Table of Contents |
January to May 2024 Edition
Recent Updates to Surface Water Quality Standards in Washington By Dr. Anurag Mishra – Senior Engineer at Geosyntec Consultants The Washington State Department of Ecology updates surface water quality standards to meet the State’s priorities and commitments, and to incorporate the latest science. There have been recent developments in surface water quality standards, including changes adopted during the writing of this article. Ecology recently completed rulemaking for outstanding resource waters. In this rulemaking, Ecology created its own class of outstanding resource waters to provide extra protections for waterbodies, including Soap Lake and parts of Cascade River, Green River, and Napeequa River. These new rules were adopted in December 2023 and became effective in January 2024. Other recently completed rulemakings include Salmon spawning habitat protection, use attainability analysis of the Chelan River, and total dissolved gases in Columbia and Snake Rivers. In 2021, EPA disapproved certain portions of water quality standards adopted by Ecology. These included the natural conditions provision covering fresh and marine dissolved oxygen as well as temperature (excluding lakes). Ecology is currently considering revisions to these standards. A preliminary rule workshop for these conditions was held on April 23, 2024. Ecology is proposing to use performance-based approach for the waterbodies that cannot meet the assigned aquatic life criteria due to natural conditions. Ecology is also considering revisions to the aquatic life toxics criteria to provide additional water quality protection for aquatic organisms. This rulemaking process is currently accepting public comment (due date: May 7, 2024) and is expected to finish this summer. At present, Washington has aquatic life criteria for 28 toxic chemicals. Ecology is proposing to update 16 of these and potentially add up to 14 new chemicals, many of which are emerging chemicals of concern. Additional information on these updates is available on the Washington State Department of Ecology website. |
