Publication Summary

Washington State's water quality standards are used by Ecology to protect and maintain beneficial uses when issuing permits (such as National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits that set limits on discharges to surface waters), conditioning permits (such as federal permits affecting state waters), and reviewing proposed projects to ensure that water quality of surface waters is protected. These responsibilities usually are carried out on a site-specific basis when reviewing individual projects or perm it applications. These permits and reviews cover a wide range of activities, including discharging wastewater and stormwater, filling wetlands, construction activities requiring short-term standards modifications, aquatic herbicide applications, activities reviewed under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), and activities regulated under the Shoreline Management Act.

Ecology staff, in issuing permits and reviewing development projects, determine if the project or permit will meet the water quality standards. These guidelines assist the project reviewer in making that determination for proposed projects that will affect wetlands. Further, the guidelines aim to ensure the equitable and consistent regulation of activities which have the potential to degrade or destroy the water quality of a wetland. Consistent application of the water quality standards on a statewide basis will contribute to the protection of the state's important wetland resource. Just as important as consistency in decision making is flexibility. The guidelines assist Ecology staff in making effective decisions that best protect the resource, and that balance the effects of such actions on the total environment, including economic considerations.