Publication Summary

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) is proposing to revise the state surface water quality criteria for rivers, lake, and reservoirs. Transition strategies have been developed to facilitate the changes.

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) is proposing to revise the state surface water quality criteria for rivers, lake, and reservoirs. Transition strategies have been developed to facilitate the changes.

Getting from ‘here′ to ‘there′
Proposed changes to the surface water quality standards would require adjustments to monitoring programs, wastewater discharge permits, Water Cleanup Plans – also called Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), and the 303(d) listing process. Coordination with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding transition strategies is ongoing. The transition raises questions relating to:
• Switching from a class-based to a use-based system.
• Applying the new antidegradation policy.
• How to address changed data needs.
• How to prioritize future efforts to update existing work to meet the new standards.
Guiding the transition efforts is the principle to minimize added expense and additional effort, while moving towards compliance with the new standards and criteria. Existing work will be recognized for its contribution to progress towards healthy aquatic systems. Revisions to existing work should be required when there is a reasonable expectation that better protection of aquatic resources will result.