodology. The current methodology was written in 1985. Since that time there
have been a number of advances in aquatic fate and transport modeling and improved knowledge
of modes of action of many chemicals. This information needs to be incorporated into the criteria
derivation methodology. The goal is to derive criteria that are appropriately protective. The
criteria should not be under protective, nor should they be over protective when the tools are
available to accurately evaluate the unique system or contaminant under consideration.
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EPA will collect the latest scientific data and other information for aquatic life criteria
development and revisions, on an ongoing basis.
EPA will update the aquatic life criteria derivation methodology to reflect new science
and modeling capabilities:
Review the need for adjustments to frequency and duration components of
existing guidelines by the end of 2000.
It has long been EPA's goal to implement a watershed/ecorisk-based ambient water quality
program. In fact, this was the intent of some of the earliest water quality control efforts. In those
early years, the state of the science, the laws, and program design were inadequate to meet such a
challenge and the effort reverted to a chemical-specific, command and control program. Though
simpler to implement, and certainly short of the recognized needs, this basic program brought the
Nation a quality of water that is the envy of most countries in the world. During the 20 years of
designing and implementing the base program the science has evolved and program design has
been improved. Most now believe that the existing program should be re-energized; that a new
paradigm is needed if the country is to fully achieve the goal of the CWA and to do so with the
best use of limited resources.
EPA is working on a variety of fronts to integrate the different types of water quality
criteria. How to design ecological risk-based criteria and implement a watershed-based water
quality protection program are two of the largest challenges. EPA is participating in and
supporting a workshop to investigate and define possible approaches to developing ecorisk-based
criteria. At the same time the Agency has been supporting a cooperative effort with a number of
universities to investigate the fate, transport, and bioavailability of metals in aquatic systems. The
goal of this effort is to develop an integrated approach that will be both state of the art and
technically uncomplicated to assess and control metals .
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EPA will initiate an effort to re-engineer the criteria program to ensure the latest
science and modeling capabilities are being used to protect aquatic life and aquatic
dependent wildlife by:
Participating in and evaluating the proceedings of (and implementing
when/where appropriate) a SETAC sponsored workshop in 1998 that will
focus on the science needed to support a watershed/ecorisk based criteria
program in 2010 and beyond.
Developing a PC-based dynamic modeling software for site-specific metals
criteria derivation for implementation in 2000.
EPA will make improvements to the whole effluent toxicity testing methodologies and
implementation procedures, where necessary.
At the same time that EPA embarks on new initiatives to meet the goals of the CWA, the
chemical-specific criteria that form the foundation of the program cannot be left to languish.
Thus, EPA initiated in 1997 a process to revise and update existing aquatic life criteria. Updates
for the following criteria were initiated in 1997 and are being completed in 1998: nonylphenol,
diazinon, tributyltin, atrizine. In 1998/99 updates will be initiated for more criteria.
EPA will propose 2-5 aquatic life water quality criteria each year for revision or
new criteria derivation.
In 1998/99 initiate updates for copper, lead, aluminum, atrazine metabolites, silver.
There are a number of existing aquatic life criteria guidances that are in need of updated
data. These criteria guidances need to benefit from the most current science. These criteria
include (but are not limited to): selenium, saltwater dissolved oxygen, and ammonia. Revisions of
these criteria require a significant level of effort and are scheduled only one or two at a time.
It has also been a goal of the Agency to provide tools and information to the end user in the
most efficient manner possible. To do so, the Agency is preparing a Criteria Table which will
provide the most recent criteria guidance for use by States, Tribes, Regions, Industry and other
groups and individuals performing assessments or determining limitations to discharges.
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By the end of 1998, EPA will update high priority chemical-specific criteria for
ammonia, selenium and saltwater dissolved oxygen.
Starting in 1998, EPA will publish a Criteria Table on the Internet and update it
annually.
In July 1990, EPA published guidance on the level of achievement expected of States and
Tribes by the end of fiscal year 1993 in the development of wetland water quality standards.
Although most States and Tribes have incorporated wetlands into their definition of State/Tribal
waters, currently only a few States or Tribes have developed comprehensive wetland-specific
standards. Water quality standards for wetlands are necessary to ensure that, under the provisions
of the Clean Water Act, wetlands are afforded the same level of protection as other waters.
Between 1998 and 1999, EPA will work with all States to designate specific
beneficial uses for their wetlands.
EPA will work with the States and Tribes to adopt narrative and numeric criteria
specifically for wetlands, or to adjust existing criteria to appropriately reflect
conditions in wetlands by the end of 1999.
-SEDIMENT QUALITY PROTECTION - Key Activities:
As successful as the aquatic life criteria have been in improving the quality of the Nation's
waters, many waterbodies are not yet "fishable and swimmable." Though the water column
criteria may be met or the discharges to a waterbody are meeting limitations, the waterbody may
not meet designated uses because of sediment contamination which is causing benthic community
impacts, impacting water quality, and/ or contributing to fish consumption advisories. Water
column criteria are not designed to account for the complexities of the bioavailability of
contaminants in bedded sediments.
For several years EPA has been investigating the bioavailability of contaminants in
sediments to benthic organisms and has published for comment and peer review a number of
guidance documents designed to help States, Tribes, Regions, and others make accurate sediment
assessments and sound risk management decisions for sediment protection and remediation. A
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number of these guidance documents are or will be final in 1998. These include: the Inland
Testing Manual for Dredged Material Management, the National Sediment Quality Survey Report
to Congress, the Agency-wide Contaminated Sediment Management Strategy, the Technical Basis
Document for the Derivation of Sediment Quality Criteria for Nonionic Organic Chemicals Using
Equilibrium Partitioning for the Protection of Benthic Organisms, Sediment Quality Criteria for
the Protection of Benthic Organisms: Dieldrin and Endrin, and Site-Specific Modification of
Sediment Quality Criteria. There will also be a number of draft guidance documents available for
review, including the user's manual for sediment quality criteria.
With the basic guidance for sediment assessment nearing completion, EPA's attention is
focussing on helping stakeholders target and prioritize contaminated areas for prevention, control,
and remediation actions. Attention also is being given to the integration of the sediment program
into the larger water quality program by incorporating it into the TMDL process and eventually
into the permits of dischargers whose effluent carries chemicals likely to accumulate in sediments
and cause adverse impacts.
It is important to ensure that criteria are derived and published in a form that is ecologically
relevant. To do this, EPA is preparing draft sediment quality guidance for PAH mixtures and
metals mixtures. Both of these contaminant types are rarely, if ever, found as single contaminants
but rather as mixtures of a number of PAH's or a number of metals whose toxicities interact or
whose bioavailabilities are interdependent.
EPA will improve management of contaminated sediments in order to meet the
GPRA goals of reducing fish and shellfish contamination and increasing the number
of water bodies with healthy, diverse biota by:
Implementing the Agency-wide Contaminated Sediment Management
Strategy in 1998.
Updating the National Sediment Quality Survey Report to Congress
biennially.
Developing scientifically defensible sediment assessment methods.
Expanding water column aquatic life and human health criteria to include
bed sediment criteria.
Developing a sediment modeling toolkit for TMDLs by the end of 1999.
Developing sediment quality guidance on mixtures of polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons and mixtures of metals. Draft in 1998, final by 2001.
Conducting contaminated sediment recovery demonstration projects in five
watershed selected from those identified in the National Sediment Quality
Survey. Initiate first study in 1999 and remaining four by 2000.
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-HUMAN HEALTH PROTECTION - Key Activities:
EPA's water quality criteria for the protection of human health are developed pursuant to
section 304(a)(l) of the Clean Water Act which requires EPA to develop and publish (and to
revise from time to time thereafter) criteria guidance for water quality that will protect against all
identifiable effects on health and welfare which may be expected from the presence of pollutants
in any body of water, including ground water.
The 1980 EPA guidelines for developing criteria for the protection of human health
addressed three types of endpoints: noncancer, cancer, and organoleptic (taste and odor) effects.
Criteria values for the protection against noncancer and cancer effects were estimated by using
risk assessment-based procedures, including extrapolation from animal toxicity or human
epidemiological studies. Basic human exposure assumptions were also applied, including body
weight, freshwater and estuarine fish/shellfish intake, and drinking water intake.
EPA is now in the process of updating the 1980 guidelines to reflect advances in science and
policy, and to develop consistency between risk assessments performed in support of the CWA
and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). EPA has developed both a draft Federal Register
Notice and a Technical Support Document (TSD). The TSD includes more technical detail and is
supplemented by three proposed criteria guidance documents (acrylonitrile, 1,2-dichloropropene,
and hexachlorobutadiene) which were developed using the revised methodology. Publication of
the revised methodology in the Federal Register is expected by July 1998 and will include a
public comment period. Concurrent with the comment period, EPA will have the methodology
guidelines peer reviewed and conduct a public stakeholders meeting.
