Water Quality Standards Regulations: Minnesota

• State Standards in Effect for CWA Purposes
• Federally Proposed or Promulgated Standards

State Standards in Effect for CWA Purposes

• Chapter 7000, Procedural Rules, Section 7000: Variances (pdf)
  (Effective April 20, 2004) This chapter describes how the board or commissioner makes decisions and clarifies the authority of both the commissioner and the board as established under Minnesota Statutes, sections 116.02 and 116.03, and how members of the public may involve themselves in board or commissioner decision making.
• Chapter 7050, Water Quality Standards for the Protection of Waters of the State (pdf)
  (Effective February 12, 2020) This chapter includes a classification system of beneficial uses applicable to waters of the state; narrative and numeric water quality standards that protect specific beneficial uses; antidegradation provisions; and other provisions to protect the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of waters of the state.
• Variances from Water Quality Standards Since 2004 (pdf)
  (Effective June 25, 2021) This table presents approved variance changes that have occurred since 2004. A list of Minnesota’s active variances is also available through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
• Chapter 7052, Lake Superior Basin Water Standards (pdf)
  (Effective June 26, 2018) This chapter establishes aquatic life, human health, and wildlife water quality standards and criteria for Great Lakes Initiative (GLI) pollutants; antidegradation standards for surface waters of the state in the Lake Superior Basin; and implementation procedures for deriving effluent limitation from these standards and criteria.

Federally Proposed or Promulgated Standards

• 40 CFR § 132 - Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System