United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office oi Water
Regulations and Standards
Washington. DC 20460
September 1980
Water
&EPA Turbidity
Water Quality Standards
Criteria Summaries
A Compilation
of State/Federal Criteria
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TURBIDITY
r
Mater Quality Standards
Criteria Summaries
A Compilation of State/Federal Criteria
September 1980
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water Regulations and Standards
Washington, D. C. 20460
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NATIONAL SUMMARY
OF
STATE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
TURBIDITY
SEPTEMBER, 1980
t
PREPARED FOR
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
CRITERIA AND STANDARDS DIVISION
401 M STREET, S. W.
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20460
PREPARED BY
NALESNIK ASSOCIATES INCORPORATED
505 ELEVENTH STREET, S. E.
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20003
Contract Number 68-01-6058 ^
Project Number WA-80-A05I
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INTRODUCTION
This digest is compiled to provide general information to the public as well as to
Federal, State, and local officials. It contains excerpts from the individual
Federal-State water quality standards establishing pollutant specific criteria for
interstate surface waters. The water quality standards program is implemented by
the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency where responsibility for providing
water quality recommendations, approving State-adopted standards for interstate
waters, evaluating adherence to the standards, and overseeing enforcement of
standards compliance, has been mandated by Congress.
Standards, a nationwide strategy for surface water quality management, contain
three major elements: the use (recreation, drinking water, fish and wildlife
propagation, industrial, or agricultural) to be made of the navigable water; criteria
to protect these uses; and an antidegradation statement to protect existing high
quality waters, from degradation by the addition of pollutants.
Water quality criteria (numerical or narrative specifications) for physical,
chemical, temperature, and biological constituents are stated in the July 1976 U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency publication Quality Criteria for Water (QCW),
available from the Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. The 1976 QCW,
commonly referred to as the "Red Book," is the most current compilation of
scientific information used by the Agency as a basis for assessing water quality.
This publication is subject to periodic updating and revisions in light of new
scientific and technical information.
Criteria for Turbidity in State water quality standards are the subject of this
digest. The term turbidity is usually used in conjunction with the term "suspended
and settleable solids" which is descriptive of the organic and inorganic particulate
matter in water. Both are important parameters in municipal and industrial water
supply and treatment technology. Besides producing undesirable recreational
waters, other effects resulting from turbid waters or water having high suspended
solids concentrations include reducing available food for fish, impeding fish
migration and other natural fish movements, preventing the development of fish
eggs and insect larvae, and decreasing the fishes resistance to disease. The 1976
Quality Criteria for Water recommends the following criterion which will prevent
the deterioration of water quality and aquatic life.
Freshwater fish and other aquatic life:
Settleable and suspended solids should not reduce the depth of the
compensation point for photosynthetic activity by more than 10
percent from the seasonally established norm for aquatic life.
Since water quality standards experience revisions and upgrading from time to
time, following procedures set forth in the Clean Water Act, individual entries in
this digest may be superseded. As these revisions are accomplished and allowing
for the States to revise their standards accordingly, this digest will be updated and
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reissued. Because this publication is not intended for use other than as a general
information resource, to obtain the latest information and for special purposes and
applications, the reader needs to refer to the current approved water quality
standards. These can be obtained from the State water pollution control agencies
or the EPA or Regional Offices.
Individual State-adopted criteria follow:
11
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REFERENCES
California Water Quality Standards by River Basins, c.a. 1975
For more detailed information on selected basins, sub-basins
and stretches of streams and coastal areas refer to California
State Water Quality Standards.
o
Delaware Water Quality Standards, March 25,1979
C Idaho Water Quality Standards, c.a. September, 1979
Missouri Water Quality Standards, c.a. February, 1978
p
American Samoa Water Quality Standards,
Revised July, 1973
F Territory of Guam Water Quality Standards, Sept. 1975
G Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Water Quality
Standards, October 21,1973
H Virgin Islands Water Quality Standards, Aug. 1973
ENVIRONMENT REPORTER, The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.