EPA will collect the latest scientific data and other information for human health
criteria development and revisions, on an ongoing basis.
EPA will integrate the latest available, peer reviewed science into the ambient human
health criteria methodology on an ongoing basis.
By the end of 1999, EPA will develop a BAF field guidance document for use with
deriving new criteria.
EPA will publish three human health criteria guidance documents in 1998 and
expects these to become final in 1999:
Acrylonitrile
1,3-dichloropropene
Hexachlorobutadiene
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The revised methodology will provide more flexibility for decision-making at the State,
Tribal and local level. The methodology will result in more stringent criteria guidance for
pollutants that bioaccumulate [due to the use of bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) instead of
bioconcentration factors (BCFs)]. For non-bioaccumulative pollutants, the revised methodology
will produce criteria that may be higher or lower than the criteria produced by the existing
methodology, depending on factors unique to the particular chemical. EPA believes that its
existing criteria guidance continue to represent protective values until EPA re-evaluates a
chemical and publishes revised criteria guidance.
With the revised methodology, EPA anticipates developing several "example" criteria (i.e.,
the three discussed above) and following up with a phased approach where EPA will develop
several criteria at one time, initially focusing on highly bioaccumulative chemicals. EPA's Office
of Water is exploring ways to expedite the criteria updating process. In addition, EPA is currently
developing BAFs for 29 chemicals selected based on toxicity, occurrence and levels in fish tissue,
and bioaccumulation potential.
EPA will update high priority chemical-specific criteria guidance:
Dioxin- to be initiated following completion of Agency reassessment.
PCBs- publish updated human health criteria guidance in 1999.
Mercury- publish updated human health criteria guidance in 1999.
EPA, in consultation with the States and Tribes, will select future chemicals for criteria
derivation based on documented risk characterizations for each chemical. In this process, EPA
will consider pollutants from the SDWA Contaminant List and Office of Pesticide Programs risk
analyses. EPA will publish annually in the Federal Register a list of contaminants planned for
development/revision and the status of new criteria/revisions in progress or recently completed.
EPA is also considering a web site that would provide the information and status for the criteria
developed and in progress.
EPA is promoting a larger role for States/Tribes and other stakeholders in developing
criteria. States and Tribes will become decision-makers by: making risk assessment decisions
(e.g., factoring in uncertainly and variability in decisions); adapting criteria to local conditions;
and conducting peer review on their criteria/standards to enhance scientific defensibility. EPA
will review State/Tribe deviations from recommended criteria guidance values through existing
water quality standards reviews. The pollutants selected for criteria development will be selected
from multiple sources, including the list of bioaccumulatives below.
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EPA will propose three to five human health criteria guidances annually, including those
from the following list.
-Benz(a)-Anthracene -4,4'-DDD
-Benzo(a)-Pyrene -Dieldrin
-4-Bromo-phenyl Phenyl-Ether -Endrin
-4-Chloro-phenyl Phenyl Ether -Heptachlor
-Dibenzo(a,h)Anthracene -Heptachlor Epoxide
-Di-n-Butyl Phthalate -Mirex/dechlorane
-Hexachloro-benzene -Octachlorostyrene
-Hexachloro-butadiene -Pentachlorobenzene
-Aldrin -Photomirex
-Hexachlorocyclohexane -1,2,3,4-Tetrachlorobenzene
-Alpha-BHC -1,2,3,5-Tetrachlorobenzene
-Beta-BHC -Toxaphene
-Gamma-BHC
-Delta-BHC
-Chlordane
-4,4'-DDT
-4,4'-DDE
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2. NUTRIENT CRITERIA
The term nutrient is used to describe a compound that is necessary for metabolism.
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are required in relatively large amounts by cells and are called
macronutrients, as opposed to micronutrients such as iron or molybdenum. Nutrients, in the
appropriate amounts, are essential to the health and continued functioning of natural ecosystems.
However, depending upon a variety of factors, nutrients can be present in waterbodies in
excessive amounts.
When nutrient inputs exceed the assimilative capacity of a waterbody, the waterbody
progresses toward hypereutrophic conditions. Symptoms include an overabundance of primary
producers (vascular plants and algae), algal blooms (some toxic), low dissolved oxygen, episodic
anoxia, loss of vascular plant life, and fish kills and ultimately decreased biological diversity.
Investigations have shown that the key causative factors are excessive concentrations of the
primary nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen. Excessive nutrients have been implicated with both
the large hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico, hypoxia observed in several East Coast States, and
Pfiesteria-mduced fish kills and human health problems in the coastal waters of several East Coast
and Gulf States.
Nutrients
-Key Objectives:
l.
Sources of excessive nutrients are
fertilizers, sewage treatment plants,
detergents, septic systems, combined sewer
overflows, sediment mobilization, animal
manure, atmospheric deposition and
internal nutrient recycling from sediments.
Other factors that can influence
overenrichment are light attenuation, land-
use practices, and imbalance of primary,
secondary, and tertiary producers and
consumers (plankton, macrophytes,
epiphytes, grazers, predators, and
decomposers).
According to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA's) National
Water Quality Inventory: 1994 Report to Congress excessive nutrient enrichment is one of the
leading causes of impairment in surveyed rivers and streams. Twenty-three percent of the rivers
were impaired due to nutrient enrichment; 43 percent of the surveyed lakes and 47 percent of the
surveyed estuaries were similarly affected. States reported that agriculture is the most widespread
source of these impairments, followed by municipal sewage treatment plants, urban runoff and
storm sewers, and other unspecified nonpoint pollution sources.
EPA will develop the necessary
scientific and technical tools
so that all States and Tribes
can develop water quality
criteria for nutrients to provide
a basis for the reduction and
control of excessive nutrient
enrichment.
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While chemical-specific and whole effluent toxicity criteria are essential to a water
quality management program, the addition of nutrient criteria will augment this program and
address a specific problem that often causes waterbodies to fail to meet the existing water
quality standards. Presently, the only national water quality criteria in existence are for nitrate
nitrogen and phosphorus. In 1976, in EPA's publication entitled Quality Criteria for Water (also
known as the Red Book), EPA presented ambient water quality criteria for nitrates, nitrites and
phosphorus. The criterion for nitrate nitrogen was 10 mg/L for the protection of domestic water
supplies. The nitrate criteria were intended to prevent overenrichment and to protect human and
animal health. The phosphorus criterion was 0.10 ug/L elemental phosphorus for the protection
of marine and estuarine waters. This criterion was based on a conservative estimate to protect
against the toxic effects of the bioconcentration of elemental phosphorus to estuarine and marine
organisms, and not on the potential to cause eutrophication.
-NUTRIENTS - Key Activities:
In order to better address nutrient enrichment in the Nation's waterbodies, EPA is
developing a national nutrient strategy, which was announced in the Clean Water Action Plan in
February 1998. The development of nutrient criteria is a key component of this strategy.
By mid 1998, EPA will publish a national Nutrient Strategy. This Strategy will explain
the need to develop waterbody-type guidance and techniques for developing regional
nutrient criteria.
EPA will maintain and enhance existing federal nutrient programs to support criteria
and standards development. Ongoing.
There is a great deal of variability in nutrient levels and nutrient response throughout the
country. This natural variability is due to differences in geology, climate and waterbody type. For
these reasons, EPA's custom of developing water quality criteria guidance in the form of single
numbers for nationwide application is not appropriate for nutrients. EPA believes that distinct
geographic regions and types of aquatic ecosystems need to be evaluated differently and that
criteria specific to those regions and ecosystems need to be developed. Consequently, this
involves the development of further EPA guidance on how to establish nutrient criteria at a
regional or local level rather that at the national level. An essential technical element of this
strategy will be waterbody-type guidance documents describing the techniques for assessing the
trophic state of a waterbody and methodologies for developing regional nutrient criteria.
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In addition, each guidance document will provide section 304(a) criteria in the form of
numerical target ranges for phosphorus, nitrogen, and other nutrient endpoints, which EPA
expects States and Tribes to use as a basis for regional nutrient criteria and standards in the
absence of more site-specifically developed criteria and standards. EPA intends to use State
databases, supplemented with new regional case studies and demonstration projects, to provide
additional information.
