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Definition: A method for achieving water quality standards for water quality impaired segments through controls developed and implemented without TMDLs.
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Definition: Abnormal flow (hydrologic alteration) refers to changes in river or stream volume caused by removing water for irrigation or industrial use, drinking water supply, and by alterations from dams to hold and release water on a man-made cycle. Reduced flow can lower oxygen levels, raise water temperatures, cause build-up of sediment and pollutants, destroy aquatic wildlife habitat, and degrade swimming, boating, and fishing. In some cases abnormal flow can refer to changes in volume due to increased flow due to changes to the hydrologic regime.
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Definition: Acidity (pH) can range from 0-14 and is a measurement of how acidic or alkaline (basic) the water is. The pH of pure water is 7, and the normal range for pH in water systems is approximately 6.5 to 8.5. In general, water with a pH lower than 7 is considered acidic, and with a pH greater than 7 is considered alkaline (or basic). It is normal for saltier waters (oceans and estuaries) to have a slightly higher pH than other waters such as rivers, lakes, ponds, streams and wetlands. Acidity (pH) outside a certain range (below 6.5 or above 8.5) can sicken or kill fish and other aquatic life. Highly acidic or alkaline water can also release pollutants from sediments that can further harm aquatic life. Acidity in waterways is influenced by rock and soils, as well as human sources such as industrial and car emissions, mining, and agricultural runoff.
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Definition: Advance Restoration Plan (in advance of TMDL development) is a near-term plan, or description of actions, with a schedule and milestones that is more immediately beneficial or practicable to achieving Water Quality Standards than a TMDL.
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Definition: Air Temperature (Temperature, air) Air temperature is a measure of how hot or cold the air is. It is the most commonly measured weather category. More specifically, temperature describes the kinetic energy, or energy of motion, of the gases that make up air. As gas molecules move more quickly, air temperature increases. Air temperature affects the growth and reproduction of plants and animals, with warmer temperatures promoting biological growth.
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Definition: Algae (algal growth) can occur when excess nutrients, warm water temperatures, and reduced flow trigger the overgrowth of naturally occurring algae into thick mats on or in the water. Blooms of algae can harm aquatic life by clogging fish gills, reducing oxygen levels, and smothering stream and lake beds and submerged vegetation. Some algae blooms can produce toxins that are harmful to human health, pets, wildlife, and livestock when touched, inhaled, or swallowed.
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Definition: Nutrients are any substance, like nitrogen and phosphorus, assimilated by living things that promote growth. Nitrogen and/or Phosphorus (nutrients) in excessive amounts can cause aquatic plants and microbes to grow too fast, choking waterways, causing potentially harmful algae blooms, and creating low oxygen conditions that can harm fish and other aquatic life. Algae (algal growth) can occur when excess nutrients, warm water temperatures, and reduced flow trigger the overgrowth of naturally occurring algae into thick mats on or in the water. Blooms of algae can harm aquatic life by clogging fish gills, reducing oxygen levels, and smothering stream and lake beds and submerged vegetation. Some algae blooms can produce toxins that are harmful to human health, pets, wildlife, and livestock when touched, inhaled, or swallowed.
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Definition: All waters identified by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD). Mapped waters are not to be confused with monitored or assessed waters. Mapped waters have not been assessed for pollution, but rather, are simply identified and mapped. Mapped waters may not accurately represent the extent and location of waterbodies on the ground.
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Definition: Ammonia occurs naturally in water in trace amounts, but too much ammonia from fertilizers, sewage and other wastes can be poisonous to fish, especially when water temperature and pH are high. Ammonia can also cause heavy plant growth, foul odors, and low oxygen levels that can interfere with use for fishing, swimming and water supplies. Ammonia acts as a form of nitrogen in the environment, and too much can lead to nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) pollution.
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Definition: Aquatic life describes the status of fish, macroinvertebrates, plants, and animals that live in the water.
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Definition: Aquatic Weeds (noxious aquatic plants) choke waterways, degrade healthy aquatic habitats, and interfere with recreational uses such as swimming, fishing, and boating. Growth of excess aquatic weeds can be caused by fertilizers, leaking septic tanks, pet and livestock wastes, sewage overflows, and flow alterations.
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Definition: Assessed Waters are waters that have been monitored by states, territories, and tribes for their physical, chemical, and biological properties to determine whether the waters meet water quality standards and support designated uses.