Washington, D. C. 20037
1 Pages 701:0501-0509, February 16,1979
2 Pages 706:1004-1008, July 20, 1979
3 Pages 711:0542-0544, August 5, 1977
4 Pages 716:0603, March 26,1976
5 Pages 726:1005, 1011-1013, March 7,1980
Basic Water Quality Standards adopted May 22, 1979,
have not yet been submitted to EPA for formal approval.
6 Pages 731:1002-1009, September 8,1978
7 Pages 746:1008-1014, October 19,1979
8 Pages 751:0504-0505, January 25,1980
9 Pages 765:0512-0515, January 30,1976
10 Page 761:0503-0504, 1973
111
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11 Page 766:0504-0509, October 5, 1979
12 Pages 771:0502-0504, September 29, 1978
13 Pages 776:0504-0506, April 10, 1979
14 Pages 781:0501-0502, May 18, 1979
15 Pages 786:0501-0502, August 29, 1975
16 Page 791:0583, May 26, 1978
17 Pages 796:0103-0108, February 16,1979
18 Pages 801:1001-1002, Sept. 29,1978
19 Page 806:1003, March 30, 1979
9n
Page 811:1043, 1974
21 Pages 816:0602-0607, 0642-0648,1974
99
Pages 821:0502-0505, June 30, 1978
91
Pages 831:0501-0510, February 21,1975
94
Page 836:0502, June 30, 1978
oe
Pages 841:0507-0537, December 7,1979
og
Pages 846:0501-0508, November 17, 1978
97
Pages 851:1001-1023, December 15,1978
98
Pages 856:1001-1002, July 18, 1978
9Q
Pages 861:1002-1007, August 11,1979
4(1
Pages 866:1004-1009, December 28,1979
31 Pages 871:0501-0506, November 25,1977
00
Pages 876:1001-1043, May 26, 1978
33
Pages 881:1001-1007, September 21,1979
34 Pages 886:0513-0524, August 29,1975
35
Pages 891:1001-1129, November 16,1979
1v
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OR
m Pages 901:0501-0505, November 3,1978
37 Pages 906:0501-0506, October 13, 1978
00
* Pages 911:0501-0507, June 22, 1979
OQ
09 Pages 916:0541-0544, April 14, 1978
An
*v Pages 921:1001-1003, August 13,1976
41 Pages 926:0541-0563, January 26,1979
A*)
*z Pages 931:0501-0508, May 26,1978
43 Pages 936:1001-1003, June 27,1975
44 Pages 941:1001-1005, May 26,1978
45 Pages 946:0501-0520, July 14, 1978
46 Pages 951:1002-1003, April 28,1978
47 Pages 956:1001-1007, January 11,1980
48 Page 741:1002, November 23, 1979
49 Pages 896:0301-0310, March 31,1978
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TURBIDITY
State
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona'
Criteria Value
There shall be no turbidity of other than
natural origin that will cause substantial
visible contrast with the natural appear-
ance of waters or interfere with any
beneficial uses which they serve.
Furthermore, in no case shall turbidity
exceed 50 Jackson units above back-
ground. Background will be interpreted as
the natural condition of the receiving
waters without the influence of manmade
or man-induced causes. Turbidity levels
caused by natural runoff will be included
in establishing background levels.
5 NTU above natural (50NTU or less); no
more than 10% above natural (over
50NTU); not to exceed 25 NTU.
25 NTU above natural; 5 NTU over
natural (lake waters)
5 NTU above natural (50 NTU or less); no
more than 10% above natural (over 50
NTU); not to exceed 15 NTU; not to
exceed 5 NTU over natural (lake waters)
Turbidity of the water will be maintained
at the lowest practicable values possible,
but in no case shall:
a. Turbidity in the surface waters due to
the discharge of wastes exceed 50 Jack-
son units in warm water fishery streams
or 10 Jackson units in coldwater fishery
streams.
b. Discharge to warm water fishery lakes
cause turbidities to exceed 25 Jackson
units, and discharge to cold water fishery
lake cause turbidities to exceed 10 Jack-
son units.
These standards are applicable to turbi-
dity caused by activities including, but
not limited to, construction, mining, log-
ging and related land uses.