By the end of 2000, EPA will publish nutrient guidance documents explaining
methodologies that can be used to calculate nutrient criteria by waterbody type
(lakes, reservoirs, streams and rivers, wetlands and estuaries) and ecoregions of
the country, and nutrient criteria (expressed as target ranges) for use by the
States and Tribes.
As technical guidance is developed and regional nutrient ranges are established, EPA
expects States and Tribes to adopt water quality standards based on the appropriate regional
nutrient criteria by waterbody type. Once adopted as part of State or Tribal water quality
standards, the nutrient values would become the basis for making many management decisions to
reduce the overenrichment of our Nation's waters, e.g., TMDLs and NPDES permitting process.
These values used together with best management practices (BMPs) and other management
techniques should form the basis of a State management program for nutrients.
To expedite and facilitate nutrient criteria development for all regions of the country, EPA
will identify States that have made the greatest progress and will determine whether their criteria
can be used by adjacent States which contain similar ecoregions. EPA expects all States and
Tribes to adopt and implement numerical nutrient criteria into their water quality standards. EPA
expects States and Tribes to accomplish this by developing their own regional values in
ecoregions where adequate data are available or by using the EPA default nutrient ranges. Once
submitted to EPA, EPA will review the new or revised standards under section 303(c)(3) of the
Clean Water Act. If EPA disapproves the new standard submitted by a State or Tribe (e.g.,
because EPA determines that it is not scientifically defensible), or if EPA determines that a new or
revised nutrients standard is necessary for a State or Tribe (e.g., because EPA determines that the
State or Tribe has not demonstrated reasonable progress toward developing numerical nutrient
standards), EPA will initiate rulemaking to promulgate nutrient criteria values appropriate to the
region and waterbody types. Any resulting water quality standard would apply until the State or
Tribe adopts, and EPA approves, a revised standard.
Once regulatory controls are in place, EPA and the States/Tribes will need to evaluate their
effectiveness. The databases and monitoring systems, together with the derived criteria, will be
used to assess actual progress toward eliminating overenrichment conditions.
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Between 2000 and 2003, EPA will work with the States and Tribes as they adopt
and implement numerical nutrient criteria into water quality standards by
developing their own criteria or using default EPA nutrient ranges applicable to
their ecoregion(s).
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MICROBIAL PATHOGENS
-Key Objective:
1. Significantly reduce the risk of
infections to users of the Nation's
recreational waters.
3. MICROBIAL PATHOGENS
EPA's continued effort to protect the
public against exposure to disease-causing
microorganisms in the Nation's
recreational waters is manifested in the
Beaches Environmental Assessment
Closure and Health (BEACH) Program.
This program is an integral component of
the Clean Water Action Plan to address
our Nation's most serious water quality
problems. The goal of the BEACH
program is to significantly reduce the risk
of infection to users of the Nation's recreational waters through improvements in recreational
water programs, communication, and scientific advances. A wide range of activities will be
conducted under this program. This portion of the Plan lays out the key objectives and activities
for completing the goal of the BEACH program.
-MICROBIAL PATHOGENS - Key Activities:
Current approaches for the determination of the safety of recreational water typically relies
on a single sample on weekly intervals. This approach is naive in that the water quality at a beach
may differ considerably over time given the location and depth of a sample. The current approach
does not consider event driven changes in pollution potentials such as rainfall events and CSOs.
An improved strategy is needed so that local beach operators and public health officials can make
realistic assessments of beach water quality.
EPA will provide support for the development of improved monitoring strategies for
recreational water, by:
Conducting studies to determine appropriate sampling strategies to use at
fresh, estuarine, and marine recreational areas to provide an accurate
assessment of microbial contamination for all users during 1998-2000.
Sponsor an international workshop with the World Health Organization on
beach monitoring requirements during 1999.
In 1984, the Environmental Protection Agency made and distributed a video entitled
"Enumeration Methods for E. coli and Enterococci." At that time, the recommended recreational
water quality indicators were changed from the fecal coliform group to the Enterococci group for
both marine and fresh waters and Escherichia coli bacterium for fresh water. The purpose of the
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video was to present the new recreational water quality indicators and the new enumeration
methods for these indicators. Since then, two new media have been developed that are faster (24
hours) and easier (one step) to use than the two introduced in 1984.
EPA will develop new risk assessment method training for the Regions, States and
Tribes, by:
Developing a course manual, a guidance manual and training module for use
by Regions, and the States and Tribes by 1999.
Providing assistance and training to the States and Regions from 1999-2002.
Current microbial indicators of pathogen occurrence in various water media that EPA either
regulates or provides health criteria for have been demonstrated to have deficiencies in providing
an accurate assessment of pathogen occurrence. This is because these methods: do not
differentiate between human and animal sources of fecal contamination; are not "real-time",
requiring 24 hours for test results; are indicative of only gastrointestinal disease; are unable to
detect the presence of viruses and protozoa that may cause serious and chronic diseases, and have
limited value in non-temperate (tropical) areas. It is desirable to have improved indicator methods
that provide an expanded capability to uniformly determine the complete range of pathogens and
associated occurrence levels in various water matrices, e.g., drinking water; recreational and
shellfish growing water; wastewater and sludge biosolids.
EPA will provide support for the development of improved indicators for recreational
waters, by:
Conducting studies to differentiate human from animal sources of fecal
contamination in recreational waters. 1998-2000.
Conducting studies to develop and validate the efficacy of inexpensive, easy to
use, "real time" indicators/methods (including fecally derived chemicals) of
pollution events in recreational waters. 1998-2000.
Conducting studies to develop and validate the efficacy of alternative risk based
indicators/methods of infectious disease for skin, respiratory tract, eye, ear, and
throat for recreational water. 1999-2001.
Performing studies to refine and expand the capabilities of fecal pathogen
indicators to cover the presence of viruses and protozoa that may cause serious
and chronic disease. 1999-2001.
Developing or validating indicators for pathogens in tropical waters such as
Clostridium perfringens and coliphage. 1999-2001.
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Currently, risk assessments of the potential human health effects associated with exposure to
pathogens utilize the conceptual framework that was developed to assess risks associated with
chemical exposures. However, the applicability of the chemical framework is problematic due to
many issues unique to assessing risks associated with pathogens. These risks include, but are not
limited to, an assessment of pathogen/host interactions, consideration of secondary spread,
consideration of short- and long-term immunity, and an assessment of conditions that allow the
microorganism to propagate. A conceptual framework was developed to assess the risks of
human disease associated with exposure to pathogenic microorganisms. The framework consists
of three phases: problem formulation, analysis (which includes characterization of exposure and
human health effects), and risk characterization. The framework emphasizes the dynamic and
interactive nature of the risk assessment process, and allows wide latitude for planning and
conducting risk assessments in diverse situations, each based on the common principles discusses
in the framework.
EPA will provide support to further develop this risk assessment approach by:
Completing SAB peer review of the microbiological pathogen risk assessment
framework. 1998-1999.
Address peer review issues; establish framework validation process and develop
a methodology approach. 1999-2000.
EPA will develop a new generation of microbiological criteria for use in State and Tribal
water quality standards by 2003.
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4. BIOCRITERIA
EPA's bioassessment and biocriteria program began in 1988 to help fulfill the Clean Water
Act objective to "restore and maintain the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the
Nation's waters." Much has been accomplished since the start of the program - EPA's Rapid
Bioassessment Protocols for Use in Streams and Rivers (EPA/440/4-89/001) have become widely
accepted monitoring methods that most States now use to assess the biological health of streams
and small rivers. However, further progress is necessary over the next decade to realize the full
potential of bioassessments and biocriteria for managing water quality and protecting aquatic life
in all water bodies. This portion of the Plan lays out the key objectives and activities for
completing the development and implementation of bioassessments and biocriteria for use in State
and Tribal water quality standards programs.
Bioassessment data are the foundation for developing biocriteria. They are direct
measurements that assess the overall condition of an aquatic community in surface waters such as
streams, rivers, lakes, estuaries and wetlands. Bioassessments evaluate the biological health of a
waterbody by using biological surveys of indicator species that are, or should be, in the waterbody
if pollution or other problems are not causing stress on the biological community. Most often, the
fish population, the bottom dwelling
insects and other invertebrates (insects,
etc.) and plants or attached algae are
evaluated in a bioassessment. Using the
data collected from bioassessments, a
State or Tribe can determine whether
the biological health of the waterbody is
what would be expected if pollution and
other water quality stressors were not
causing an effect.
BIOCRITERIA
Key Objectives:
1.
Develop bioassessment methods and
biocriteria technical guidance for all
waterbody types, e.g. lakes, rivers, wetlands,
etc., for use by State and Tribal water
quality programs for improving aquatic life
use designations, assessing attainment of
those uses and for making better decisions
in water quality protection and restoration.