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Definition: An assessment unit (AU) is a segment of a waterbody that was been evaluated for pollution.
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Definition: Bacteria and other microbes (pathogens) are potentially disease-causing organisms from human or animal waste that enter water from faulty septic systems, sewage discharges, farm and feedlot manure runoff, boat discharges, and pet waste. People can become ill by eating contaminated fish or shellfish or swimming in waters with high levels of these microbes.
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Definition: Bioaccumulation is the retention and concentration of a pollutant in an organism or in the food chain.
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Definition: Toxins produced by aquatic plants and microbes when swallowed or touched can sicken or even kill fish, shellfish, pets, livestock, wildlife, and people. The leading producers of these poisons in freshwater are blue-green algae, which can bloom into thick mats when high temperatures, still water, low water levels, and high nutrient levels are present.
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Definition: Biosolids (formerly referred to as "sewage sludge") are the nutrient-rich organic materials resulting from the treatment of sewage sludge (the name for the solid, semisolid or liquid untreated residue generated during the treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment facility). When treated and processed, sewage sludge becomes biosolids which can be safely recycled and applied as fertilizer to sustainably improve and maintain productive soils and stimulate plant growth. Biosolids are regulated under 40 CFR Part 503. 40 CFR Part 503 establishes standards, which consist of general requirements, pollutant limits, management practices, and operational standards, for the final use or disposal of biosolids.
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Definition: Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, are frequently found in freshwater systems. They can also be found in estuarine and marine waters in the U.S. Cyanobacteria are often confused with green algae, because both can produce dense mats that can impede activities like swimming and fishing, and may cause odor problems and oxygen depletion; however, unlike cyanobacteria, green algae are not generally thought to produce toxins. Some freshwater cyanobacterial blooms or cyanoHABs are able to produce highly potent toxins, known as cyanotoxins.
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Definition: Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO). An NPDES permit regulating discharge from Concentrated Animal Feed Operations (CAFOs). CAFOs are animal feeding operations with more than 1,000 animals. CAFOs with a point source discharge are to receive permits.
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Definition: Cause Unknown is a reporting category used when a state has monitored and detected degraded conditions in a waterway but has reported no specific details about those conditions or the impairment that caused them.
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Definition: Characteristic names identify different types of environmental measurements, such as: aluminum, nitrogen, pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, chlorine, etc. A characteristic group is a collection of two or more characteristics considered or classed together according to shared qualities.
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Definition: Characteristic names identify different types of environmental measurements, such as: aluminum, nitrogen, pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, chlorine, etc. Characteristics are put into characteristic groups with other characteristics that have shared qualities.
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Definition: Chlorine, used as a disinfectant and bleaching agent, is poisonous to fish and other aquatic animals at low levels. Discharges from swimming pools, storm water drains, industrial and sewage treatment facilities, and marinas can be sources of chlorine in waterways.
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Definition: A Clean Water Act Section 303(d) listed impaired water is a waterbody that is impaired or threatened and needs a TMDL restoration plan. Once a waterbody is placed on the threatened and impaired waters list, it becomes one of many in line for evaluation and development of a plan for solving the problems.
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Definition: States are allowed to report on all their assessed waters under CWA section 305(b) and the list of those that are impaired in a single integrated report. Integrated Report Guidance (IRG) is issued biennially to support states in making listing decisions and reporting on the conditions of their waters. Section 305(b) reports provide information on the water quality status of all waters in the state, whereas section 303(d) lists are a subset of these waters – those that are impaired by a pollutant and in need of a TMDL. Given that both the 305(b) report and the 303(d) lists are due at the same time (April 1 of every even numbered year), EPA recommends that states combine them into a single “Integrated Report.”
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Definition: Under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, states, territories and tribes receive grant money that supports a wide variety of activities including technical assistance, financial assistance, education, training, technology transfer, demonstration projects and monitoring to assess the success of specific nonpoint source implementation projects.
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Definition: If a permit component is not specified this means the facility did not submit the component type to EPA.
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Definition: Condition Unknown is when a waterbody is identified for a specific use but not assessed for that use.
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Definition: Permit requirements associated with construction activities, as defined at 40 CFR 122.26.
