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  2. Nutrient Pollution

Ecoregional Nutrient Criteria for Rivers and Streams

 
Text: Draft Aggregations of Level III Ecoregions for the National Nutrient Survey. Ecoregion I: Willamette and Central Valleys; Ecoregion II: Western Forested Mountains; Ecoregion III: Xeric West; Ecoregion IV: Great Plains Grass and Shrublands; Ecoregion V: South Central Cultivated Great Plains; Ecoregion VI: Corn Belt And Northern Great Plains; Ecoregion VII: Mostly Glaciated Dairy Region; Ecoregion VIII: Nutrient-Poor, Largely Glaciated Upper Midwest and Northeast; Ecoregion IX: Southeastern Temperate Forested Plains and Hills; Ecoregion X: Texas-Louisiana Coastal and Mississippi Alluvial Plains; Ecoregion XI: The Central and Eastern Forested Uplands; Ecoregion XII: Southeastern Coastal Plain; Ecoregion XIV: Eastern Coastal Plain
Figure 1: ​​​​This map demonstrates the 14 distinct Ecoregions the U.S. is divided into. Download GIS data for Level III Ecoregions.

These documents present the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's nutrient criteria for Rivers and Streams in Ecoregions across the country. They contain the EPA's recommendations to states and authorized Tribes for establishing their water quality standards. These recommended criteria are not laws or regulations - they are guidance that states and Tribes may use as a starting point for the criteria for their water quality standards. 

  • Ecoregion I: Willamette and Central Valleys (pdf) (2.49 MB, December 2001, EPA 822-B-01-012)
  • Ecoregion II: Western Forested Mountains (pdf) (406.41 KB, December 2000, EPA 822-B-00-015)
  • Ecoregion III: Xeric West (pdf) (362.69 KB, December 2000, EPA 822-B-00-016)
  • Ecoregion IV: Great Plains Grass and Shrublands (pdf) (2.54 MB, December 2001, EPA 822-B-01-013)
  • Ecoregion V: South Central Cultivated Great Plains (pdf) (2.56 MB, December 2001, EPA 822-B-01-014)
  • Ecoregion VI: Corn Belt And Northern Great Plains (pdf) (326.08 KB, December 2000, EPA 822-B-00-017)
  • Ecoregion VII: Mostly Glaciated Dairy Region (pdf) (331.91 KB, December 2000, EPA 822-B-00-018)
  • Ecoregion VIII: Nutrient-Poor, Largely Glaciated Upper Midwest and Northeast (pdf) (2.53 MB, December 2001, EPA 822-B-01-015)
  • Ecoregion IX: Southeastern Temperate Forested Plains and Hills (pdf) (386.95 KB, December 2000, EPA 822-B-00-019)
  • Ecoregion X: Texas-Louisiana Coastal and Mississippi Alluvial Plains (pdf) (2.52 MB, December 2001, EPA 822-B-01-016)
  • Ecoregion XI: The Central and Eastern Forested Uplands (pdf) (350.26 KB, December 2000, EPA 822-B-00-020)
  • Ecoregion XII: Southeastern Coastal Plain (pdf) (276.6 KB, December 2000, EPA 822-B-00-021)
  • Ecoregion XIV: Eastern Coastal Plain (pdf) (295.41 KB, December 2000, EPA 822-B-00-022)
  • Ecoregional Nutrient Criteria Table for Rivers and Streams (pdf) (199.75 KB)

Nutrient Pollution

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Contact Us about Nutrient Pollution
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on November 12, 2024
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