Surface Water Standards
Surface Water Quality Standards
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What Are Water Quality Standards?
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North Carolina's Legal Obligations & Responsibilities
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Water Quality Standards Tables
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Triennial Review Information
What Are Water Quality Standards?
Water quality standards are state regulations or rules that serve to protect the lakes, rivers, streams, and other surface waters of the state from the deleterious effects of pollution. Surface waters are protected based on their designated "best uses" as defined in the surface water classifications established in Title 15A of the North Carolina Administrative Code (NCAC) subchapter 02B. For more information on surface water classifications, please see the Surface Water Classifications webpage.
Water quality standards are implemented through the issuing of permit limits to facilities with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination (NPDES) permits, the establishment of water quality benchmarks for the Stormwater Permitting Program, and the development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). Water quality standards are also used to determine the "use status" of surface waters. Waters that are meeting their prescribed water quality standards and that have good biological communities are considered to be supporting all of their uses. Waters that are not meeting these requirements may be considered "impaired" and may require further analysis and, possibly, a management strategy.
More information on biological communities can be found on the Biological Assessment Branch website. Information on impaired waters can be found on the 303d Impaired Waters website.
North Carolina's Legal Obligations & Responsibilities
States are required, under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act), to review their water quality standards and classifications every three years and to make any modifications necessary to protect the waters of the state. During this process, known as a Triennial Review, DEQ staff review current EPA guidelines, scientific data, and public comments and make recommendations for any changes of the water quality standards to the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC). Following a stakeholder comment period, public hearings, and fiscal analysis, and upon approval by the EMC, the Triennial Review package goes to the North Carolina Rules Review Commission (RRC) for final approval and adoption into state rule.
Water Quality Standards Tables
The following water quality standard tables are resources to be used as a reference for looking up water quality standards or criteria for the waters of the state. They do not substitute for any written regulations, nor are they regulations themselves. To use these tables: First, locate the pollutant of interest in the left column. Next, read across the table to the right to find the water quality standard or criteria related to the designated use associated with the water body of interest. If a water body has multiple designated uses, the most protective (i.e. lowest) standard or criteria will be applied.
- NC Surface Water Quality Standards Table - Updated 6/10/2019
Triennial Review Information
Documentation related to current and past triennial reviews can be found below.
2017-2019 Triennial Review
- Triennial Review Goals:
- Re-adopt 15A NCAC 02B rules related to Surface Water Quality Standards as required by House Bill 74 Session Law 2013-413
- Adopt EPA's proposed changes to the 2007-2015 Surface Water Quality Standards Triennial Review
- Receive stakeholder comments concerning topics for consideration during the 2020-2022 Triennial Review. Anticipated topics include:
- Proposed rules:
- Fiscal Note
- Public Notice (includes Public Hearing dates)
- Public Comments:
- Written Comments received via email (It is recommended that you open this file in Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Acrobat Reader. This file is a PDF portfolio, and other PDF readers may not support it.)
- Written Comment received by hand
- Audio recording of 07/02/18 public hearing in Kernersville
- Audio recording of 07/11/18 public hearing in Raleigh
2007-2015 Triennial Review
- EPA Decision Document - April 2016
- Decision Document of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Review of North Carolina's 2007-2015 Triennial Review of Changes to Surface Waters and Wetlands Standards 15A NCAC 02B .0200 Under Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act
- Appendix A - Non-Substantive Editorial Revisions
- Appendix B - EPA Letters to North Carolina
- Appendix C - US Fish & Wildlife Services Letters to North Carolina
- 2007-2015 Triennial Review package
- Hearing Officer Report
- Fiscal Note Package
- Responsiveness Summary October 23, 2015
- NC Attorney General Certification of Adoption of Modifications to North Carolina's Surface Water Quality Criteria
- NC Register June 16, 2014
- NC Register November 1, 2013
- Public Participation Record
- 2,4-D Calculation Spreadsheet
- EPA Occurrence of Iron in North Carolina Surface Waters
- EPA Cadmium Water Quality Criteria Document - Technical Review and Criteria Update
- Addendum to EPA Cadmium Water Quality Criteria Document - Technical Review and Criteria Update
- Hardness Statistics by 8-Digit HUC
- 15A NCAC 02B .0206 Flow Design Criteria for Effluent Limitations
- 2013 Water Quality Standard Variance List
2004-2006 Triennial Review
2000-2003 Triennial Review
- 2000-2003 Triennial Review Background
- Summary of North Carolina Standards
- NC Attorney Generals Certification of Adoption of Modifications to North Carolina's Surface Water Qualty Criteria
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