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Definition: A combined sewer overflow (CSO) refers to a discharge of untreated wastewater from a combined sewer system at a point prior to the headworks of the publicly-owned treatment works. (59 FR 18688) CSOs generally occur in response to wet weather events. Most combined sewer systems are designed to discharge excess flow directly to surface water bodies, such as streams, rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters.
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Definition: If a waterbody is assessed for a Cultural use this means it is unique to the customs and culture of a particular group of individuals who use the water to support their cultural, spiritual, ceremonial, and/or traditional lifeways. Some examples of cultural use are: wild rice production, ceremonial practices, and medicinal plant collection.
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Definition: Cyanobacteria are a group of cyan colored bacteria often referred to as blue-green algae. <p>Cyanobacteria, are frequently found in freshwater systems. They can also be found in estuarine and marine waters in the U.S. Cyanobacteria are often confused with green algae, because both can produce dense mats that can impede activities like swimming and fishing, and may cause odor problems and oxygen depletion; however, unlike cyanobacteria, green algae are not generally thought to produce toxins. Some freshwater cyanobacterial blooms or cyanoHABs are able to produce highly potent toxins, known as cyanotoxins.</p>
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Definition: Degraded aquatic habitat (habitat alterations) occurs when naturally occurring stream channels are changed or diverted through manmade channels and/or removal of native vegetation from shorelines and stream banks. These actions can reduce the habitat that fish and other animals need to reproduce, feed, and find shelter, and can also affect the appearance and value of waterfront property.
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Definition: Degraded aquatic life (impaired biota) means that the biological community normally expected in a lake, stream or other waterway is unhealthy, much reduced, or absent, and the exact pollutant cause is not known.
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Definition: Designated Uses are water uses or goals for those waters (e.g. swimming, fishing, boating) identified in water quality standards to be achieved and maintained under the Clean Water Act.
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Definition: Highly toxic chemicals used in some manufacturing processes, can build up in the food chain. They may settle in sediment or on aquatic plants, then get eaten and concentrated by fish, other aquatic life, wildlife, and people. Dioxins are formed unintentionally by burning trash or leaded gasoline and as waste byproducts from manufacturing some pesticides. Dioxins are considered likely to increase cancer risk and may harm the immune system, hormone levels, and fetal development.
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Definition: Dischargers are entities with an EPA, Army Corps, or state permit for a specific and measurable discharge of a pollutant into a waterbody.
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Definition: Low Oxygen (oxygen depletion) levels in water can occur naturally for short periods, but when they are extreme or long-lasting, they can sicken and even kill fish and other aquatic life. When dissolved oxygen concentrations are less than 2 mg/L, the water lacks the amount of oxygen needed to sustain most aquatic life and is defined as hypoxic. Sewage wastewater, leaking septic tanks, algal blooms, farm and feedlot runoff, and stormwater runoff contain organic materials that decompose and use up oxygen in water. Higher water temperatures can lead to lower oxygen levels.
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Definition: Violations of maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) or maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which specify the highest concentrations of contaminants or disinfectants, respectively, allowed in drinking water; or of treatment technique (TT) rules, which specify required processes intended to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water. MCLs, MRDLs, and treatment technique rules are all health-based drinking water standards. If there is a “yes” entry here, it means that there is at least one health-based violation from any time period that has not be returned to compliance in the system.
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Definition: Total daily population served.
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Definition: The Primary Source contributing water to the water system: - GW - Ground Water - SW - Surface Water - GU - Ground water under the influence of surface water
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Definition: ‘More Details’ Link to SDWIS Reporting Services results. https://ofmpub.epa.gov/apex/sfdw/f?p=SDWIS_FED_REPORTS_PUBLIC:PWS_SEARCH:::::PWSID:DC0000002
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Definition: EPA has defined three types of public water systems: Community Water System (CWS): A public water system that supplies water to the same population year-round (e.g., residences). Non-Transient Non-Community Water System (NTNCWS): A public water system that regularly supplies water to at least 25 of the same people at least six months per year. Some examples are schools, factories, office buildings, and hospitals which have their own water systems. Transient Non-Community Water System (TNCWS): A public water system that provides water in a place such as a gas station or campground where people do not remain for long periods of time.
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Definition: If a waterbody is assessed for Drinking Water use this means that the raw water was assessed pre-treatment and should not be consumed until after it is treated through a drinking water provider. The assessment was made for the waterbody to potentially be used as a future source of drinking water after treatment. In short, do not drink the water directly from the source. To get more information on each individual use for the waterbody, refer to the waterbody report page.