2.
Biocriteria are narrative
descriptions or numerical values adopted
into State or Tribal water quality
standards that are used to quantitatively
describe an existing "healthy" condition
for the aquatic life in waters with a
designated aquatic life use. Biocriteria
are developed by biologists and other
natural resource scientists using
scientifically designed bioassessments to
characterize the eco-region reference
conditions for the different water bodies found within a State or Tribal nation. Once determined
the eco-region reference condition sets the biological goals for a particular waterbody within the
Support the States and Tribes in their
adoption of bioassessments and biocriteria
as key components of their water quality
programs.
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eco-region. Biocriteria can then be used in a variety of ways by water quality managers to restore
and maintain the biological integrity of the State or Tribal waters.
Bioassessments and biocriteria permit direct, quantitative evaluation of the extent to which
aquatic life uses are, or are not, attained. These biological techniques have tremendous potential
for providing new types of information essential for managing water quality on a watershed basis.
Biological techniques complement chemical-specific and whole effluent toxicity approaches to
provide a more holistic water quality program. In addition, biological techniques provide a
platform for communicating more effectively to the public the condition of the Nation's waters so
that the public will better understand the importance of participating in and supporting water
quality standards decision making.
-BIOCRITERIA - Key Activities:
A number of key activities are necessary to meet the biocriteria objectives. First, EPA must
complete the issuance of a series of biocriteria technical guidance manuals. These manuals
provide States and Tribes with scientific information and procedures used to conduct
bioassessments and develop biocriteria. Biocriteria are developed by the States and Tribes by
applying these methods to the eco-region found within each State or Tribal nation. EPA has
published the manual for developing biocriteria for streams and small rivers. Manuals covering
other waterbody types are in preparation.
EPA will complete technical guidance documents for development of biological
assessment methods and criteria for all water bodies:
Lakes and reservoirs (1998)
Estuaries and near coastal waters (1999)
Streams and wadeable rivers update (2000)
Statistical guidance on biological data analysis (2001)
- Coral reefs (2001)
- Large rivers (2002)
- Wetlands (2002)
Once the biocriteria technical guidance documents are complete, States and Tribes will need
additional resources and expertise to derive biocriteria specific to each eco-region and to
incorporate biocriteria into their water quality standards. EPA will assist the States and Tribes in
doing this.
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EPA will build Regional biological technical capabilities to support State/Tribal programs
throughout 1998-2005, by:
Identifying basic core expertise needed in each Region, including regional
biological assessment & criteria leaders (1998).
Supporting development of Regional workplans to build and maintain
biological assessment and criteria technical programs (1998).
Providing funding to Regions to help implement the biological assessment and
criteria workplan (1998 - on).
Providing funding support to the States and Tribes, where necessary to pilot
the use of biocriteria and bioassessments in water quality standards (1998-
2003).
EPA will provide technical training for the Regions, States and Tribes on the derivation
and implementation of biocriteria for different waterbodies as technical guidance manuals
become available (1998-2005).
Pol
icy, programmatic and legal issues or questions often arise as States and Tribes develop the
scientific and technical capabilities to implement biocriteria. EPA will assist the States and Tribes
with the programmatic and policy aspects of biocriteria implementation.
EPA will develop a nationally consistent approach for developing and establishing numeric
biocriteria in State water quality standards and for integrating biological assessment and
criteria into the TMDL and NPDES permit programs, by:
Forming an Agency Biocriteria Implementation Steering Committee to identify key
elements of a successful program and to make recommendations on program
integration in 1998.
Publishing biocriteria implementation guidance.
-Draft document in 1999
-Final document in 2000
Preparing case study summaries demonstrating the applications, costs, and benefits
of biological assessment information and criteria in water quality programs (1998 -
2005).
Identifying specific institutional barriers to biocriteria usage and developing
solutions and recommendations.
- Institutional barriers identified and prioritized in 1996 workshop
- Develop solutions and begin to implement (1998 - 2005)
Once biocriteria are adopted into water quality standards, States and Tribes will be able to
use biocriteria and bioassessments for a variety of applications in their water quality management
efforts. One important application is determining which water bodies are impaired by sources of
pollution, hydrological modifications or other stressors. Bioassessments are ideal for revealing
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the cumulative impacts of all stressors within a waterbody and should be integrated with
traditional chemical and toxicity assessments. EPA will help States in using bioassessment data in
this fashion.
EPA will develop technical guidance and other informational materials on the use of
biological assessments and criteria to evaluate aquatic life use support on an integrated
basis with other water quality data, including:
Case studies/pilot projects to test integrated approach, first phase (1998)
Guidance on full support (1998)
Reassessment of Policy on Independent Application as it applies to 305(b) (1998)
Guidance on evaluating impairment using a weight of evidence approach, second
phase (draft-1999)
In some situations, States and Tribes may identify aquatic life use impairments by analyzing
bioassessment data. Where impairments are found in water bodies with only one source of
pollution, identifying the cause is straight-forward. However, in many water bodies there may be
numerous potential causes of biological impairment. Investigating and diagnosing the primary
source of the impairment or the relative contribution of all sources can be challenging. EPA will
assist the States and Tribes in identifying causes of biological impairment in complex water bodies
(those with more than one source of impairment).
EPA will develop technical guidance documents on the identification of stressors once
biological impairment is determined. Two documents will be produced:
A Common Sense, Pragmatic Approach to Diagnosing Stressors (2000)
Scientific Investigations for Identifying Complex Mixtures of Stressors (2002)
EPA envisions that biocriteria and bioassessments will be valuable in managing urban storm
water runoff and other wet weather flows. Storm water discharge pollutant monitoring data
indicates that pollutant concentrations in storm water runoff can fluctuate drastically from storm
to storm. With high variabilities in pollutant concentrations it can be difficult to assess storm
water discharge compliance with water quality standards using traditional steady-state chemical
criteria. Biocriteria and bioassessments will help to identify the cumulative impact of storm water
discharges over time. Using biocriteria and bioassessments, storm water managers will have a
more useful management endpoint to determine if the storm water discharges are causing aquatic
life impairments and to determine if storm water controls and pollution prevention efforts are
effective. Bioassessments and biocriteria are being successfully used in a number of innovative
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applications for storm water management. EPA will assist Regions and the States and Tribes in
using biocriteria and bioassessments more routinely in storm water management efforts.
EPA will develop guidance on the use of biocriteria, bioassessments and habitat
assessments for identifying and controlling the detrimental impacts of the high flows of
storm water discharges and the application to excessive sediment transport and habitat
damage by 2003.
As with any new initiative, EPA realizes the importance of outreach and education to
affected stakeholders. It is important for stakeholders to understand the reasons for the initiative,
the ways the initiative will be implemented and the implications of the initiative on their interests.
EPA will build customer/stakeholder/public partnerships, advocacy and support
through:
- Public and Stakeholder Outreach (1998-on)
Tribal Liaisons - build Tribal participation (1998-on)
Network Communications/Tracking Issues (newsletters, listserver) (1998-on)
Educational/outreach information and technical training programs (1998-on)
Seminars, technical training, Water Quality Standards Academy sessions,
Regional/State meetings (1998-on)
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TMDLs AND MODELING
5. TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOADS (TMDLs) AND MODELING
The establishment of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) is linked to the development
and promulgation of improved water quality standards and criteria. Section 303(d) of the Clean
Water Act requires States to identify waters not meeting standards and establish TMDLs.
TMDLs specify the amount of any pollutant which a waterbody can absorb and still meet water
quality standards. Based on the calculation of the total load for a specific pollutant, TMDLs
recommend wasteload allocations for _
individual point sources and load
allocations for nonpoint sources and
include a margin of safety to account for
uncertainty. TMDLs typically specify the
amount of pollution that must be reduced
to meet water quality standards, allocate
pollution control among sources in a
watershed, and provide a scientific and
policy basis for taking actions needed to
restore a waterbody. States identify
specific waters where problems exist or are
expected, set priorities and then allocate pollutant loadings among point and nonpoint sources. If
States do not identify waters and establish TMDLs, section 303(d) requires that EPA identify
waters and establish TMDLs.
Key Objective:
1. Improve the establishment of
TMDLs through improved water
quality criteria and modeling
techniques.
TMDLs - Key Activities:
Establishment of TMDLs by States, and EPA, if necessary, is dependent upon water quality
standards which identify a full range of designated uses and incorporate narrative and numeric
criteria for as many pollutants as possible. Key activities in the Criteria and Standards Plan which
support the establishment of TMDLs include new and revised chemical criteria for point source
discharges. These new chemical criteria will provide States and EPA with better, scientifically
sound criteria upon which to base TMDLs. Continuing improvement of chemical criteria is a
crucial step in the establishment of TMDLs.
