Module 3: Water Quality
A 1969 U.S. federal act that mandates an environmental assessment of all pro
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) involving federal money or permits. Inspired by the Cuyahoga River fires and S
Spring publication.
- Enacted in 1972 with the intent to restore and maintain the chemical, physical
biological integrity of the nation's waters
- Point source controls: effluent and water quality standards, discharge permit
Clean Water Act (CWA) system (NPDES, TMDL)
- fishable, swimmable goals
- Evolved from the Water Pollution Control Act (1948), the Water Quality Act (1
and the establishment of the EPA (1970)
Section 319 An amendment to the CWA that establishes a nonpoint source management p
303d Section of CWA that requires states to maintain a list of impaired waterbodies
305b Section of CWA that requires states to complete watershed status reports
pollution that originates from a stationary location or fixed facility discharged
directly into a waterbody
Point sources
ex: wastewater effluent; runoff from confined animal feeding ops., mining, or w
disposal sites
pollution with no single point of origin or specific outlet
Nonpoint sources
ex: ag runoff, pasture, urban stormwater, lawns, wetland conversion, OM
Ecoregions used by Arkansas to comply with CWA and based on ecological divisions
, Module 3: Water Quality
Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Used by Mississippi to comply with CWA and based on fish survivability
The current strategy used to achieve WQ standards based on the relationship
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) between pollutant sources and the condition of the water body to set an allow
pollutant load. The process is never-ending and not feasible.
biological, bacteriological, conventional, pesticides/herbicides, inorganic met
water quality parameters
fish tissue analysis
bacterial from warm-blooded animal intestinal tract. Used as an indicator for E
fecal coliform and N & P enrichment that can cause algae blooms and DO depletion
Units: MPN/100 mL (Most Probable Numbers)
organisms visible by the naked eye. Pollution-sensitive species are used to ind
Macroinvertebrates pollution
ex: caddisflies, mayflies, stonefish, hellgrammites, clams
Loose soil material from disturbed sites such as ag, construction, etc. Increase
Sediments
turbidity, reduces light penetration, and introduces N, P, and pesticides
important for control of wastewater treatment, effluent limits, and drinking wat
Limited to 500 mg/L in drinking water
Unit: mg/L
Solids Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) - not filterable
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) - filterable
Total Solids = TSS + TDS
Total Combustible Solids (TCS)
A 1969 U.S. federal act that mandates an environmental assessment of all pro
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) involving federal money or permits. Inspired by the Cuyahoga River fires and S
Spring publication.
- Enacted in 1972 with the intent to restore and maintain the chemical, physical
biological integrity of the nation's waters
- Point source controls: effluent and water quality standards, discharge permit
Clean Water Act (CWA) system (NPDES, TMDL)
- fishable, swimmable goals
- Evolved from the Water Pollution Control Act (1948), the Water Quality Act (1
and the establishment of the EPA (1970)
Section 319 An amendment to the CWA that establishes a nonpoint source management p
303d Section of CWA that requires states to maintain a list of impaired waterbodies
305b Section of CWA that requires states to complete watershed status reports
pollution that originates from a stationary location or fixed facility discharged
directly into a waterbody
Point sources
ex: wastewater effluent; runoff from confined animal feeding ops., mining, or w
disposal sites
pollution with no single point of origin or specific outlet
Nonpoint sources
ex: ag runoff, pasture, urban stormwater, lawns, wetland conversion, OM
Ecoregions used by Arkansas to comply with CWA and based on ecological divisions
, Module 3: Water Quality
Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Used by Mississippi to comply with CWA and based on fish survivability
The current strategy used to achieve WQ standards based on the relationship
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) between pollutant sources and the condition of the water body to set an allow
pollutant load. The process is never-ending and not feasible.
biological, bacteriological, conventional, pesticides/herbicides, inorganic met
water quality parameters
fish tissue analysis
bacterial from warm-blooded animal intestinal tract. Used as an indicator for E
fecal coliform and N & P enrichment that can cause algae blooms and DO depletion
Units: MPN/100 mL (Most Probable Numbers)
organisms visible by the naked eye. Pollution-sensitive species are used to ind
Macroinvertebrates pollution
ex: caddisflies, mayflies, stonefish, hellgrammites, clams
Loose soil material from disturbed sites such as ag, construction, etc. Increase
Sediments
turbidity, reduces light penetration, and introduces N, P, and pesticides
important for control of wastewater treatment, effluent limits, and drinking wat
Limited to 500 mg/L in drinking water
Unit: mg/L
Solids Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) - not filterable
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) - filterable
Total Solids = TSS + TDS
Total Combustible Solids (TCS)
