xe/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water (4503F)
Washington, DC 20460
EPA841-S-00-001
June 2000
             The  Quality  of
             Our  Nation's  Waters
             A Summary of the National Water Quality
             Inventory: 1998 Report to Congress

              States, territories, tribes, and interstate commissions assessed 23% of the nation's
              3.6 million miles of rivers and streams for their 1998 water quality assessment
              reports to EPA. Of the assessed stream miles, 55% are rated as good, 10% good
              but threatened, and 35% impaired. States and other jurisdictions assessed 42%
              of the nation's 41.6 million acres of lakes, reservoirs, and ponds and reported
              that 46% of assessed lake acres are rated as good, 9% good but threatened,
              and 45% impaired. States and other jurisdictions assessed 32% of the nation's
              90,500 square miles of estuaries and reported that 47% of assessed estuary
              square miles are rated as good, 9% as good but threatened, and  44% as
              impaired. Principal pollutants causing water quality problems include nutrients,
              siltation, metals, and pathogens.

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Why  Do States

and Other

Jurisdictions

Assess  Water

Quality?

Section 305(b)  of the Clean Water Act
requires states,  territories, tribes, and
interstate commissions to assess the
health of their waters and the extent
to which their waters support state
water quality standards and the basic
goals of the Clean Water Act. The goals
of the Clean Water Act are to achieve
and maintain water quality that provides
for healthy communities of fish  and
shellfish and that allows for recreation
in and on the water. States collect data
and information that allow them to
characterize whether water quality
meets these and other uses for their
waters which are expressed in standards
that each state  sets.
States and other jurisdictions such
as territories, tribes, and interstate
commissions submit their water quality
assessments to  the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) every 2 years.
EPA summarizes this information in a
biennial report  to  Congress. The
National Water  Quality Inventory: 1998
Report to Congress is the twelfth biennial
report to Congress and the public
about the quality  of our nation's rivers,
streams, lakes, ponds, reservoirs,
wetlands, estuaries, coastal waters,
and ground water.
States' Section 305(b) assessments are
an important component of their water
resource  management programs. These
assessments help states:


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 I  H6                     Under Section 303(d), the Clean Water Act includes a second reporting
*yf\r- /|~\ /             requirement—that states provide a prioritized list of all their impaired
^*J*J \UJ'             waters. Current requirements are that states submit these 303(d) lists
                            to EPA every 2 years. The most recent set of 303(d) lists were submitted
                 _          to EPA in April 1998.
VxVSI II Idrll\Jt I     These lists of impaired waters are then used to prioritize state restoration
                            activities. One of the most important restoration tools is the development
                            of Total  Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)—calculations of the amount
                            of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality
                            standards. A TMDL is the sum of all available loads  of a single pollutant from
                            all contributing point and nonpoint sources. It includes reductions needed
                            to meet water quality standards and allocates these reductions among
                            sources  in the watershed.

                  The 305(b) and 303(d) reporting processes are connected, state
                            305(b) data is used to assist in the identification and priority ranking of
                            303(d) waters, although for their 303(d) listings, states may supplement
                            the 305(b) information with other assessments or choose only that data
                            in which they have the highest confidence. As a result, the findings on
                            impaired waters reported by the states in their 303(d)  lists build on, and
                            are, in general, consistent with their 305(b) reports to  EPA. Both sources
                            find similar amounts of impaired waters and conclude that siltation,
                            nutrients, bacteria,  and metals are among the top pollutants causing
                            impairments.

                            EPA and the states continue to work to improve and harmonize both these
                            assessments through better and more extensive monitoring. Our goal is
                            comprehensive monitoring of all waters for all applicable water quality
                            standards—a challenging task given  the demands placed on limited state,
                            tribal, and federal resources, but a particularly vital  one because of the
                            important and costly water resource management decisions that depend
                            on high quality water data.

                  This National  Water Quality Inventory report reflects incremental
                  progress toward the goal of comprehensive assessment, it includes
                            information submitted by all 50 states, the District  of Columbia, and 5
                            territories, 4 interstate commissions, and 9 Indian tribes. In addition, the
                            amount of waters assessed  for this report has increased slightly since the
                            previous report. States assessed 150,000 more river and stream miles and
                            600,000 more lake acres in 1998 than in 1996.

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How Do States

and  Other Juris-

dictions Assess

Water  Quality?
Water quality assessment begins with
setting goals through water quality
standards adopted by states, tribes, and
other jurisdictions such as territories.
These standards must then be approved
by EPA before they become effective
under the Clean Water Act.

Water quality standards have
three elements:
 1  Designated uses. The
    Clean Water Act envisions that
    all waters be able to provide for
    recreation and the protection
    and propagation of aquatic life.
    Additional uses described  in the Act
    that can be adopted in standards by
    states and tribes include drinking
    water supply and fish consumption.
^ Criteria. Criteria help protect
    designated uses. For example,
    criteria include chemical-specific
    thresholds that protect  fish and
    humans from exposure to levels that
    may cause adverse effects. They may
    also include descriptions of the best
    possible biological  condition of
    aquatic communities such as fish
    and insects.
 Q Antidegradation policy. This
    policy is intended to prevent waters
    that do meet standards from
    deteriorating from  their current
    condition.
After setting water quality standards, states then assess their
waters to determine the degree to which these standards are
being met and report this information in their 305(b) reports.

