Arkansas Water Quality Standards
Ryan BenefieldDeputy Director
Water Quality Standards
Picture Taken From http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/cwa/cwa3.htm
• Surface Waters
• Elements– Designated Uses– Water Quality
Criteria– Antidegredation
• Exemptions
Designated Uses
Those uses specified in the water quality standards for each water body or stream segment whether or not they are being attained.
•Extraordinary Resource Waters (ERW)
•Ecologically Sensitive Waterbody
•Natural and Scenic Waterways
•Primary Contact Recreation
•Secondary Contact Recreation
•Fisheries (Soon to be labeled Aquatic Life)
•Domestic Water Supply
•Industrial Water Supply
•Agricultural Water Supply
Designating Waterbodies
• Must Designate All Existing Uses *November 28, 1975
• Fishable/Swimmable Required (Rare Exceptions)
• Waste Transport Not Acceptable
Picture Taken From http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/cwa/cwa7.htm
Arkansas Ecoregions
Ouachita Mountains Ecoregion
Ouachita Mountains - DU
Reclassification of DUs
•Can not be an “Existing Use”
•Use Attainability Analysis
–Natural Condition
–Irreversible Human Condition
–Attainment would cause more harm
–Social and Economic Costs
•Public Participation Required
•EPA Review and Approval
Water Quality Criteria
•Consistent Scientifically with Designated Uses
•Type of Criteria
–Narrative
–Numeric
–Biological
Narrative Criteria
•Nutrients
–Materials stimulating algal growth shall not be present in concentrations sufficient to cause objectionable algal densities or other nuisance aquatic vegetation or otherwise impair and designated use of the waterbody
Numeric Criteria - Toxics
Numeric Criteria
Numeric Criteria - Minerals
Biological Criteria
Clean Water Act Process
Taken From http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/cwa/slide.htm
Implementation
• NPDES Permitting• Total Maximum Daily Load• Triennial Review• Regulation 2• 303d List• 305b Report• Continuing Planning Process