EPA will establish new chemical water quality criteria and improve existing
criteria as described in the section on ambient water quality criteria to better
support the development of TMDLs.
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States have also identified waters impaired by nutrients and clean sediment. Currently, most
TMDLs are established for these pollutants on the basis of site-specific end points derived to
ensure that narrative water quality criteria and designated uses are attained. This Plan initiates an
important first step by proposing the establishment of methodologies designed to result in site-
specific criteria for nutrients. These methodologies will provide approaches applicable in a variety
of water quality situations and landscapes. Established TMDLs will depend upon these methods
to help establish the endpoint or condition representing attainment of water quality standards. An
important part of the overall approach to developing site-specific nutrient criteria is to provide
training and technical assistance to Regions and States in the application of these site-specific
methodologies for TMDL establishment.
EPA will establish methodologies for developing nutrient criteria as
described in the section on nutrient criteria to support the development of
TMDLs for nutrients.
EPA will develop training on the use of nutrient criteria in the derivation of
TMDLs by 2000.
States have identified excessive sedimentation as a leading cause of impairment. The
Criteria and Standards Plan recognizes the significance of these impairments, but technical issues
and resource constraints prevent the establishment of site-specific criteria at this time. States and
EPA will continue to develop site-specific approaches to impairments resulting from excessive
sediment. As with nutrients, training and technical assistance for Regions and States is crucial as
increasing numbers of TMDLs for sediment must be developed.
EPA will continue to provide ongoing technical assistance to the States in
the establishment of specific sediment TMDLs and is exploring ways of
providing additional technical assistance for the establishment of sediment
TMDLs nationally.
EPA will establish a TMDL modeling hotline to answer questions about the
program by 1999.
EPA will develop and provide technical training on TMDL modeling (1998-
on).
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Finally, establishment of TMDLs depends upon water quality models and provision of
training and technical assistance on the use of those models. It is expected that many established
TMDLs will rely upon the application of improved water quality models.
- MODELING - Key Activities:
BASINS Version 2.0, a water quality modeling tool, facilitates development of TMDLs for
both point and nonpoint sources by making it easy for TMDL practitioners to delineate sub-
watersheds of virtually any size and to run continuous simulations, estimating day by day in-
stream concentrations, for the pollutants of concern. Necessary reductions in loadings are then
determined for point and nonpoint sources. Additional models, to be added to BASINS, will
allow TMDL practitioners to evaluate the potential of different combinations of BMPs to achieve
the required loading reductions; to better simulate the nutrient eutrophication process in run-of-
the-river reservoirs; and to model movement and deposition of both "clean" and contaminated
sediment.
EPA will provide BASINS enhancements including BMP effectiveness, clean and
contaminated sediment transport, lake and estuary two-dimensional for (1998-on)
Irrespective of whether NPDES permits are written on a facility-by-facility basis or
developed on a watershed basis, near-field modeling often is necessary to ensure attainment of
water quality standards. The ease of operation and utility of the mixing zone model, CORMIX, is
being improved by replacing the DOS-based Expert System user interface with an Expert System
interface that operates in the Windows 95 environment and fully utilizes the advantages of the
newer operating system. Another mixing zone model, WISP, also used extensively in the
permitting program, is being re-written. EPA is considering including both the new CORMIX
and the new Wisp within BASINS. EPA is also considering packaging the new CORMIX and
WISP in a separate GIS-based system that houses only those features of BASINS which will
benefit these mixing zone models.
EPA will provide mixing zone model enhancements in 1998.
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AQUATOX is the only general ecological risk model that represents the combined
environmental fate and effects of conventional pollutants, such as nutrients and sediments, and
toxic chemicals in aquatic ecosystems. It considers several trophic levels, including attached and
planktonic algae and submerged aquatic vegetation, invertebrates, and forage, bottom-feeding,
and game fish; it also represents associated organic toxicants and mercury. It has been
implemented for streams, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs.
The fate portion of the model, which is applicable especially to organic toxicants, includes:
partitioning among organisms, suspended and sedimented detritus, suspended and sedimented
inorganic sediments, and water; volatilization; hydrolysis; photolysis; ionization; and microbial
degradation. The effects portion of the model includes: acute toxicity to the various organisms
modeled; and indirect effects such as release of grazing and predation pressure, increase in
detritus and recycling of nutrients from killed organisms, dissolved oxygen sag due to increased
decomposition, and loss of food base for animals.
EPA will provide food chain model development (1998-on)
As the level of analysis in the water program becomes increasingly sophisticated, increased
levels of technical assistance are needed. The staff of the TMDL hotline will answer questions,
including but not limited to, what models are appropriate for site-specific situations; how to
design monitoring programs for model calibration; how to apply the models and interpret their
results. The hotline staff will also provide technical support for BASINS.
Training and technical assistance for the modeling tool users is necessary to ensure proper
and effective use of these modeling tools. Training includes not only the BASINS course but also
courses for specific models used in the program. Beyond the BASINS training, there is a high
demand for instruction in Basics of Water Quality Modeling, HSPF, WASP, SWMM, and
QUAL2E. While not every Region will need to take each of these courses in any given year,
course offerings will be extensive.
The second form of training is hands-on technical assistance to States and Tribes in applying
BASINS, and other models, to do TMDLs on their listed waters. This assistance and guidance
helps them more effectively and efficiently develop TMDLs.
These efforts will assist States with the process of applying BASINS to develop TMDLs.
Technical support from EPA contractors will be provided to guide the TMDL practitioners on
TMDL development for a watershed. These efforts will not be applied uniformly across the
Nation; rather, the resources will be used to assist particular States on an as needed basis.
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6. SEDIMENTATION, FLOW AND WILDLIFE
Throughout the early years of EPA's water quality program, the Nation witnessed
significant improvements in the quality of its surface waters, the health of aquatic life, and reduced
risks to human health and some limited improvement in the health and survival of select wildlife.
These advancements were recognized through the implementation of a variety of water protection
requirements starting with technology-based requirements and secondary treatment and
continuing with water quality-based toxics control using chemical-specific criteria and whole
effluent toxicity testing.
In more recent years it has been observed that water quality and aquatic life health
improvements have plateaued and in some cases are loosing ground. Though some of these
problems arise from continued inputs of toxic chemicals and metals from both point and non-point
sources as well as from waterborne pathogenic microorganisms, many are occurring because of
sedimentation and flow alterations within surface waters. Other than banning or limiting the use
of a few pesticides that carry significant risk to birds, little has been done to protect aquatic
dependent wildlife from the toxic chemicals in water and their prey or from the loss of habitat due
to sedimentation, flow alteration, and other land use activities. Except in the Great Lakes, no
consistent, systematic effort has been made to ensure that the Nation's waters are a fit source of
drinking water and food for wildlife.
Excessive sedimentation occurs principally as the result of the way the land surrounding a
waterbody is used. Land development on the banks of, or near streams, rivers, lakes and coastal
areas has intensified and the resulting runoff from construction, roads, parking lots, etc.
significantly increases the sediment load
entering these waters. The vast
increase in the acres of developed land
with impervious surfaces leads to
excessive runoff during storms which
causes rapid water rises in streams and
rivers and strong flows resulting in
increased bank erosion and
sedimentation down stream. Erosion
from cultivated lands not using best
management practices is also a concern.
SEDIMENTATION, FLOW AND
WILDLIFE
Key Objective:
1. Evaluate possible water quality criteria
initiatives for excessive sedimentation,,
flow alterations and wildlife protection.
Flow alterations, particularly reduced flows, are caused by land development and
agricultural irrigation as well as by damming rivers for drinking water supply or channeling and
concreting rivers for flood control.
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Sedimentation and flow alterations cause loss of aquatic habitat which impacts the types and
numbers of aquatic species and wildlife that can live in a particular area. Habitat loss keeps our
waters from meeting the physical and biological integrity goals of the CWA.
-EXCESSIVE SEDIMENTATION - Key Activities:
Though excessive sedimentation is a significant cause of habitat loss in the Nation's waters,
there has not been extensive analysis and evaluation of how it should be quantified or controlled.
Methods for determining thresholds between naturally occurring sedimentation and detrimental,
human induced excess sedimentation also needs further development. These issues need to be
examined closely if we are to make continued improvements in water quality and aquatic and
wildlife health and survival.