Currently states use two categories of data to assess water
quality. The first and most desirable category is monitored data.
This refers to field measurements, not more than 5 years old, of
biological, habitat, toxicity, and physical/chemical conditions in
water, sediments, and  fish tissue. The second category, frequently
used to fill information gaps, is evaluated data. Evaluated data
includes field measurements that are more than 5 years old and
estimates generated using land use and source information,
predictive models, and surveys of fish and game biologists. This
type of data provides  an indicator of potential water quality.

Because evaluated data varies in quality and confidence, it is
used for different purposes by different states. Most states use
evaluated data to supplement monitoring data for their 305(b)
reports. This information helps states identify waters that need
additional monitoring.

After comparing  water quality data to standards,
states, tribes, and jurisdictions classify their
waters into the following general categories:

Attaining Water Quality Standards
•  Good/Fully Supporting: These waters meet applicable
   water quality standards, both criteria and designated uses.
•  Good/Threatened: These waters currently meet water
   quality standards,  but water quality may degrade in the
   near future.

Not Attaining Water Quality Standards/Impaired
•  Fair/Partially Supporting: These waters meet water
   quality standards most of the time  but exhibit occasional
   exceedances.
•  Poor/Not Supporting: These waters do not meet water
   quality standards.

Water Quality Standards Not  Attainable
•  Not Attainable:  The state has performed a use-
   attainability analysis and demonstrated that support of one
   or more designated uses is not attainable due to specific
   biological, chemical, physical, or economic/social conditions.

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How  Many

of Our Waters

Were  Assessed

for  1998?
This report does not describe the health
of all U.S. waters because states and
other jurisdictions have not yet achieved
comprehensive assessment of all their
waters (see Figure 1). Therefore, this
report summarizes the health of only
the subset of waters that states assessed
in their individual  1998 water quality
inventories: 23% of river and stream
miles, 42% of lake acres, 32% of estuary
square miles, 5% of ocean shoreline
miles, and 90% of Great Lakes
shoreline miles.

Oceans, coral reefs, wetlands, and
ground water quality are poorly
represented in state  monitoring
programs. In part, this is due to the
fact that few states have  adopted water
quality standards for these resources.
EPA's wetlands and ground water
protection programs continue
to work with states to develop
assessment methods and water quality
standards and to improve monitoring
coverage. EPA is initiating a coastal
monitoring program, Coastal 2000,
that will provide a national baseline
characterization of coastal waters and
data needed  to assist in development
of water quality standards (particularly
biological and nutrient criteria) for
these waters.
fit 17,390,370 acres = 42% assessed
  Total acres: 41,593,748
Figure 1
          Percentage of Waters Assessed
                 for the 1998 Report

 Rivers and Streams   lit 842,426 miles = 23% assessed
                    Total miles: 3,662,255 (of which 35% are perennial,
                                     excluding Alaska)
 Lakes, Ponds,
 and Reservoirs
 Estuaries
 Ocean Shoreline
 Waters
 Great Lakes
 Shoreline
 Source: 1998 Section 305(b) reports submitted by states, tribes, territories,
      and commissions.
Ht 28,687 square miles = 32% assessed
  Total square miles: 90,465
Hi 3,130 miles = 5% assessed
  Total miles: 66,645, including Alaska's 44,000 miles
  of shoreline
lit 4,950 miles = 90% assessed
  Total miles: 5,521

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                                            Figure 2
What  Is the  Status
of Our Assessed
Waters?

Rivers  and  Streams
The United States has a total of
3,662,255 miles of rivers and streams.
States and other jurisdictions assessed
23% of these river and stream  miles,
focusing primarily on perennial streams
(i.e., those that flow year round).
Altogether, the states and other
jurisdictions reported that of the 23% of
assessed stream miles, 65% fully support
designated uses and 35% are impaired.
They also report that 10% of the
assessed rivers and streams are fully
supporting but are threatened  for one or
more uses (Figure 2). Aquatic life use is
the most frequently impaired individual
use in assessed  rivers and streams
(Figure  3).
According to the states and other
jurisdictions, siltation and bacteria are
the most common pollutants affecting
assessed rivers and streams (Figure 4).
Siltation alters aquatic habitat and
suffocates fish eggs and  other bottom-
dwelling organisms. Excessive siltation
can also interfere with drinking water
treatment processes and recreational use
of a river. Bacteria provide  evidence of
possible fecal contamination that may
cause waters to be unsafe for swimming
and other recreational activities. Both
pollutants raise the costs of drinking
water treatment to remove them.
States and other jurisdictions reported
agriculture  as the most widespread
           Summary of State Assessments
                of Rivers and Streams
   Total Rivers and Streams
       3,662,255 miles
ASSESSED Rivers and Streams
     840,402' miles
                                            10%
                                            Good, but
                                            Threatened
                                              85,544 miles
                                               35%
                                               IMPAIRED
                                               291,263 miles
  "Includes miles assessed as not attainable.
States assessed 23% of river and
stream miles for the 1998 305(b)
report. For the subset of assessed
waters,  55% are rated as good,
10% as good but threatened,
and 35% as impaired.

