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Water Quality Standards Activities and Potential Rule Changes

Latest on the Standards

September 16, 2009 - EPA’s clarification on the Short Term Modification provision (PDF)

December 22, 2008 - Potential Changes or Activities to the Surface Water Quality Standards (Focus Sheet)

May 14, 2008 - EPA's revised determination regarding the 2003 turbidity criteria revisions (PDF)

February 11, 2008 - EPA approves the 2006 Water Quality Standards:

Detailed description of EPA's basis for approval

Ecology plans to initiate the following actions between fall of 2009 and fall of 2010:

Re-evaluate the dissolved oxygen criteria in freshwater. More Information

Report published October 2009. Further discussion will be part of the Triennial Review.

A limited rule revision to update typographic errors and make clarifications. More Information

A public hearing will be announced. Check back for more details.

Triennial Review. More Information

Announce public workshops during this timeframe. Check back for more details.

Update aquatic life “uses” based on new data on salmonid presence and spawning locations/times. A change of use may change the numeric criteria that applies to water. More Information

Strategy under development

Documents and timeline for the 2003-2006 rule revision

Easy-to-read version (Ecology publication)
Code Reviser Version (Washington State Legislature Page)
Waters Requiring Supplemental Spawning and Incubation Protection for Salmonid Species (Ecology publication)

Contact us for more information

Last updated October 2009

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