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Definition: Effluent is liquid waste or sewage discharged into a river or the sea, treated or untreated, originating from treatment plants, sewers, or industrial outfalls.
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Definition: Electrical conductivity (indicator of saltiness, specific conductivity) is a measure of water's capacity to pass electrical flow. The more ions (molecules with a net electric charge) present, the higher the electrical conductivity of water. Specific conductivity is an indicator of saltiness because when salt is dissolved in water it adds ions to the water. Salty water has higher more ions than freshwater and therefore a higher specific conductivity. Salts (salinity) are minerals that dissolve in water; they can be toxic to freshwater plants and animals and make water unusable for drinking, irrigation, and livestock. Water withdrawals, road de-icing, human and industrial wastewater, fertilizer applications, mining and oil or gas drilling, and repeated use of irrigation water can contribute to high levels of salts.
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Definition: Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. This goal will be achieved when everyone enjoys: The same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and Equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.
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Definition: EPA Final approval for TMDLs, CWA Section 303(d) impaired waters lists and protection plans.
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Definition: If a waterbody is assessed for Fish and Shellfish Consumption (eating fish and shellfish) this means it was assessed for Fish and/or Shellfish Consumption. If one of these two uses is impaired, the entire condition will show as impaired. To get more information on each individual use for the waterbody, refer to the waterbody report page.
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Definition: Fish kills are large numbers of dead fish in a localized area – may be due to water conditions such as low flow, high temperature, low oxygen levels, harmful algal blooms, or spills of oil or toxic pollutants.
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Definition: Fish unsafe to eat (fish consumption advisory) means that eating fish or shellfish caught from the waterway has been limited or banned, usually for certain species of fish/shellfish and for one or more chemicals, microbes or other conditions. In rivers and lakes, fish consumption advisories are usually issued because contaminants such as mercury or PCBs exceed safe limits in fish tissue. In coastal waters, shellfish harvesting may be banned due to unsafe levels of bacteria.
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Definition: Flow Rate, also known as discharge, can help people determine how much water is available in different locations. It is a measure of the volume of water passing a point over a fixed amount of time. For example, flow rate is typically measured in cubic feet per second (cfs or ft³/sec) but could also be measured in gallons or liters per minute or second. Abnormal flow (hydrologic alteration) refers to changes in river or stream volume caused by removing water for irrigation or industrial use, drinking water supply, and by alterations from dams to hold and release water on a man-made cycle. Reduced flow can lower oxygen levels, raise water temperatures, cause build-up of sediment and pollutants, destroy aquatic wildlife habitat, and degrade swimming, boating, and fishing. In some cases abnormal flow can refer to changes in volume due to increased flow due to changes to the hydrologic regime.
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Definition: Good Waters are waterbodies fully supporting their designated uses under the Clean Water Act.
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Definition: Ground Water is the supply of freshwater found beneath the Earth’s surface, usually in aquifers, which supply wells and springs for drinking water. When the groundwater table intersects the Earth's surface, groundwater supplies source water for rivers, streams, and lakes.
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Definition: An impaired water is a waterbody that is impaired and on the CWA Section 303(d) list of impaired waters needing a TMDL (Category 5) or is impaired but does not need a TMDL (Category 4) because a TMDL or other pollution control requirement is already in place, or the impairment is not caused by a pollutant.
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Definition: Impaired, other cause is a ‘miscellaneous’ reporting category used for dissolved gases, floating debris and foam, leachate, stormwater pollutants, and many other uncommon causes lumped together.
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Definition: Water quality parameters that do not meet state or tribal specific water quality standards and/or thresholds.
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Definition: Impaired Waters are waterbodies not fully supporting their designated uses under the Clean Water Act.
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Definition: Impairment (pollutant) is an industrial, municipal, or agricultural waste discharged into water. From the Clean Water Act: Impairment means dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water. This term does not mean (A) ‘‘sewage from vessels or a discharge incidental to the normal operation of a vessel of the Armed Forces’’ within the meaning of section 312 of this Act; or (B) water, gas, or other material which is injected into a well to facilitate production of oil or gas, or water derived in association with oil or gas production and disposed of in a well, if the well used either to facilitate production or for disposal purpose is approved by authority of the State in which the well is located, and if such State determines that such injection or disposal will not result in the degradation of ground or surface water resources. See CWA Section 502(6).