        Individual Use Support in Rivers and Streams
                                      Percent
                        Good    Good    Fair    Poor    Not
       Designated    Miles    (Fully  {Threatened) (Partially   (Not  Attainable
         Use      Assessed Supporting)         Supporting) Supporting)
     Aquatic Life Support
                                                   <1
                435,807
                                             13
     This figure presents a tally of the river and stream miles for each
     key designated use. For each use, the figure presents the
     percentage of assessed waters in each water quality category.

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                                              Figure 4
source of pollution in assessed rivers
and streams. Agricultural activities may
introduce siltation, nutrients, pesticides,
and organic matter that deplete oxygen
in surface water. Nutrients and pesticides
can also leach into and contaminate
ground water. While the impact of
agricultural activities is significant, it
should be considered in context of the
amount of land supporting agricultural
activities. According to the 1997 Census
of Agriculture, 41% of the continental
United States, about 900 million acres,
is used for agricultural production.
Other leading sources of pollution in
assessed rivers and streams include
hydromodifications such as flow
regulation and modification,
channelization,  dredging, and
construction of  dams—which may
alter a river's habitat in such a way
that it becomes less suitable for aquatic
life—and urban area runoff and storm
sewer discharges.

Lakes,  Reservoirs,
and  Ponds
There are a total of 41,593,748 acres
of lakes, reservoirs and ponds in the
United States. In 1998, states and other
jurisdictions assessed 42%, or about
17.4 million acres. Altogether, states
and jurisdictions reported that of the
42% of lake acres assessed, 55% fully
support all of their uses and 45% are
impaired. They  also reported that 9%
of the assessed acres are fully supporting
but threatened  for one or more uses
(Figure  5).
            Leading Pollutants and Sources
       Impairing Assessed Rivers  and Streams
  Leading Pollutants/Stressors
                        Miles
 Siltation
 Pathogens (Bacteria)
 Nutrients
 Oxygen-Depleting Substances
 Metals
 Pesticides
 Habitat Alterations
 Thermal Modifications
                            Percent of IMPAIRED River Miles
                          10    20     30     40     50
                              5         10        15
                             Percent of ASSESSED River Miles
                                                         20
 Leading Sources
                         Miles
 Agriculture
 Hydromodification
 Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers
 Municipal Point Sources
 Resource Extraction
 Forestry
 Land Disposal
 Habitat Modification
                         10
                            Percent of IMPAIRED River Miles
                              20    30    40    50    60
                                                       70
                       170,750
                        57,763
                        32,310
                        29,087
                        25,231
                        20,020
                        19,928
                        18,451
                            5      10      15      20
                            Percent of ASSESSED River Miles
                                                         25
These bar charts present the leading pollutants and sources reported by the
states. The percent scale on the lower axis compares the miles impacted to
the total ASSESSED miles. The upper axis compares the miles impacted to
the total IMPAIRED miles.
     Figure 5
               Summary of State Assessments
               of Lakes,  Reservoirs, and Ponds
           Total Lakes
         41.6 million acres
 ASSESSED Lakes
17.4 million* acres
                                                9%
                                                Good, but Threatened
                                                1.6 million acres
                                                45%
                                                IMPAIRED
                                                7.9 million acres
      "Includes acres assessed as not attainable.
                                                 States assessed 42% of lake, reservoir, and pond acres for the 1998
                                                 305(b) report. For the subset of assessed waters, 45% are rated as
                                                 good, 9% as good but threatened, and 45% as impaired.

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 More lake, reservoir, and pond acres were
 reported as impaired for aquatic life use
 support than any other assessed use (Figure
 6). However, where fish consumption use
 was assessed, it was responsible for a higher
 percentage of impaired acres. (Many states
 did not evaluate fish consumption use
 support in lakes because they have not
 included this use in their water quality
 standards.) Through separate tracking of
 state fish consumption advisories, EPA
 estimates that about 6.5 million lake acres
 were under fish consumption advisories in
 1998.

 According to the states and other
jurisdictions, nutrients are the most
 common pollutant affecting assessed lakes,
 reservoirs, and ponds  (Figure 7). While
 healthy lake ecosystems contain nutrients
 in small quantities from  natural sources,
 too many nutrients disrupt the balance
 of lake ecosystems. Nutrient overenrichment
 can initiate a chain of impacts that includes
 algal blooms, low dissolved oxygen
 conditions, fish kills, foul odors,  and
 excessive aquatic weed growth that can
 interfere with recreational activities.
 Metals are the second most common
 pollutants in assessed  lake acres, mainly due
 to the widespread detection of mercury in
 fish tissue samples. The mercury problem is
 especially complex because it often includes
 atmospheric transport from power-generating
 facilities, waste incinerators, and other sources.
 The most widespread  source of pollution
 reported for assessed lakes is agriculture,
 followed by hydrologic modification, urban
 runoff and storm sewers, municipal point
 sources, and atmospheric deposition
 (Figure?).
   Individual Use Support in Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
                                   Percent
                    Good    Good     Fair    Poor    Not
   Designated    Acres    (Fully  (Threatened)  (Partially    (Not  Attainable
     Use      Assessed  Supporting)         Supporting) Supporting)
Aquatic Life Support
            14,413,812
             7,322,828
             8,418,286
                             11
                                    15
                                    10
                     82
                     89
                                            5     0
This figure presents a tally of the lake, pond, and reservoir acres
assessed for each key designated use. For each use, the figure
presents the percentage of assessed waters in each water quality
category.