EPA will sponsor a workshop of national experts on sedimentation in 1998-1999. The
purpose is to:
- Scope the issue of excessive sedimentation and viability of developing water quality
criteria.
- Explore the extent of existing knowledge and limitations.
- Develop a literature base.
- Identify possible sedimentation end points and methods for sedimentation criteria
or risk levels.
- Define the relationship between biological criteria, bioassessments, habitat
assessments and sedimentation.
- Develop recommendations for future actions.
The proceedings of the meeting will be published and from the proceedings, the Office of
Water will develop a research strategy that will outline the additional investigations needed to
develop sedimentation endpoints and criteria or risk levels over the next decade.
EPA will publish the proceedings of the national expert meeting in 1999 and develop
a strategy for further investigation and development of appropriate sedimentation end
points, criteria or risk levels to occur over the following decade.
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To ensure that the sedimentation strategy is integrated with the other priority water criteria and
standards activities, the Water Quality Criteria and Standards Plan will be amended to include the
activities and milestones of the strategy.
-FLOWALTERATIONS - Key Activities:
As described earlier in this section, flow alterations have a significant impact on both water
quality and aquatic life and wildlife health and survival. Flow alterations are a significant
contributor to habitat loss and water quality degradation. Extreme high flows from wet weather
runoff cause turbidity, sedimentation, and habitat destruction. Low flows due to excessive water
withdrawal for industrial use, agriculture, drinking water, or other uses, cause increases in water
temperature, reduce available habitat, and reduce pollutant dilution volumes. Controlled flows
from dam releases can cause a drown or drought situation. EPA needs to evaluate the need for
flow guidance and how best to provide guidance to the user community.
EPA will investigate the need for optimum flow guidance, criteria, management
targets or other measures to protect against impairments of waterbody designated
uses due primarily to flow alterations, including excessive flows from wet weather
runoff and lack of base flows due to excessive water usages (2000-2002).
EPA will investigate the relationships of biocriteria and biological assessments to
identifying and managing the impairments caused by flow alterations (2000-2002).
The Agency will need to make its findings public and, if appropriate based on the findings,
outline a strategy to meet the needs of this emerging area.
EPA will publish its findings and, if necessary, will prepare a flow alteration
strategy and incorporate the key objectives, activities and milestones recommended
in the strategy into this Plan (by 2002).
-WILDLIFE CRITERIA - Key Activities:
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EPA recognizes that the existing chemical-specific water quality criteria, with few
exceptions, are not intended to be protective of wildlife. Though by protecting the health of
aquatic organisms, wildlife may be incidently protected, a systematic evaluation has not been
conducted to determine if this is true. For many chemicals, those that are bioaccumulative or
those for which wildlife are more sensitive than fish, the potential exists that the aquatic life
criterion may not be protective. For the Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative, a methodology was
developed for deriving water quality criteria for the protection of wildlife. EPA needs to
determine how many and which chemicals may put wildlife at risk and determine the feasibility of
developing and implementing wildlife criteria. By doing so, EPA may close the loop on ensuring
that the Nation's waters fully support their intended uses by all organisms.
EPA will investigate the need for, and feasibility of, an initiative to develop and
implement wildlife criteria, on a national level, using the wildlife criteria
development methodology employed in the Great Lakes Initiative (2000-2003).
EPA will publish its findings and, if necessary, will prepare a wildlife criteria
strategy and incorporate the key objectives, activities and milestones recommended
in the strategy into this Plan (by 2003).
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VI. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN
In the past 25 years, EPA and the States and Tribes have made progress in improving the
Nation's overall water quality, but many problems remain. With this Plan, EPA seeks to make
necessary improvements in the water quality standards program to better protect aquatic life and
human health. As future water quality improvements are made, the water quality standards
program will face closer scrutiny and challenges. To ensure that the initiatives of the Plan are
effectively implemented, EPA will support the initiatives with an optimum of stakeholder
involvement through improved procedures and supporting documentation, outreach activities, and
refinements of internal mechanisms.
EPA has set several objectives that
will help facilitate the goals of this plan.
As the water quality standards program
progresses, EPA will work to facilitate
the transition from a chemical
concentration and point source control
approach to a multiple stressor and
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN
Key Objectives:
1. By 2005, EPA will complete the scientific,
.11 , , T ,, technical and other activities necessary to
watershed management approach. In the ,. , , , . . , ,. .
, , r.,, ,-,, accomplish the Plan s vision and objectives.
oversight or these programs, EPA ^ J
recognizes the need to develop a
nationally consistent approach for water
quality standards approvals and
disapprovals and uniform procedures for their implementation. Also, focus will be placed on a
nationally consistent approach to use designations and levels of protection for waterbodies in the
next several years. In addition to developing uniform procedures for the implementation of the
standards programs, having a system in place with publicly accessible supporting documents will
allow stakeholders to play a larger role.
-IMPLEMENTATION- Key Activities:
Increased outreach, communication to the public and education about water quality
standards will facilitate the public's understanding of water quality standards and criteria as well
as enable the public to take a more active role in the water quality standards process. Through
providing increased access to information and opportunities for the public to learn about water
quality standards and criteria, more effective and meaningful public contributions to the process
should occur.
EPA also will work to fulfill its oversight role in the management of the program. For the
components outlined in the Plan to be effective, States must adopt consistent and scientifically
defensible program provisions. If States do not adopt water quality standards that are determined
to be protective of human health and the environment, EPA will promulgate those standards.
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To strengthen and modernize the water quality standards program, EPA will:
In 1998, publish the Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM), a
document that will help EPA identify and evaluate ways that States, Tribes and the
public have addressed water quality-related problems, including the use of new
water quality criteria and assessment science and the use of the watershed
management approach to water quality protection. This document also supports the
Criteria and Standards Plan by recognizing that regulatory changes may be
necessary to strengthen and modernize the water quality standards regulation to
meet the Plan's objectives.
In 1998, request comment through the ANPRM on EPA's current thinking on
possible regulation and policy changes to strengthen and modernize the water
quality standards regulation, including:
- Designated uses,
- Antidegradation,
- Criteria,
- Mixing zones,
- Independent application
The effective implementation of this Plan depends, in part, on effective, ongoing
communication with program stakeholders. Key activities of the Plan will be highlighted as
elements of annual national water program guidance documents. This ongoing process enables
EPA to place the goals of this Plan in the context of the State and Tribal programs.
EPA will annually communicate the objectives and applicable activities of this Plan to
the States and Tribes through:
- An Annual Memorandum from EPA on criteria and standards priorities;
- Performance Partnership Agreements with States which establish the mutually
agreed upon expectations for the coming year;
- Promulgation of water quality standards, as necessary.
To facilitate the implementation of the Plan, it will be necessary to work with the different
interests of the State and Tribal government, stakeholders, and the public. Effective
communication will ensure that the objectives of the Plan will be met by the target year 2005.
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Throughout the next ten years, EPA will build State/Tribe/stakeholder/public
partnerships and advocacy through:
- Multi-Regional meetings on criteria, standards and implementation;
- Public meetings on criteria and standards issues outlined in ANPRM;
- Water Quality Standards Academies;
- Tribal outreach and technical assistance including guidance and Water Quality
Standards Academy(ies) specifically for Tribes;
- TMDL modeling training
- Fish consumption advisory programs training
- Performance Partnership Agreements with States
States and Tribes are required to adopt antidegradation policies to protect existing levels of
water quality. This requirement, however, has not been defined by EPA in detail, and many
States have not developed procedures to ensure compliance with this regulation. Consistent
antidegradation policies among the States and Tribes that adequately protect the Nation's waters
are important in meeting the Plan's goal of maintaining and improving water quality.
By 1999, EPA will develop guidance that more specifically defines expectations and
procedures for States to follow in fully implementing antidegradation policies
related to polluted runoff.
Currently, States and Tribes are required to adopt designated uses for all waters. However,
the availability of this information has been limited to date due to changes in uses that may occur
when States and Tribes revise their standards, differences in uses within the same waterbody and
the absence of centralization of this information.
By the end of 1998, EPA will finish a survey of State/Tribal designated uses.
Over the next three years, EPA will create a national database of georeferenced
designated uses. After that, EPA intends to add criteria to this database.
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To reduce the risk from bioaccumulation of toxic chemicals in fish and shellfish and meet the
Plan's goal of better protecting human health, EPA will initiate pollution prevention source
controls and sediment remediation activities.
During 1998-2005, EPA will work with States and Tribes to reduce human health risks
associated with exposure to contaminated fish and shellfish by:
- Ensuring that State and Tribal fish advisory programs are in place to protect
public health during the transition period in which pollution prevention source
controls and sediment remediation activities have not resulted in eliminating the
contamination.