Designated Stream Use
All
Water supply; drinking,
culinary, food processing
Water supply, aquaculture,
fish, shellfish, aquatic life,
wildlife.
Recreation
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State
t
Arkansas
CaliforniaA
Colorado*
Criteria Value
There shall be no distinctly visible
increase in turbidity of receiving waters
attributable to municipal, industrial, agri-
cultural, or other waste discharges.
Specifically, in no case shall any such
waste discharge cause (1) the turbidity of
warm water streams to exceed 50 Jackson
units, or of trout or smallmouth bass
streams to exceed 10 Jackson units; or (2)
the turbidity of warm water lakes to
exceed 25 Jackson units, or of cold water
or oligotrophic lakes to exceed 10 Jackson
units.
Waters shall be free of changes in turbi-
dity that cause nuisance or adversely
affect beneficial uses.
Increase in turbidity attributable to
controllable water quality factors shall
not exceed the following limits:
1. Where natural turbidity is between 0
and 50 JTU, increases shall not exceed 20
percent.
2. Where natural turbidity is between 50
and 100 JTU, increases shall not exceed
10 JTU.
3. Where natural turbidity is greater than
100 JTU, increases shall not exceed 10
percent.
Allowable zones of dilution within which
higher concentrations will be tolerated
will be defined for each discharge in
discharge permits.
Limiting Concentrations
75 JTU Monthly (30 day average)
100 JTU Weekly (7 day average)
225 JTU Maximum at any time
1.0 TU(E)
Designated Stream Use
All
All
Ocean Waters
Domestic water supply
(Class I)
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State
Criteria Value
Designated Stream Use
Connecticut
None other than of natural origin except
as may result from normal agricultural,
road maintenance, construction activity
or dredge material disposal provided all
reasonable controls are used.
Turbidity shall not exceed 25 JTU, Be 10
JTU, and Cc 10 JTU(See note 15)
A secchi disc shall be visible at a mini-
mum depth of 1 meter, Bb-criteria may
be exceeded (See Note 14)
Drinking water supply,
swimming
Recreational, agricultural,
industrial, fish and wildlife
Delaware
Florida
p
Georgia
Hawaii9
B
Idaho
10
Note 14. - The use of subscript b in Class
Sb is intended to identify 'those areas
where natural conditions or conditions
which cannot be expected to be appre-
ciably altered by the control of discharges
may preclude bathing. It may also be
used in Classes Bb and SBb to designate
areas in the immediate vicinity of treated
sewage outfalls where bathing is not
advisable.
Note 15. - The use of subscript c in
Classes Be, Cc, SBc and SCc is to identify
areas suitable for coldwater fisheries,
especially fish passage.
Not to exceed background by 10 units or a
maximum of 25 units, whichever is less,
except following precipitation.
Shall not exceed fifty (50) Jackson Units
above natural background as related to a
standard candle turbidimeter.
Not Specified
Secchi disc or secchi disc equivalent as
"extinction coefficient" determinations
shall not be altered from natural condi-
tions more than 5%.
The Wastewater must not increase the
turbidity of the receiving water outside
the mixing zone by:
All
All
Classes AA, A, B, 1 and 2
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State
Criteria Value
Designated Stream Use
Idaho (con't)
Illinois
Indiana
12
Iowa
13
Kansas
14
Kentucky15
T . . 16
Louisiana
1. More than five (5) NTU (Nephelo-
metric Turbidity Units) over background
turbidity, when background turbidity is
fifty (50) NTU or less; or
2. More than ten percent (10%) increase
in turbidity when background turbidity is
more than fifty (50) NTU, not to exceed a
maximum increase of twenty-five (25)
NTU.
Not Specified
No turbidity of other than natural origin
that will cause a substantial visible
contrast with the natural appearance of
the water.
No activity causing turbidity of other
than natural origin, that will cause
substantial visible contrast with the
natural appearance of the water shall be
permitted.
No material from other than natural
causes shall be added which will cause the
turbidity of the water to exceed 10
Jackson turbidity units (JTU).