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 Figure 7
     Leading  Pollutants and  Sources Impairing
       Assessed Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
 Leading Pollutants/Stressors
                         Acres
 Nutrients
 Metals
 Siltation
 Oxygen-Depleting Substances
 Suspended Solids
 Noxious Aquatic Plants
 Excess Algal Growth
                             Percent of IMPAIRED Lake Acres
                           10    20      30     40
                                                    50
                       3,454,361
                       2,111,056
                       1,172,738
                       1,101,936
                        802,270
                        665,575
                        626,514
                            5      10      15      20
                             Percent of ASSESSED Lake Acres
                                                         25
 Leading Sources
                                                           Acres
 Agriculture
 Hydromodification
 Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers
 Municipal Point Sources
 Atmospheric Deposition
 Industrial Point Sources
 Habitat Modification
 Land Disposal
                             Percent of IMPAIRED Lake Acres
                           10     20     30     40
                                                      50
                       2,417,801
                       1,179,344
                        931,567
                        866,116
                        616,701
                        502,760
                        417,662
                        381,073
                            5      10      15      20
                            Percent of ASSESSED Lake Acres
                                                        25
These bar charts present the leading pollutants and sources reported by the
states. The percent scale on the lower axis compares the acres impacted to
the total ASSESSED acres.  The upper axis compares the acres impacted to
the total IMPAIRED acres.
 Figure 8
    Summary of State Assessments of Estuaries
       Total Estuaries
     90,465 square miles
ASSESSED Estuaries
28,687 square miles
                                                   9%
                                                   Good, but
                                                   Threatened
                                                   2,766 square
                                                   miles
                                                   44%
                                                   IMPAIRED
                                                   12,482 square
                                                   miles
States assessed 32% of estuary square miles for the 1998 305(b) report.
For the subset of assessed waters, 56% are rated as good, 9% as good
but threatened, and 44% as impaired.
Coastal Resources—
Estuaries,  The Great Lakes, Ocean
Shoreline  Waters, and Coral Reefs
The United States' extensive coastal
resources include nearly 67,000 miles of
ocean shoreline, more than 5,500 miles
of Great Lakes shoreline, about 90,500
square miles of tidal estuaries, and
extensive coral reef areas.

Estuaries
There are 90,465 square miles of
estuaries in the United States. Estuaries
are where rivers meet oceans, and they
include bays and tidal  rivers.  They serve
as nursery areas for many commercial
fish and most shellfish populations,
including shrimp, oysters, crabs, and
scallops. States and otherjurisdictions
assessed 32% of the total square miles of
estuaries in the country (Figure 8).
Altogether, states and otherjurisdictions
reported that of the 32% of estuarine
square miles assessed,  56% fully support
designated uses and 44% are impaired.
They reported that 9% of the assessed
square miles are fully supporting but
threatened for one or more uses. Aquatic
life use is the most frequently impaired
individual use in assessed  estuaries
(Figure 9).
States reported that bacteria  (pathogens)
are the most common pollutants
affecting assessed estuaries. Most states
monitor indicator bacteria, such as
Esherichia coli, which provide evidence
that an estuary is contaminated with
sewage that may contain numerous
viruses and bacteria that cause illness in
people. Humans can become exposed to

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             Individual Use Support in Estuaries
              square   Good   Good    Fair    Poor     Not
    Designated    Miles    (Fully   (Threatened) (Partially   (Not  Attainable
      Use     Assessed Supporting)        Supporting) Supporting)
 L
 Aquatic Life Support
This figure presents a tally of the estuary square miles
assessed for each key designated use. For each use, the
figure presents the percentage of assessed waters in each
water quality category.
these pathogens by consuming contaminated
fish and shellfish or contacting or ingesting
contaminated water during swimming.
In addition to pathogens, the states also reported
that oxygen depletion from organic wastes, metals,
nutrients, thermal  modifications, PCBs, and  priority
toxic chemicals impacts more square miles of
estuarine waters than other pollutants and
stressors.
Municipal point sources and  urban runoff and
storm sewers are cited as the most widespread
sources of pollution in assessed estuaries
(Figure 10). These urban sources are significant
contributors to the degradation of estuarine waters
because large cities are located near most U.S.
estuaries.

The Great Lakes
There are 5,521 miles of Great Lakes shoreline in the
United States. The Great Lakes contain nearly one-
fifth of the fresh surface water on earth. Despite
their large size, the Great Lakes are sensitive to the
effects of a broad range of contaminants that enter
the Lakes from polluted air, ground water, surface
water, wastewater discharges, and overland runoff.
For the 1998 report, five of the eight Great  Lakes
states assessed conditions of 90%  of the nation's
total Great Lakes shoreline miles (Figure 11). The
states reported that of the 90% of assessed
shoreline miles, 4% fully support designated uses
and 96%  are impaired. They also report that 2%
of the assessed waters are fully supporting but
threatened for one more uses.
The reporting states  indicated that the greatest
impacts to Great Lakes shoreline are on fishing
activities (Figure 12).  The states bordering the
Great Lakes have issued advisories to restrict
consumption of fish caught along  their entire
shorelines. Depending upon the location, mercury,
PCBs, pesticides, or dioxins are found in fish tissues
10

