Contact EPA Pacific Southwest Water Division
Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
Water Quality Standards
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National Links
- EPA Water Quality Standards Homepage
- Water Quality Standards Handbook (2nd ed.)
- EPA's National Recommended Water Quality Criteria
- Technical Support Document for Water Quality-based Toxics Control (order form)
- Ecotox (single chemical toxicity information for aquatic and terrestrial life)
- Iris (EPA database for risk management)
- National Service Center for Environmental Publications (7,000 titles)
- Surf Your Watershed
- Draft Selenium Aquatic Life Criterion (12/9/04)
Water quality standards serve as the foundation for the water-quality based approach to pollution control. Water quality standards are state or tribal 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. Beneficial uses may include fishing, swimming, boating, aquatic habitat, agriculture navigation, or others.
Water quality criteria establish standards necessary to protect and ensure that beneficial uses are attained. Criteria may be numeric or narrative standards that are designed to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of a waterbody.
Programs & Resources
Resources for Tribal Government
- Tribes - Water Quality Standards & Criteria
- Development of Water Quality Standards for Indian Country
Additional Resources
- Arid West water quality research project Developing water quality criteria for the arid west.
- California Water Quality projects
- Aquatic Bioassessment Laboratory California Department of Fish and Game
- Contacts
Region 9 Standards
- The California Toxics Rule (CTR)
- Modifying Water Quality Standards and Protecting Effluent-Dependent Ecosystems Interim Final June, 1992(PDF) (26 pp, 113K)
State, Tribal, Territory Programs Approved water quality programs in Region 9
Activities Related to Water Quality Standards