No material from other than natural
causes shall be added which will cause the
turbidity of the water to exceed 25
Jackson Turbidity Units.
The turbidity of the receiving stream
shall not be increased by more than 25
Nephelometric turbidity units by any
point source discharge.
There shall be no turbidity increase in
waters of the state, of other than natural
origin, that will cause substantial visible
contrast with the natural appearance of
the water or be detrimental to the desig-
nated use.
Not Specified
There shall be no substantial increase in
turbidity from ambient conditions due to
waste discharges.
Inner Harbor, Gary Harbor
Burns Harbor, Lake
Michigan
Wolf Lake and Wolf
Lake Channel
Natural Spawning and
Rearing or Imprinting
Areas of Salmonid Fishes
Migration Route of
monid Fishes
All
Sal-
All
All
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State
Maine17
Maryland
18
Massachusetts
19
20
Michigan
Minnesota
21
99
Mississippi"
Missouri
D
Criteria Value
There shall be no discharge of any matter
or substances which would impart turbi-
dity other than that which naturally
occurs.
a. Turbidity may not exceed levels detri-
mental to aquatic life; and
b. Within limits of Best Practicable
Control Technology Currently Available,
turbidity may not exceed for extended
periods of time those levels normally pre-
vailing during periods of base flow in the
surface waters; and
c. Turbidity in the receiving water result-
ing from any discharge may not exceed 50
JTU' (Jackson Turbidity Units) as a
monthly average, nor exceed 150 JTU at
any time.
None other than of natural origin
Shall not be in concentrations that would
exceed the recommended limits on the
most sensitive receiving water use.
All waters of the State shall contain no
unnatural turbidity, color, oil films, float-
ing solids, foams, settleable solids, or
deposits in quantities which are or may
become injurious to any designated use.
25
Not Specified
Not Specified
There shall be no turbidity that will cause
substantial visible contrast with natural
appearance of the stream or lake or inter-
fere with its beneficial uses.
Designated Stream Use
All
All
Public water supply
All
All
Domestic consumption
Classes A and B, industrial
consumption class A
Domestic consumption
class C;. Fisheries and
recreation classes B and C
All
All
All
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State
Montana
23
Nebraska
24
Nevada
25
Criteria Value
The maximum allowable increase above
naturally occurring turbidity is 10 Jackson
Candle Units, except as is permitted in
the general water criteria.
(see B-D2)
The maximum allowable increase above
naturally occurring turbidity is 5 Jackson
Candle Units.
(see B-D2)
Naturally occurring turbidity, naturally
occurring water temperatures and
naturally occurring concentrations of
sediments, settleable solids or residues
are not to be increased in quantity or
amounts which adversely affect the use
indicated.
No wastes are to be discharged and no
activities conducted which, either alone
or in combination with other wastes or
activities, will cause turbidities to exceed
those allowed by specific water quality
criteria; provided, short-term activities
necessary to accomodate essential
dredging, channel or bank alterations,
stream diversions or other construction
where turbidities in excess of the criteria
are unavoidable, may be authorized by the
department under conditions as it may
prescribe.
Turbidity caused by wastewater shall not
impart more than a 10 percent increase in
turbidity, as measured in Jackson Turbi-
dity Units, to the receiving water.
No turbidity which will adversely affect
the beneficial uses of the water, i.e. not
to exceed 10 NTU for cold water fishery
(Salmonids), and 50 NTU for warm water
fishery (other than Salmonids).
Turbidity shall not exceed that character-
istic of natural conditions by more than
10 Jackson Units.
See Nevada State Water Quality Criteria
Compilation 1979, for specific stretches
of stream.
Designated Stream Use
B-D2 Classification
B-D3 Classification
C-D1 Classification
C-D2 Classification
E-F Classification
All
Variable
Variable
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State
Criteria Value
26
New Hampshire 10 STU
27
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
29
on
North Carolina*"
North Dakota
31
Ohio32
Oklahoma
33
25 STU
20 JTU (30-day average)
110 JTU (maximum at anytime), unless
exceeded due to natural conditions
Turbidity attributable to other than natu-
ral causes shall not reduce light transmis-
sion to the point that desirable aquatic
life presently common in New Mexico
waters is inhibited or that will cause
substantial visible contrast with the natu-
ral appearance of the water. Turbidity
attributable to natural causes or the
reasonable operation of irrigation and
flood control facilities is not subject to
these standards.