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Figure 10
            Leading Pollutants and  Sources
           	Impairing Estuaries	
Leading Pollutants/Stressors
             Miles
 Pathogens (Bacteria)

 Oxygen-Depleting Substances
 Metals

 Nutrients

 Thermal Modifications

 PCBs

 Priority Toxic Organic Chemicals
                            Percent of IMPAIRED Estuarine Square Miles
                         0    10     20     30     40    50    60
                         L
                               I
                                                     I
                         05      10     15      20      25
                            Percent of ASSESSED Estuarine Square Miles
             5,919

             5,185

             3,431

             2,880

             2,222

             1,315

              806
 Leading Sources
             Miles
  Municipal Point Sources

  Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers

  Atmospheric Deposition

  Industrial Discharges
  Agriculture

  Land Disposal of Wastes

  Combined Sewer Overflow
                         Percent of IMPAIRED Estuarine Square Miles
                         0     10     20     30     40     50
            3,528
                         0       5      10      15      20     25
                          Percent of ASSESSED Estuarine Square Miles
These bar charts present the leading
pollutants and sources reported by the states.
The percent scale on the lower axis compares
the square miles impacted to the total
ASSESSED square miles. The upper axis
compares the square miles impacted
to the total IMPAIRED square miles.
Figure 11
           Summary of State Assessments
                of Great Lakes Shoreline
                                                         Total Great Lakes Shoreline
                                                              5,521 miles
                                   ASSESSED Great Lakes Shoreline
                                          4,950 miles
                                                   10%
                                                   Not
                                                   Assessed
                                                                                                         2% Good, but
                                                                                                         Threatened
                                                                                                         103 miles
                                                  States assessed 90% of Great Lake shoreline miles for the 1998 305(b)
                                                  report. For the subset of assessed waters, 2% are rated as good, 2% as
                                                  good but threatened, and 96% as impaired.
                                                                                                                  11

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  at levels that exceed standards set to protect
  human health.
  Priority organic chemicals, pesticides, and
  nonpriority organic chemicals are the most
  common pollutants affecting the waters
  along the Great Lakes shoreline, according
  to the three states that reported on
  pollutants and sources (Figure 13). These
  states reported  that atmospheric deposition,
  discontinued discharges from factories that
  no longer operate, and contaminated
  sediments are the primary sources of these
  pollutants.

  Ocean Shoreline Waters
  There are 66,645 miles of ocean shoreline
  in the United States, including Alaska.
  Our ocean shoreline waters provide
  critical habitat for various life stages of
  commercial  fish and shellfish (such as
  shrimp), provide habitat for endangered
  species (such as sea turtles), and support
  popular recreational activities, including
  sport fishing and swimming. Despite their
  vast size and volume, oceans are vulnerable
  to impacts from pollutants, especially in
  nearshore waters that receive inputs from
  adjoining surface waters, ground water,
  wastewater discharges, and  nonpoint
  source runoff.
  Fifteen of the 27 coastal states and territories
  assessed conditions in 5% of the nation's
  total ocean shoreline miles (Figure 14).
  The states and territories reported that of
  the 5% assessed, 88% of ocean  shoreline
  miles fully support designated uses and 12%
  are impaired. They report that 8% of the
  assessed miles are threatened for one or
  more uses.
         Individual Use Support in the Great Lakes
                    Good    Good    Fair    Poor     Not
   Designated     Miles    (Fully  (Threatened)  (partja||y    (Not   Attainable
     Use      Assessed  Supporting)        Supporting) Supporting)
Aquatic Life Support
This figure presents a tally of the Great Lakes shoreline miles
assessed for each key designated use. For each use, the figure
presents the percentage of assessed waters in each water quality
category.
12

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  Figure 13
             Leading Pollutants and Sources
            Impairing Great Lakes Shoreline
 Leading Pollutants/Stressors
            Miles
 Priority Toxic Organic Chemicals

 Pesticides

 Nonpriority Organic Chemicals

 Nutrients

 Pathogens (Bacteria)

 Oxygen-Depleting Substances

 Metals
                         Percent of IMPAIRED Great Lakes Shoreline Miles
                         0     5     10    15    20    25    30
            1,391

            1,017

            1,017

              234

              186

              175

              143
                         05     10    15    20    25     30
                          Percent of ASSESSED Great Lakes Shoreline Miles
 Leading Sources
            Miles
 Atmospheric Deposition

 Discontinued Discharges from
 Pipes*
 Contaminated Sediments

 Industrial Discharges

 Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers

 Agriculture

 Municipal Point Sources
                        Percent of IMPAIRED Great Lakes Shoreline Miles

                        0      5     10     15     20     25
                        l_
                                I
                                      I
                                              I
                                                    I
           1,017

           1,017

             684

             140

             134

             133

             120
                        0      5      10     15     20     25

                         Percent of ASSESSED Great Lakes Shoreline Miles
These bar charts present the leading
pollutants and sources reported by the
states. The percent scale on the lower
axis compares the miles impacted to the
total ASSESSED miles. The upper axis
compares the miles impacted to the
total IMPAIRED miles.
Figure 14
                      States assessed 5% of ocean
                      shoreline miles for the 1998
                      305(b) report. For the subset
                      of assessed waters, 80% are
                      rated as good, 8% as good
                      but threatened, and 12% as
                      impaired.
           Summary of State Assessments
                   of Ocean  Shoreline
    Total Ocean Shoreline
        66,645 miles
ASSESSED Ocean Shoreline
     3,130* miles
    95%
    Not     5%
    Assessed  ASSESSED
                  8%
                 , Good, but
                  Threatened
                  257 miles

                 12%
                 IMPAIRED
                 377miles
 'Includes miles assessed as not attainable.
                                                                                                                   13

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  Swimming was the most frequently
  assessed use in ocean shoreline waters
  (Figure 15).
  Bacteria (pathogens), turbidity, and excess
  nutrients are the most common pollutants
  affecting the assessed ocean shoreline.
  The primary sources of pollution to
  assessed shoreline  miles include urban
  runoff and storm sewers and land disposal
  of wastes (Figure 16).

