Water Quality Standards History – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow ENVIRONMENTAL FEDERATION OF OKLAHOMA 17th Annual Meeting October 1-3, 2008 Derek Smithee Chief, Water Quality Division, Oklahoma Water Resources Board
First WQS Only guidelines Adopted in 1959 Reprinted in 1962
1968 WQS Statewide public hearings Much input from industries, municipalities and Fish & Wildlife Service Statistical based criteria by basin Beneficial uses assigned for 28 interstate waters Approved by Secretary of Interior 1968
1973 WQS First WQS submittal to EPA Region Six No record of approval? Introduces Appendix A with water body specific assigned beneficial uses
1976 WQS Mixing zone ¼ stream width and flow Approval in 1979 Photos!
Nice color cover photo! 1979 revision completed within 6 months of the 1976 Mixing zones = 13 stream widths and ¼ stream flow
Introduces primary and secondary streams Adds waterbody segment numbers
1985 WQS Plain paper cover Introduced scientific site specific studies to determine stream beneficial uses and criteria….the first of many UAAs Introduced current antidegradation policy
1988 WQS New human health criteria calculations UAAs
1991 OWQS UAAs due to change in default uses New recalculated aquatic life criteria Begins the era of yearly revisions
Pending approval: Revisions submitted to EPA in August 2008 include: Site specific criteria Sub categorization of the agriculture use Removal of Salt Plains Lake agricultural use Updated lake water supply beneficial uses
WQS Present Concerns Consideration of naturally occurring conditions exemptions in assessments –Color –Minerals –Turbidity –Dissolved oxygen Required triennial revision –public meetings summer 2009
WQS Future Tissue based criteria –Selenium –Mercury Mussel data in criteria calculations
WQS Future Nutrients More biocriteria Recalculated human health criteria Recalculated aquatic life criteria BACTERIA?
WQS Future Tiered aquatic life uses Managed fishery uses for reservoirs Specified duration, magnitude and frequency as well as concentrations