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

State Standards in Effect for CWA Purposes

• [See Chapter NR 2. Procedure and Practice ]
  Document contains rules that apply during all hearings and proceedings before the department of natural resources unless otherwise specified.
• [See Chapter NR 102. Water Quality Standards for Wisconsin Surface Waters ]
  (Effective March 7, 2011) This document, in conjunction with NR 103 to 105 establishes water quality standards for surface waters of the State.
• [See Chapter NR 103. Water Quality Standards for Wetlands ]
  This document establishes water quality standards for wetlands.
• [See Water Quality Standards for Wetlands ]
  This document provides background for NR 103 Water Quality Standards for Wetlands and guidance for its implementation.
• [See Chapter NR 104. Uses and Designated Standards ]
  (Effective September 30, 2004) This document specifies the designated uses, effluent limitations, provisions for changes, and applicable variances for intrastate and interstate waters of the State.
• [See Variances from Water Quality Standards Since 2004 ]
  (Effective December 22, 2016) This table presents approved variance changes that have occurred since the 2004 Wisconsin Water Quality Standards.
• [See Chapter NR 105. Surface Water Quality Criteria and Secondary Values for Toxic Substances ]
  This document establishes water quality criteria, methods for developing water quality criteria and secondary values for toxic substances.
• [See Chapter NR 106. Procedures for Calculating Water Quality Based Effluent Limitations for Point Source Discharges to Surface Waters ]
  This document specifies the calculation of water quality based effluent limitations and subsequent inclusion of limitations in Wisconsin pollution discharge elimination system (WPDES) permits.
• [See Chapter NR 205. General Provisions ]
  The document specifies definitions for use in Chapters 200-298.
• [See Chapter NR 207. Water Quality Antidegradation ]
  This document sets forth the antidegradation implementation procedures for the antidegradation policy in NR 102.5.
• [See Chapter NR 217. Effluent Standards and Limitations for Phosphorus ]
  This document establishes effluent standards and limitations, including water quality based effluent limitations, for phosphorus in effluent discharged to surface waters of the state.
• [See 283.15 Variances to Water Quality Standards ]
  This document describes the process for establishing variances from Wisconsin water quality standards.
• [See Stream Classification Guidelines for Wisconsin ]
  This document describes potential stream designated uses and provides a basis for making and supporting water quality management decisions.
• [See Water Quality Rules Implementation Plan ]
  This document describes the implementation of water quality regulations adopted by the State in 1997.
• [See Mixing Zone Guidance for Chronic Toxicity and Zones of Initial Dilution ]
  This document provides guidance on the selection of the correct mixing zone size for chronic toxicity mixing zones and zones of initial dilution.

EPA disapproved the acute and chronic aquatic life criteria for copper and nickel (Wis. Adm. Code NR 105, Tables 2 and 6), a chronic aquatic life criterion for endrin (Wis. Adm. Code NR 105, Table 5) as being inconsistent with Tables 1 and 2 of the Great Lakes Guidance at 40 CFR 132. In addition, EPA also disapproved Wisconsin's failure to adopt and submit to EPA a chronic aquatic life water quality criterion for selenium as required by 40 CFR 132.3(b). Pursuant to the Great Lakes Guidance, these water quality criteria are replaced by corresponding federal water quality criteria contained at 40 CFR 132, Tables 1 and 2.

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Federally Proposed or Promulgated Standards

• Final Withdrawal of Certain Federal Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Wisconsin (September 16, 2011)
• Final Withdrawal of Certain Federal Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Wisconsin
  • [See Fact Sheet - Final Withdrawal ]
  • Federal Register Notice | Print Version (PDF) (8 pp, 174 K) (September 16, 2011)
• Proposed Withdrawal of Certain Federal Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Wisconsin
  • [See Fact Sheet - Proposed Withdrawal ] (March 2011)
  • Federal Register Notice | Print Version (PDF) (8 pp, 83 K) (March 16, 2011)
• Final Water Quality Standards Bacteria Rule for Coastal and Great Lakes Recreation Waters (November 8, 2004)
• Identification of Approved and Disapproved Elements of the Great Lakes Guidance Submissions from Wisconsin and Final Rule (November 6, 2000)

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• Chapter NR 2. Procedure and Practice (PDF)(9 pp, 100 K)
• Chapter NR 102. Water Quality Standards for Wisconsin Surface Waters (PDF)(23 pp, 202 K)
• Chapter NR 103. Water Quality Standards for Wetlands (PDF)(5 pp, 104 K)
• Water Quality Standards for Wetlands (PDF)(25 pp, 2 MB)
• Chapter NR 104. Uses and Designated Standards (PDF)(16 pp, 127 K)
• Variances from Water Quality Standards Since 2004 (PDF)(12 pp, 158 K)
• Chapter NR 105. Surface Water Quality Criteria and Secondary Values for Toxic Substances (PDF)(20 pp, 212 K)
• Chapter NR 106. Procedures for Calculating Water Quality Based Effluent Limitations for Point Source Discharges to Surface Waters (PDF)(34 pp, 399 K)
• Chapter NR 205. General Provisions (PDF)(9 pp, 94 K)
• Chapter NR 207. Water Quality Antidegradation (PDF)(5 pp, 111 K)
• Chapter NR 217. Effluent Standards and Limitations for Phosphorus (PDF)(9 pp, 148 K)
• 283.15 Variances to Water Quality Standards (PDF)(3 pp, 67 K)
• Stream Classification Guidelines for Wisconsin (PDF)(17 pp, 2 MB)
• Water Quality Rules Implementation Plan (PDF)(207 pp, 14 MB)
• Mixing Zone Guidance for Chronic Toxicity and Zones of Initial Dilution (PDF)(28 pp, 2 MB)
• Fact Sheet - Final Withdrawal (PDF)(2 pp, 67 K)
• Fact Sheet - Proposed Withdrawal (PDF)(2 pp, 30 K)