  Coral Reefs
  Coral reefs are among the most
  productive ecosystems in the ocean.
  They are inhabited by a wide variety
  of fish, invertebrates, and plant species
  and provide important economic
  opportunities, primarily in terms of fishing
  and tourism. Coral reefs are found in three
  states—Hawaii, Florida,  and Texas, and
  five U.S. territories—American Samoa,
  Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto
  Rico, and the U.S.  Virgin Islands
  (Figure 17).
  Recent evidence indicates that coral reefs
  are deteriorating worldwide. To prevent
  further deterioration of coral ecosystems,
  President Clinton signed Executive Order
  13089 on Coral Reef Protection. This
  order created the U.S. Coral Reef Task
  Force, composed of representatives from
  the states and territories with coral
  resources. In response, these areas have
  initiated or increased efforts to  identify
  the causes of coral reef degradation and
  approaches to prevent further loss.
  Efforts are under way in Hawaii, Florida,
  and American Samoa to assess the status
  of coral  reefs and identify pollutants
  and stressors to coral  reef ecosystems.
     Individual Use Support in Ocean Shoreline Waters
                                    Percent
                     Good   Good     Fair     Poor    Not
   Designated     Miles    (Fully   (Threatened)  (Partially    (Not  Attainable
     Use      Assessed Supporting)         Supporting) Supporting)
Aquatic Life Support
This figure presents a tally of the ocean shoreline miles assessed
for each key designated use. For each use, the figure presents the
percentage of assessed waters in each water quality category.
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   Figure 16
             Leading Pollutants and Sources
                Impairing Ocean Shoreline
 Leading Pollutants/Stressors
   Miles
 Pathogens (bacteria)

 Turbidity

 Nutrients

 Suspended solids

 Siltation

 PH

 Metals
                       10
                           Percent of IMPAIRED Shoreline Miles
                            20    30    40    50    60
                                                         70
                                                               80
                          Percent of ASSESSED Shoreline Miles
 Leading Sources
 Urban Runoff/Storm
 Sewers
 Land Disposal

 Municipal Point Sources

 Spills

 Industrial Point Sources

 Agriculture
 Recreation and
 Tourism Activities
 Construction
                            Percent of IMPAIRED Shoreline Miles
                          10    20    30    40    50    60
                            Percent of ASSESSED Shoreline Miles
These bar charts present the leading pollutants and
sources reported by the states. The percent scale on
the lower axis compares  the miles impacted to the
total ASSESSED miles. The upper axis compares the
miles impacted to the total IMPAIRED miles.
                                                             10
  Miles
                                                             70
   236

   117

    96

    65

    52

    48

    40

    34
                                                              10
Figure 17
           United States Coral Reef Areas
                                                                                             i-f.vr-'.a^ Texas  <1%
                                                                                                    -U.S. Virgin Islands 1%
                                                                                                    Guam  1%
                                                                                                    Florida Keys  2%
                                                                                                    American Samoa 2%

                                                                                                    Puerto Rico 3%

                                                                                                 'Other Pacific Islands 4%

                                                                                                N. Mariana Islands 3%
                                                                                                                      15

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  The findings will be used to develop management
  actions to protect coral reefs in these areas. Coral
  reef stressors identified to date include invasive
  species, marine debris, petroleum spills, nutrient
  runoff, and septic discharges.

  Wetlands
  Wetlands are intermittently or permanently flooded
  areas that are the link between land and water. The
  functions and values of healthy wetlands include the
  following:

  •  Storage of water - Wetlands help prevent
     flooding by storing and slowing the flow of
     water through a watershed.
  •  Storage of sediment and nutrients -
     Wetlands act like filters that purify water in a
     watershed.
  •  Growth and reproduction of plants  and
     animals - Wetlands produce a wealth of natural
     products, including fish and shellfish, wildlife,
     timber, and wild rice.
  •  Diversity of plants and animals - Wetlands
     are critical to the survival of a wide  variety of
     plants and animals, including numerous rare or
     endangered species as well as many species of
     great commercial value to man.