- Issue fish advisories where States and Tribes fail to do so.
- Update and add national guidance on how to monitor fish, assess risks of fish
consumption, develop protective advisories and communicate risks to the public.
- Update and maintain national right to know database on fish advisories.
- Provide outreach and technical assistance to States, Tribes and the public.
- Conduct national studies of fish contamination.
EPA will incorporate new beach protection initiatives in conjunction with criteria
development to further reduce the human health risks associated with exposure to microbial
contamination in the water at bathing beaches. Public outreach and development of wet weather
modeling techniques should assist State and local officials in protecting public health and reduce
exposure to microbial contamination at local beaches.
During 1998-2005, EPA will work with the States and Tribes to reduce the human health
risks associated with exposure to microbial contamination in the water at bathing beaches
by:
- Publishing a BEACH Action Plan describing priority actions for Federal, State,
Tribal and local implementation of beach monitoring and notification programs.
- Maintain and update and Internet-based database of beach advisories and closing
in the U.S., including local beach monitoring program information.
- Develop wet weather modeling techniques for use by local beach officials to predict
when beach closures may occur due to potential stormwater and CSO overflows.
- Provide outreach and technical assistance to States, Tribes and the public.
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VII. CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY OF KEY ACTIVITIES
1. AMBIENT WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
-AQUATICLIFE - Key Activities:
EPA will collect the latest scientific data and other information for aquatic life criteria development and
revisions. Ongoing.
EPA will update the aquatic life criteria derivation methodology to reflect new science and modeling
capabilities:
~ Review the need for adjustments to frequency and duration components of existing guidelines
by the end of 2000.
EPA will initiate an effort to re-engineer the criteria program to ensure the latest science and modeling
capabilities are being used to protect aquatic life and aquatic dependent wildlife by:
~ Participating in and evaluating the proceedings of (and implementing when/where appropriate) a
SETAC sponsored workshop in 1998 that will focus on the science needed to support a
watershed/ecorisk based criteria program in 2010 and beyond.
~ Developing a PC-based dynamic modeling software for site-specific metals criteria derivation for
implementation in 2000.
EPA will make improvements to the whole effluent toxicity testing methodologies and implementation
procedures, where necessary.
EPA will propose 2-5 aquatic life water quality criteria each year for revision or new criteria derivation.
In 1998/99 initiate updates for copper, lead, aluminum, atrazine metabolites, silver.
By the end of 1998, EPA will update high priority chemical-specific criteria for ammonia, selenium and
saltwater dissolved oxygen.
Starting in 1998, EPA will publish a Criteria Table on the Internet and update it annually.
Between 1998 and 1999, EPA will work with all States to designate specific beneficial uses for their
wetlands.
EPA will work with the States and Tribes to adopt narrative and numeric criteria specifically for wetlands,
or to adjust existing criteria to appropriately reflect conditions in wetlands by the end of 1999.
-SEDIMENT QUALITY PROTECTION - Key Activities:
EPA will improve management of contaminated sediments in order to meet the GPRA goals of reducing
fish and shellfish contamination and increasing the number of water bodies with healthy, diverse biota by:
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~ Implementing the Agency-wide Contaminated Sediment Management Strategy in 1998.
~ Updating the National Sediment Quality Survey Report to Congress biennially.
~ Developing scientifically defensible sediment assessment methods.
~ Expanding water column aquatic life and human health criteria to include bed sediment criteria.
Developing a sediment modeling toolkit for TMDLs by the end of 1999.
~ Developing sediment quality guidance on mixtures of poly cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and
mixtures of metals. Draft in 1998, final by 2001.
~ Conducting contaminated sediment recovery demonstration projects in five watershed selected
from those identified in the National Sediment Quality Survey. Initiate first study in 1999 and
remaining four by 2000.
-HUMAN HEALTH PROTECTION - Key Activities:
EPA will collect the latest scientific data and other information for human health criteria development
and revisions.
EPA will integrate the latest available, peer reviewed science into the ambient human health criteria
methodology on an ongoing basis.
By the end of 1999, EPA will develop a BAF field guidance document for use with deriving new criteria.
EPA will publish three human health criteria guidance documents in 1998 and expects these to become
final in 1999:
~ Acrylonitrile
~ 1,3-dichloropropene
~ Hexachlorobutadiene
EPA will update high priority chemical-specific criteria guidance:
~ Dioxin- to be initiated following completion of Agency reassessment.
~ PCBs- publish updated human health criterion in 1999.
~ Mercury- publish updated human health criteria guidance in 1999.
EPA will propose three to five human health criteria guidances annually, including those from the
following list.
-Delta-BHC
-Benz(a)-Anthracene -Chlordane
-Benzo(a)-Pyrene -4,4'-DDT
-4-Bromo-phenyl Phenyl-Ether -4,4'-DDE
-4-Chloro-phenyl Phenyl Ether
-Dibenzo(a,h)Anthracene
-Di-n-Butyl Phthalate
-Hexachloro-benzene
-Hexachloro-butadiene
-Aldrin
-Hexachlorocyclohexane
-Alpha-BHC
-Beta-BHC
-Gamma-BHC
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-4,4'-DDD
-Dieldrin
-Endrin
-Heptachlor
-Heptachlor Epoxide
-Mirex/dechlorane
-Octachlorostyrene
-Pentachlorobenzene
-Photomirex
-1,2,3,4-Tetrachlorobenzene
-1,2,3,5-Tetrachlorobenzene
-Toxaphene
2. NUTRIENT CRITERIA
-NUTRIENTS - Key Activities:
By mid 1998, EPA will publish a national Nutrient Strategy. This Strategy will explain the need to
develop waterbody-type guidance and techniques for developing regional nutrient criteria.
EPA will maintain and enhance existing federal nutrient programs to support criteria and standards
development. Ongoing.
By the end of 2000, EPA intends to publish nutrient guidance documents explaining methodologies that
can be used to calculate nutrient criteria by waterbody type (lakes, reservoirs, streams and rivers, wetlands
and estuaries) and ecoregions of the country, and nutrient criteria (expressed as target ranges) for use by
the States and Tribes.
Between 2000 and 2003, EPA will work with the States and Tribes as they adopt and implement
numerical nutrient criteria into water quality standards by developing their own criteria or using default
EPA nutrient ranges applicable to their ecoregion(s).
3. MICROBIAL PATHOGENS
-MICROBIAL PATHOGENS - Key Activities:
EPA will provide support for the development of improved monitoring strategies for recreational water,
by:
~ Conducting studies to determine appropriate sampling strategies to use at fresh, estuarine, and marine
recreational areas to provide an accurate assessment of microbial contamination for all users during
1998-2000.
~ Sponsor an international workshop with the World Health Organization on beach monitoring
requirements during 1999.
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EPA will develop new risk assessment method training for the Regions, States and Tribes, by:
~ Developing a course manual, a guidance manual and training module for use by Regions, and the
States and Tribes by 1999.
~ Providing assistance and training to the States and Regions from 1999-2002.
EPA will provide support for the development of improved indicators for recreational waters, by:
~ Conducting studies to differentiate human from animal sources of fecal contamination in recreational
waters. 1998-2000.
~ Conducting studies to develop and validate the efficacy of inexpensive, easy to use, "real time"
indicators/methods (including fecally derived chemicals) of pollution events in recreational waters.
1998-2000.
~ Conducting studies to develop and validate the efficacy of alternative risk based indicators/methods of
infectious disease for skin, respiratory tract, eye, ear, and throat for recreational water. 1999-2001.
~ Performing studies to refine and expand the capabilities of fecal pathogen indicators to cover the
presence of viruses and protozoa that may cause serious and chronic disease. 1999-2001.
~ Developing or validating indicators for pathogens in tropical waters such as Clostridium perfringens
and coliphage. 1999-2001.
EPA will provide support to further develop this risk assessment approach by:
~ Completing SAB peer review of the microbiological pathogen risk assessment framework. 1998-
1999.
~ Address peer review issues; establish framework validation process and develop a methodology
approach. 1999-2000.
EPA will develop a new generation of microbiological criteria for use in State and Tribal water quality
standards, by 2003.