No increase, except from natural sources,
that will cause a substantial visible
contrast to natural conditions. In cases of
naturally turbid waters, the contrast will
be due to increased turbidity.
The turbidity in the receiving water due
to a discharge shall not exceed 50 NTU in
streams not designated as trout waters
and 10 NTU in streams, lakes or reser-
voirs designated as trout waters; for lakes
or reservoirs not designated as trout
waters, the turbidity shall not exceed 25
NTU due to discharge.
Not Specified
Not Specified
Turbidity from other than natural sources
shall be restricted to the following nume-
rical limits:
1. Warm water streams - 50 Jackson units
2. Warm water lakes - 25 Jackson Units
3. Cold water streams - 10 Jackson Units
(Those designated as small-mouth bass
fisheries or trout fisheries)
Designated Stream Use
Cold water fisheries
Warm water fisheries
All except preservation of
natural state designations.
All
All
All
All
All
All
-7-
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State
Oklahoma
(eon't)
Oregon
34
35
Pennsylvania
Criteria Value
In waters where background turbidity
exceeds these values, turbidity from point
sources shall be restricted to not exceed
the naturally occurring background.
Further, the turbidity background levels
should decrease as management of non-
point sources reduces the current back-
ground turbidity levels.
No more than ten percent cumulative
increase in natural stream turbidities
shall be allowed, as measured from
immediately upstream of the turbidity
causing activity, except for:
(a) specifically limited duration activities
which may be specifically authorized by
DEQ under terms of Sections 401 and 404
(1977 Amendments to the Clean Water
Act); Division of State Land's Permits,
and other conditions as it may prescribe
and which are necessary to accommodate
essential dredging, construction, or other
legitimate uses or activities, and
(b) specifically limited duration acti-
vities, not to exceed five days, which do
not meet conditions under (a) above and
which may be specifically authorized by
DEQ and the Department of Fish and
Wildlife under conditions they may
prescribe to accomodate response to
emergencies or to protect the public
health and welfare where (1) turbidities in
excess of this standard are unavoidable
and (2) all practicable turbidity preven-
tative techniques have been applied.
(Tur,) - not more than 30 NTU during the
period 5/30 - 9/15, nor more than a
monthly mean of 40 NTU or a maximum
of 150 NTU during the remainder of the
year.
Designated Stream Use
J - Maximum monthly mean 40 NTU,
maximum value not more than 150 NTU
(Tur3) - Not more than 100 NTU
All
All
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State
Criteria Value
Designated Stream Use
Pennsylvania
(con't)
Rhode Island
36
South Carolina
00
South Dakota"
39
Tennessee
Texas40
37
Utah
41
Vermont
42
(Tur4) - For the period 5/15 - 9/15 of any
year, not more than 40 NTU; for the
period 9/16 5/14 of any year, not more
than 100 NTU
(Tur-) - Maximum monthly mean of 10
; maximum 150 NTU
- Maximum monthly mean of 20
; maximum of 150 NTU
(Tur-) - maximum monthly mean of 30
, maximum of 150 NTU
Virginia
Note: See Drainage Lists A through E of
Pennsylvania Water Quality Standards for
applicable uses and streams.
5 Jackson Units
None other than of natural conditions
10 Jackson Units
15 Jackson Units
Not Specified
Not Specified
Not Specified
There shall be no substantial change in
turbidity from ambient conditions due to
waste discharges
10 NTU
15 NTU
None other than of natural origin
10 JTU
25 JTU
Not Specified
Water supply
Water supply
Recreation, agricultural,
industrial, fish and wild-
life
Recreational boating
All
All
All
All
Recreation, aquatic life
and aesthetics
Waterfowl
Public water supply
Water management types I,
n,IV uses
Water management types
ffl, Vuses
All
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State
Criteria Value
Designated Stream Use
Washington
44
45
West Virginia
At*
Wisconsin
Turbidity shall not exceed 5 NTU over
background turbidity when the background
turbidity is 50 NTU or less, or have more
than a 10 percent increase in turbidity
when the background turbidity is more
than 50 NTU.