  It is estimated that over 200 million acres of
  wetlands existed in the lower 48 states  at the time of
  European settlement. Since then, extensive wetlands
  acreage has been lost, with many of the original
  wetlands drained and converted to farmland  and
  urban areas. Today, less than half of our nation's
  original wetlands remain. Recent federal studies
  estimate an average  net loss of wetlands around
  100,000 acres per year in the contiguous United
  States. Although losses continue to decline, we still
  have to make progress toward  our Administration's
  goal of an annual net gain of 100,000 wetland acres
  per year by the year 2005 and  every year thereafter.
Eleven states and tribes listed sources of recent
wetlands loss in their 1998 305(b) reports. Eight states
cited agriculture as a leading source of current losses.
Other losses were due to construction of roads,
highways, and bridges; residential growth and urban
development; filling and/or draining; construction;
industrial development; commercial development; and
channelization.
The states and tribes are making progress in
incorporating wetlands into water quality standards
and developing designated uses and criteria specifically
for wetlands. But many states and tribes still lack
wetland-specific designated uses, criteria, and
monitoring programs for wetlands. Without criteria
and monitoring data, most states and tribes cannot
evaluate use support.

Ground Water
Ground water—water found in natural underground
formations called aquifers—is an important  component
of our nation's fresh water resources. About 77,500
million gallons of the nation's ground  water are
withdrawn daily for use in drinking and bathing,
irrigation of crop lands, livestock watering, mining,
industrial and commercial uses, and thermoelectric
cooling applications (Figure 18). Unfortunately, this
valuable resource is vulnerable to contamination,
and ground water contaminant problems are being
reported throughout the country. Ground water
contamination can occur through relatively well
defined, localized pollution plumes emanating from
specific sources such as leaking underground storage
tanks, or it can occur as a general deterioration of
ground water quality over a wide area due to diffuse
nonpoint sources such as agricultural fertilizer
and pesticide applications, septic systems, and
urban runoff.
Based on results reported  by states in their 1998
305(b) reports,  ground water quality in the nation is
good and can support the many different uses of this
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resource. However, despite these positive results,
measurable negative impacts to aquifers across the
nation have been detected, and they are usually traced
back to human activities.

States identified leaking underground storage tanks as
an important potential threat to our nation's ground
water resources. This was based on the sheer number
of underground storage tanks and the risk posed to
human health and the environment from releases.
States also report that the organic chemicals found in
petroleum products such as gasoline are common
ground water contaminants. Other potential sources  of
ground water contamination include septic systems,
landfills, industrial facilities, fertilizer and pesticide
applications, accidental spills, surface impoundments,
and animal feedlots. Contaminants occur in the form
of organic compounds, metals, and nitrate.

Assessing the quality of our nation's ground water
resources  is no easy task. An accurate and
representative assessment of ambient ground water
quality requires a well-planned and well-executed
monitoring plan. Although the 305(b) ground water
program is improving, there is still much to be  done.
States need to increase their monitoring coverage and
focus on collecting  ground water data that are  most
representative of the resource.
 Figure 18
           National Ground Water Use
                             Irrigation 63%
                               . Commercial 1%
                               ,--Thermoelectric 1%
                               	Livestock Watering 3%
                                    Domestic Supply 4%
                                    Mining 3%

                                    Industrial 5%
                                  Public Supply 20%
 Source: Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 1995.
     U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1200,1998.
How  Does  Impaired

Water Quality  Impact

Public Health and

Aquatic Life?
Water pollution threatens both public health and
aquatic life.  Public health may be threatened directly
through the consumption of contaminated food or
drinking water or indirectly through skin exposure to
contaminants present in recreational and boating
waters. Aquatic organisms can be affected by the
presence of toxic chemicals in their environment and
are also particularly susceptible to changes in the
physical quality of their environments, such as changes
in pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and habitat.

Public Health Concerns
The 1998 EPA Listing of Fish and  Wildlife Advisories
listed 2,506 advisories in effect in 47 states,  the District
of Columbia, and American Samoa (Figure 19).
Mercury, PCBs, chlordane, dioxins, and DDT (with its
byproducts) caused 99% of all the fish consumption
advisories in effect in 1998.
In their 1998 305(b) reports,  11 of the 27 coastal
states and jurisdictions reported shellfish harvesting
restrictions in over 2,300 square miles of estuarine
waters. These areas are monitored for bacteria as part
of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program.
Advisories were also issued to warn the public about
health risks from water-based recreation. Sixteen states
and tribes identified 240 sites where recreation was
restricted at least once during the reporting cycle.
The states and tribes identified sewage treatment plant
bypasses and malfunctions, urban runoff and storm
sewers, and faulty septic systems  as the most common
sources of elevated bacteria concentrations in bathing
areas.
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  Thirty-eight states, tribes, and other
 jurisdictions provided information about
  the degree to which drinking water use is
  met.  Of the 23% of river and stream miles
  assessed, only 3% do not support drinking
  water where it is a designated use; of the
  42%  of lake and reservoir acres assessed,
  5% do  not support drinking water use.
  Increasingly, states are coordinating
  their  efforts under the Safe Drinking
  Water Act (SDWA) and the Clean Water
  Act (CWA) to assess sources of drinking
  water. SDWA requires states to determine
  the susceptibility to contamination of
  drinking water sources, while the CWA
  calls for them to assess the ability of
  waters to support drinking  water use.
  Assessments under both laws will provide
  the information necessary for states to
  develop tailored monitoring programs
  and for water systems to work with states
  and local governments to protect drinking
  water sources.

  Aquatic Ecosystem Concerns
  A fish kill is one of the most obvious
  effects of pollution on aquatic life. This
  phenomenon is normally attributed to
  exceptionally low dissolved oxygen
  levels—usually due to excessive nutrients
  in the water—or to the discharge of toxic
  contaminants to the water column. A
  more insidious impact of pollution  on
  aquatic organisms is the development of
  growths, lesions, and eroded fins, or
  increased body burden of toxic chemicals.

