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Water Quality Standards
Delaware | District of Columbia | Maryland
Pennsylvania | Virginia | West Virginia
DRBC | ORSANCO
National Information
Related Mid-Atlantic Information
Excess Nutrients
Excessive nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) are one of the leading causes of water quality impairment in rivers, lakes, wetlands, and estuaries. The Mid-Atlantic Region is currently helping its states establish numerical nutrient criteria. Criteria Guidance for the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries defines dissolved oxygen, water clarity and chlorophyll a criteria.
Water quality standards serve as the foundation for the water-quality based approach to pollution control. Water quality standards are state requirements that define the water quality goals of a lake, stream, or other waterbody by designating the beneficial uses and setting criteria to protect those uses. The purpose of the Water Quality Standards effort in the Region is to ensure that all surface waters have appropriate designated uses and criteria to maintain water quality at a level necessary to protect those uses consistent with the Clean Water Act and Federal regulations.
Criteria may be numeric or narrative standards that are designed to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of a waterbody. The Region also ensures that its states' antidegradation policies and whatever other general policies are necessary for the proper functioning of State and Tribal water quality management programs are consistent with the Clean Water Act and Federal regulations.
Mid-Atlantic Region Water Quality Standards - Contacts & State Programs Links
EPA Mid-Atlantic Water Quality Standards Coordinator:
Cheryl Atkinson (atkinson.cheryl@epa.gov)
215-814-3392
EPA Mid-Atlantic Biocriteria Coordinator:
Margaret Passmore (passmore.margaret@epa.gov)
304-234-0245
Delaware
EPA Mid-Atlantic Contact:
Denise Hakowski (hakowski.denise@epa.gov)
215-814-5726
- EPA-approved State of Delaware Surface Water Quality Standards
- Delaware
Water Quality Standards Program
- Field and Laboratory Methods for Macroinvertebrate and Habitat Assessment of Low Gradient, Nontidal Streams (PDF) (49 pp, 510K, About PDF)
District of Columbia
EPA Mid-Atlantic Contact:
Mark Barath (barath.mark@epa.gov)
215-814-2759
- EPA-approved District of Columbia Surface Water Quality Standards
- Environmental
Health Administration Water Quality Division
Maryland
EPA Mid-Atlantic Contact:
Mark Barath (barath.mark@epa.gov)
215-814-2759
- EPA-approved Maryland Surface Water Quality Standards
- Maryland
Water Quality Standards Program
- Maryland Biological Stream Survey
- Maryland Biological Water Quality Criteria
Pennsylvania
EPA Mid-Atlantic Contact:
Denise Hakowski (hakowski.denise@epa.gov)
215-814-5726
- EPA-approved Pennsylvania Surface Water Quality Standards
- Pennsylvania
Water Quality Standards Program
- Pennsylvania Assessment Methodology
Virginia
EPA Mid-Atlantic Contact:
Cheryl Atkinson (atkinson.cheryl@epa.gov)
215-814-3392
- EPA-approved Virginia Surface Water Quality Standards
- Virginia Water
Quality Standards Program
- Virginia Biological Monitoring
West Virginia
EPA Mid-Atlantic Contact:
Cheryl Atkinson (atkinson.cheryl@epa.gov)
215-814-3392
- EPA-approved West Virginia Surface Water Quality Standards
- West
Virginia Water Quality Standards Program
- A Stream Condition Index for West Virginia Wadeable Streams (PDF) (80 pp, 705K, About PDF)
- Ecological Assessments of West Virginia's Watersheds
Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC )
EPA Mid-Atlantic Contact:
Denise Hakowski (hakowski.denise@epa.gov)
215-814-5726
- Water Quality Regulations (PDF) (109 pp, 597K, About PDF)
Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO )
EPA Mid-Atlantic Contact:
Jennifer Sincock (sincock.jennifer@epa.gov)
215-814-5766
