&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
(4305)
EPA-823-B-94-006
August 1994
Water Quality Standards
Handbook: Second Edition
Update #1
"... to restore and maintain the chemical,
physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's
waters."
Section 101 (a) of the Clean Water Act
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\ UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
AUG ! 9 1994
Dear Colleague:
OFFICE OF
WATER
The following material contains the 1994 update to the document Water Quality Standards
Handbook - Second Edition. Policy and technical changes to the Handbook are included for
Chapters 3 and 4. Changes in Chapters 2, 3 and 7 also correct typographical and editorial errors.
The Preface, Glossary, Introduction, and References Sections have been modified to reflect changes
elsewhere in the Handbook.
Additions to Chapter 3 include:
• Section 3.6 incorporates EPA's policy on aquatic life metals criteria as modified by the Office of
Water Policy and Technical Guidance on Interpretation and Implementation of Aquatic Life
Metals Criteria (USEPA, 1993f). This policy was signed as the 1993 printing of the Handbook
went to press and we promised you revisions to reflect it (p. iv).
• Section 3.7 adds guidance on site-specific aquatic life criteria as modified by the Interim
Guidance on Determination and Use of Water-Effect Ratios for Metals (included as new
Appendix L), which provides interim guidance concerning the experimental determination of
water-effect ratios (WERs) for metals and supersedes all guidance concerning water-effect ratios
and the Indicator Species Procedure in USEPA, 1983a and in USEPA, 1984f. It also supersedes
the guidance in these earlier documents for the Recalculation Procedure for performing site-
specific aquatic life criteria modifications.
Conforming changes have also been made to other Sections of Chapter 3.
Section 4.6 has been added to Chapter 4 and includes guidance on the interpretation of the
EPA's antidegradation policy as it relates to nonpoint sources as presented in the guidance
memorandum Interpretation of Federal Antidegradation Regulatory Requirement (USEPA, 1994a).
Several Appendices have also been added or modified. New Appendix J provides additional
material on EPA's policy on aquatic life criteria for metals. New Appendix L adds the Interim
Guidance on Determination and Use of Water-Effect Ratios for Metals. Appendices U and V update
the list of EPA Regional water quality standards coordinators and Standards and Applied Science
Division document request forms, respectively. Appendix X has been added as a repository for this "
and future update instruction sheets so that a record of updates is maintained in the Handbook.
Please follow the instructions on the reverse. ^-—^
David K. Sabock, Chief
Water Quality Standards Branch
Printed on Recycled Paper
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WATER QUALITY STANDARDS HANDBOOK
SECOND EDITION - UPDATE #1
AUGUST 1994
FILING INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the instructions below carefully.
* With the addition of the new Appendices, the Handbook will require two 3-ring
binders. Place the Handbook through page REF-6 in a 1" binder and the Appendices
in a 3" binder before making the changes below.
* Proceed row by row down the chart following the instructions in both the "REMOVE"
and "INSERT" columns for each row.
* Remove the obsolete pages listed in the "REMOVE" column from the Handbook.
* Insert the pages in the "INSERT" column in the appropriate places in the
Handbook. These are the new or replacement pages contained in this package.
SECTION
REMOVE
INSERT
HANDBOOK
Cover
Title Page
Preface
Glossary
Introduction
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 7
References
Handbook cover
Title Page
pp. iii through viii
pp. GLOSS-3 through GLOSS-8
pp. INT- 7 and INT- 8
Chapter Table of Contents
pp. 2-5 and 2-6
Chapter Table of Contents
pp. 3-1 through 3-48
Chapter Table of Contents
pp. 4-7 through 4-13
Chapter Table of Contents
pp. 7-7 through 7-13
pp. REP-1 through REF-9
New Handbook cover
Title Page
pp. iii through viii
pp. GLOSS-3 through GLOSS-8
pp. INT -7 and INT- 8 1
Chapter Table of Contents ||
pp. 2-5 and 2-6
Chapter Table of Contents
pp. 3-1 through 3-45
Chapter Table of Contents
pp. 4-7 through 4-14
Chapter Table of Contents
pp. 7-7 through 7-13
pp. REF-1 through REF-9
APPENDICES
Cover
Appendix J
Appendix L
Appendix U
Appendix V
Appendix W
Appendix X
none
Title Page (reserved)
Title Page (reserved)
WQS Coordinator list
all pages
Update Request Form
none
Document cover for Appendices
Title Page and new Appendix J
Title Page and new Appendix L
WQS Coordinator list
new Document Request Forms
new Update Request Form |
Title Page and this page of instructions Q
»
If you have any trouble with missing pages or have other questions about this update
to the Water Quality Standards Handbook, please call Bob Shippen at 202-260-1329.
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