  The most common impact of pollution on
  aquatic life is the shift of a waterbody's
  naturally occurring and self-sustaining
  population from one  type of aquatic
  Figure 19
     Fish and Wildlife Consumption Advisories
                  in the United States
                     Number of Advisories in Effect
   •& American Samoa        (December 1 998)

                     I	1 1-10
                     I	1 11-20
                     I	1 21-30
                     EEE3 31-50
                         51-100
                     ^M >100
                     * Statewide Advisory

Note:  States that perform routine fish tissue analysis (such as the Great Lakes
      states) will detect more cases offish contamination and issue more
      advisories than states with less rigorous fish sampling programs. In many
      cases, the states with the most fish advisories support the best monitor-
      ing programs for measuring toxic contamination in fish, and their water
      quality may be no worse than the water quality in other states.
      community to another. An example is the shift of a cold
      water trout stream to a warm water carp-dominated stream.
      Changes in aquatic community structure and function may
      occur due to a variety of reasons, but the most common are
      an elevation of temperature, a lowering of available
      dissolved  oxygen, and an increase in sedimentation due to
      land use practices within the watershed.
      The persistence of chemicals in bottom sediment poses risks
      to both aquatic life and humans. These chemicals may be
      toxic to bottom-dwelling aquatic organisms. Some of these
      chemicals, like mercury and PCBs, bioaccumulate in fish
      tissue and pose a potential threat to humans and other
      organisms that consume the fish. In their 1998 305(b)
      reports, 11 states and tribes listed 115 separate sites with
      contaminated sediments. These states and tribes most
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frequently listed metals, PCBs, pesticides, PAHs, and
other priority organic chemicals as the source of
contamination. They identified industrial and municipal
discharges (both past and present), landfills, resource
extraction, and abandoned hazardous waste disposal
sites as the primary sources of contamination.

What Is Being

Done to  Restore

and  Maintain

Water  Quality?
Public polls  consistently document that Americans
value water  quality. In addition to its economic
benefits, clean water provides recreational and
aesthetic benefits. As a result, local, state, and federal
agencies, the private sector, and other organizations
are working to  improve water quality. According to
President Clinton's Clean Water Act Initiative: Analysis
of Costs and Benefits, these partners spend between
$63 billion and $65  billion dollars each year to
improve and protect water quality.
This study estimated that private sources spend a
combined total of about $30 billion per year on
pollution prevention and control efforts. Agriculture
spends another $500 million  per year on activities
that reduce  its impact on water quality, including
implementation of best management practices to
control the effects of nonpoint source runoff.
Municipalities spend a total of $23 billion per year,
primarily on wastewater treatment plants, drinking
water treatment, and storm water pollution control.
State governments dedicate almost $500 million and
federal  governments dedicate almost $10 billion to
water resource  protection and restoration efforts each
year. These efforts include developing and revising
water quality standards, monitoring and assessing
water quality, characterizing causes and sources of
impairment, developing total maximum daily loads
and allocating these loads to  point and nonpoint
sources, implementing permitting programs to address
point sources, and developing and implementing best
management practices to control  nonpoint source
pollution.

Significant resources are dedicated to restoring and
maintaining water quality. Water quality monitoring
and assessment is a critical tool to help ensure that
these resources are used effectively to achieve water
quality goals. EPA and state environmental agencies
recognize that water quality monitoring and
assessment programs need continued strengthening
to be able to evaluate the effectiveness of water quality
protection and restoration efforts.

EPA continues to work with states  and other partners
to increase the quality and comprehensiveness of water
quality monitoring and assessment programs. This is
achieved through data sharing and development of
consistent monitoring designs and assessment criteria.
EPA provides technical assistance,  guidance, and
resources for monitoring design and implementation.
EPA and its partners including states, tribes, other
federal agencies, and other public and private
monitoring organizations are developing a
Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology
(CALM) that will provide a consistent approach for
characterizing water quality under both Sections
305(b) and 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.


For more information on CALM, visit EPA's website at
www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/wqreport.html.
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For More  Information
For more information about the National Water Quality Inventory:
1998 Report to Congress, visit EPA's Office of Water 305(b) website
at http://www.epa.gov/305b, call EPA's Assessment and Watershed
Protection Division at (202) 260-7040, or contact:
  U.S. EPA (4503F)
  Assessment and Watershed Protection Division
  401 M Street, SW
  Washington,  DC 20460

For a copy of the National Water Quality Inventory: 1998 Report to
Congress (EPA-841-R-00-001) or related materials, call 1-800-490-
9198, fax your order to EPA's National Service Center for
Environmental Publications at (513) 489-8695 (include EPA number
and document title), or send your order to:
  National Service Center for Environmental Publications
  11029 Kenwood Road, Building 5
  Cincinnati, OH 45242
O National Water Quality Inventory: 1998 Report to Congress
  (434 pages) (EPA841-R-00-001)
O National Water Quality Inventory: 1998 Report to Congress
  Appendixes (diskette) (EPA841-C-00-001)
O Water Quality Conditions in the United States: A Profile from the
  National Water Quality Inventory: 1998 Report to Congress
  (2 pages) (EPA841-F-00-006)

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