Turbidity shall not exceed 10 NTU over
background turbidity when the background
turbidity is 50 NTU or less, or have more
than a 20 percent increase in turbidity
when the background turbidity is more
than 50 NTU
5 NTU over background turbidity
Not Specified
Not Specified
All uses for extraodinary
(Class A A) and excellent
(Class A) waters
All uses for good (Class B)
and fair (Class C) waters
All uses for Lake class
waters
All
All
Wyoming
47
a. In all Class I and U waters the dis-
charge of substances attributable to or
influenced by the activities of man shall
not be present in quantities which would
result in a turbidity increase of more than
10 NTU's.
b. In all Class HI waters the discharge of
substances attributable to or influenced
by the activities of man shall not be
present in quantities which would result in
a turbidity increase of more than 15
NTU's.
c. Exceptions to parts a and b of this
Section may be granted in the following
instances:
(1) Where the method of operation of a
dam results in violation of the above stan-
dards and that method of operation has
received specific approval to continue by
the Environmental Quality Council in
accordance with the following provisions.
(a) The Environmental Quality Council has
held a public hearing in the geographic
area affected: and
Natural water uses and
game fish support
Non-game fish support
-10-
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State Criteria Value Designated Stream Use
Wyoming (con't) (b) The Environmental Quality Council
finds that continuation of the method of
dam operation and exception to the above
standards is justifiable on the basis of
social, economic, aesthetic, scenic, muni-
cipal, industrial, recreational, agricul-
tural, ecological, botanical, historical,
zoological, geological, cultural, archae-
logical, fish and wildlife or other values
of present and future benefit to the
people.
d. The exception allowed under part c of
this Section may be granted only if one or
more of the following t can be
demonstrated;
(1) The standards are not attainable due
to natural background;
(2) The standards are not attainable due
to irretrievable man-induced conditions;
(3) Attainment of the standards would
require application of effluent limitations
more stringent than those required by
Section 301(bX2)(A) and (B) of the Federal
Act; and, application of these more strin-
gent effluent limitations would result in
substantial and widespread adverse econo-
mic and social impact.
e. Exceptions granted under parts c and d
of this Section shall not be allowed for
periods greater than three years. At the
end of the exception period the entity
which was t granted the exception must
begin compliance or request that the
Environmental Quality Council hold
another public hearing in the area
affected and reevaluate the request for
continuance of the exception in accord-
ance with the criteria given in parts c and
d of this Section. Exceptions granted
under parts c and d of this Section shall
not exempt any person from the penalty
provisions of W.S. 35-ll-901(b).
-11-
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State
Criteria Value
American SamoaE 10 JTU unless exceeded by natural
District of
Columbia
48
Guam
Puerto Rico
49
conditions
Color - 75 color units
Turbidity at any point, as measured by
Jackson Turbidity Units (JTU), shall not
be increased from ambient conditions at
any time.
Turbidity at any point, as measured by
JTU, shall no^t be greater than 5 JTU at
any time.
Turbidity values (JTU) at any point shall
not be increased from natural conditions
more than 25% at any time.
Shall not be altered except for natural
causes. A secchi disc shall be visible at a
minimum depth of 1 meter.
A sechi disc shall be visible at a minimum
depth of 1 meter.
50 JTU except when due to natural
phenomena
Trust Territories0 Visibility shall not be reduced by more
than 10 percent of natural values as
measured by Secchi disc.
Virgin Islands
H
A secchi disc shall be visible at a
minimum depth of 1 meter.
Designated Stream Use
Recreation, aquatic life
Domestic water supply
AA, 2a-I, 2b-I
2a-n, 2b-H, C
Preservation of natural
phenomena
All uses for coastal class
waters
All uses for surface class
waters
Recreation
All except preservation of
natural phenomena
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