4. BIOCRITERIA
-BIOCRITERIA - Key Activities:
EPA will complete technical guidance documents for development of biological assessment methods and
criteria for all water bodies:
~ Lakes and reservoirs (1998)
~ Estuaries and near coastal waters (1999)
~ Streams and wadeable rivers update (2000)
~ Statistical guidance on biological data analysis (2001)
-Coral reefs (2001)
- Large rivers (2002)
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- Wetlands (2002)
EPA will develop technical guidance and other informational materials on the use of biological
assessments and criteria to evaluate aquatic life use support on an integrated basis with other water quality
data, including:
~ Case studies/pilot projects to test integrated approach, first phase (1998)
~ Guidance on full support (1998)
~ Reassessment of Policy on Independent Application as it applies to 305(b) (1998)
~ Guidance on evaluating impairment using a weight of evidence approach, second phase (draft- 1999)
EPA will build Regional biological technical capabilities to support State/Tribal programs throughout
1998-2005, by:
~ Identifying basic core expertise needed in each Region, including regional biological assessment
& criteria leaders (1998).
~ Supporting development of Regional workplans to build and maintain biological assessment and
criteria technical programs (1998).
~ Providing funding to Regions to help implement the biological assessment and criteria workplan
(1998 - on).
~ Providing funding support to the States and Tribes, where necessary to pilot the use of biocriteria
and bioassessments in water quality standards (1998-2003).
EPA will develop a nationally consistent approach for developing and establishing numeric biocriteria in
State water quality standards and for integrating biological assessment and criteria into the TMDL and
NPDES permit programs, by:
~ Forming an Agency Biocriteria Implementation Steering Committee to identify key elements of a
successful program and to make recommendations on program integration in 1998.
~ Publishing biocriteria implementation guidance.
-Draft document in 1999
-Final document in 2000
~ Preparing case study summaries demonstrating the applications, costs, and benefits of biological
assessment information and criteria in water quality programs (1998 - 2005).
~ Identifying specific institutional barriers to biocriteria usage and developing solutions and
recommendations.
- Institutional barriers identified and prioritized in 1996 workshop
- Develop solutions and begin to implement (1998 - 2005)
EPA will build customer/stakeholder/public partnerships, advocacy and support through:
- Public and Stakeholder Outreach (1998-on)
~ Tribal Liaisons - build Tribal participation (1998-on)
~ Network Communications/Tracking Issues (newsletters, listserver) (1998-on)
~ Educational/outreach information and technical training programs (1998-on)
~ Seminars, technical classes, Water Quality Standards Academy sessions, Regional/State meetings
(1998-on)
EPA will provide technical training for the Regions, States and Tribes on the derivation and
implementation of biocriteria for different waterbodies as technical guidance manuals become available
(1998-2005).
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EPA will develop technical guidance documents on the identification of stressors once biological
impairment is determined. Two documents will be produced:
~ A Common Sense, Pragmatic Approach to Diagnosing Stressors (2000)
~ Scientific Investigations for Identifying Complex Mixtures of Stressors (2002)
EPA will develop guidance on the use of biocriteria, bioassessments and habitat assessments for
identifying and controlling the detrimental impacts of the high flows of storm water discharges and the
application to excessive sediment transport and habitat damage by 2003.
5. TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOADS (TMDLs) AND MODELING
TMDLs - Key Activities:
EPA will establish new chemical water quality criteria and improve existing criteria as described in the
section on ambient water quality criteria to better support the development of TMDLs.
EPA will establish methodologies for developing nutrient criteria as described in the section on nutrient
criteria to support the development of TMDLs for nutrients.
EPA will develop training on the use of nutrient criteria in the derivation of TMDLs by 2000.
EPA will continue to provide ongoing technical assistance to the States in the establishment of specific
sediment TMDLs and is exploring ways of providing additional technical assistance for the establishment
of sediment TMDLs nationally.
- MODELING - Key Activities:
EPA will provide mixing zone model enhancements in 1998.
EPA will establish a TMDL modeling hotline to answer questions about the program by 1999.
EPA will provide food chain model development (1998-on)
EPA will develop and provide technical training on TMDL modeling (1998-on).
EPA will provide BASINS enhancements including BMP effectiveness, clean and contaminated sediment
transport, lake and estuary two-dimensional for (1998-on)
6. SEDIMENTATION, FLO WAND WILDLIFE
-EXCESSIVE SEDIMENTATION - Key Activities:
EPA will sponsor a workshop of national experts on sedimentation in 1998-1999. The purpose is to:
- Scope the issue of excessive sedimentation and viability of developing water quality criteria.
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- Explore the extent of existing knowledge and limitations.
- Develop a literature base.
- Identify possible sedimentation end points and methods for sedimentation criteria or risk levels.
- Define the relationship between biological criteria, bioassessments, habitat assessments and
sedimentation.
- Develop recommendations for future actions.
EPA will publish the proceedings of the national expert meeting in 1999 and develop a strategy for
further investigation and development of appropriate sedimentation end points, criteria or risk levels to
occur over the following decade.
-FLOWALTERATIONS - Key Activities:
EPA will investigate the need for optimum flow guidance, criteria, management targets or other measures
to protect against impairments of waterbody designated uses due primarily to flow alterations, including
excessive flows from wet weather runoff and lack of base flows due to excessive water usages (2000-
2002).
EPA will investigate the relationships of biocriteria and biological assessments to identifying and
managing the impairments caused by flow alterations (2000-2002).
EPA will publish its findings and, if necessary, will prepare a flow alteration strategy and incorporate the
key objectives, activities and milestones recommended in the strategy into this Plan (by 2002).
-WILDLIFE CRITERIA - Key Activities:
EPA will investigate the need for, and feasibility of, an initiative to develop and implement wildlife
criteria, on a national level, using the wildlife criteria development methodology employed in the Great
Lakes Initiative (2000-2003).
EPA will publish its findings and, if necessary, will prepare a wildlife criteria strategy and incorporate the
key objectives, activities and milestones recommended in the strategy into this Plan (by 2003).
VI. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN
-IMPLEMENTATION - Key Activities:
To strengthen and modernize the water quality standards program, EPA will:
In 1998, publish the Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM), a document that will help EPA
identify and evaluate ways that States, Tribes and the public have addressed water quality-related
problems, including the use of new water quality criteria and assessment science and the use of the
watershed management approach to water quality protection. This document also supports the Criteria
and Standards Plan by recognizing that regulatory changes may be necessary to strengthen and modernize
the water quality standards regulation to meet the Plan's objectives.
In 1998, request comment through the ANPRM on EPA's current thinking on possible regulation and
policy changes to strengthen and modernize the water quality standards regulation, including:
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- Designated uses,
- Antidegradation,
- Criteria,
- Mixing zones,
- Independent application
By the end of 1998, EPA will finish a survey of State/Tribal designated uses and associated criteria and,
over the next three years, create a national relational database system for designated uses.
By 1999, EPA will develop guidance that more specifically defines expectations and procedures for States
to follow in fully implementing antidegradation policies related to polluted runoff.
EPA will annually communicate the objectives and applicable activities of this Plan to the States and
Tribes through:
- An Annual Memorandum from EPA on criteria and standards priorities;
- Performance Partnership Agreements with States which establish the mutually agreed upon
expectations for the coming year;
- Promulgation of water quality standards, as necessary.
Throughout the next ten years, EPA will build State/Tribe/stakeholder/public partnerships and advocacy
through:
- Multi-Regional meetings on criteria, standards and implementation;
- Public meetings on criteria and standards issues outlined in ANPRM;
- Water Quality Standards Academies;
- Tribal outreach and technical assistance including guidance and Water Quality Standards Academy(ies)
specifically for Tribes;
- TMDL modeling training
- Fish consumption advisory programs training
- Performance Partnership Agreements with States
During 1998-2005, EPA will work with States and Tribes to reduce human health risks associated with
exposure to contaminated fish and shellfish by:
- Ensuring that State and Tribal fish advisory programs are in place to protect public health during the
transition period in which pollution prevention source controls and sediment remediation activities
have not resulted in eliminating the contamination.
- Issue fish advisories where States and Tribes fail to do so.
- Update and add national guidance on how to monitor fish, assess risks of fish consumption, develop
protective advisories and communicate risks to the public.
- Update and maintain national right to know database on fish advisories.
- Provide outreach and technical assistance to States, Tribes and the public.
- Conduct national studies of fish contamination.
During 1998-2005, EPA will work with the States and Tribes to reduce the human health risks associated
with exposure to microbial contamination in the water at bathing beaches by:
- Publishing a BEACH Action Plan describing priority actions for Federal, State, Tribal and local
implementation of beach monitoring and notification programs.
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Maintain and update and Internet-based database of beach advisories and closing in the U.S., including
local beach monitoring program information.
Develop wet weather modeling techniques for use by local beach officials to predict when beach
closures may occur due to potential stormwater and CSO overflows.
Provide outreach and technical assistance to States, Tribes and the public.
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