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Definition: Impairments take many forms. Water impairments are identified across 32 categories in "How's My Waterway" such as excess algae, mercury, pathogens, pesticides, trash and more.
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Definition: Impervious surfaces are surfaces that allow little or no stormwater infiltration into the ground. Other than exposed natural rock outcroppings, impervious surfaces are completely human-created and are an unnatural part of most ecosystems. Impervious surfaces are the main contributor to excess stormwater runoff that would otherwise have been retained on site in natural forests or meadows. Everything that falls on an impervious surface (pollution, trash, animal waste, chemicals, oils, sediment, etc.) washes off of those surfaces during rain events, often on a direct path to local streams or water bodies. Examples of impervious surfaces: Streets, roofs, parking lots, most patios, walkways, or anything else that does not allow water to flow through and into the ground (asphalt, concrete, plastics).
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Definition: Permit requirements associated with non-construction activities at industrial facilities, as defined at 40 CFR 122.26(b)(14)(i) through (xi).
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Definition: There is not enough available data and/or information to make a determination of water quality.
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Definition: This report covers the general condition of a state's waters, identifies waters that are not meeting water quality standards, and summarizes various programs in place to protect and improve water quality in accordance with CWA Sections 303(d), 305(b), and 314.
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Definition: Low Oxygen (oxygen depletion) levels in water can occur naturally for short periods, but when they are extreme or long-lasting, they can sicken and even kill fish and other aquatic life. When dissolved oxygen concentrations are less than 2 mg/L, the water lacks the amount of oxygen needed to sustain most aquatic life and is defined as hypoxic. Sewage wastewater, leaking septic tanks, algal blooms, farm and feedlot runoff, and stormwater runoff contain organic materials that decompose and use up oxygen in water. Higher water temperatures can lead to lower oxygen levels.
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Definition: This is a name or code indicating the environmental medium where the sample was taken such as water, air, soil, etc.
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Definition: Mercury occurs naturally in rocks and coal. Airborne mercury is converted in water by bacteria into a toxic form called methyl-mercury which accumulates in the food-chain. Mercury can build up in fish, which then poses health risks to people and animals that eat fish. Spills and improper treatment and disposal of mercury containing products or wastes are among other top sources of mercury in water.
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Definition: Metals can enter waterways from factories, mining, and runoff from urban areas, as well as from natural processes such as erosion of soil and rocks. At high levels, metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, selenium, and zinc can be toxic to aquatic animals and humans.
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Definition: A count of measurements (result count) or outcomes for samples taken.
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Definition: A count of individual samples (activity count) or observations.
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Definition: A Site ID is a designator used to describe the unique name, number or code assigned to identify the monitoring location.
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Definition: Murky Water (turbidity) refers to water that is cloudy, muddy or opaque (turbid) because of suspended soil particles, algae, microbes, or organic matter. These tiny particles can absorb heat and raise water temperatures, reduce oxygen for aquatic animals, reduce native aquatic plant growth, clog fish gills and smother fish eggs and aquatic insects.
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Definition: Nitrogen and/or Phosphorus (nutrients) in excessive amounts can cause aquatic plants and microbes to grow too fast, choking waterways, causing potentially harmful algae blooms, and creating low oxygen conditions that can harm fish and other aquatic life.
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Definition: Nonpoint Source pollution is a pollution source without a single point of origin or specific outlet. NPS pollution generally results from land runoff, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, drainage, seepage or hydrologic modification. NPS pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and ground waters.
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Definition: Nuisance Plants or Animals (Foreign), often called invasive species, are plants, animals, fish, or microbes that are not native to the region and cause harm to native species, to recreation and other uses of the waterway, and/or to human health. In general, invasive species spread vigorously and enter waterways by many means such as accidental or intentional releases and attachment to boats and other recreational equipment.
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Definition: Nuisance Plants or Animals (Native) includes aquatic plants and animals that are native to the region (not brought in from elsewhere) but have become too crowded in the waterway. Overgrowth can interfere with oxygen levels in the water, threaten survival of fish and other animals, make waterways unattractive, reduce property value, and degrade or prevent recreational uses including swimming, fishing, and boating.
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Definition: Nutrients are any substance, like nitrogen and phosphorus, assimilated by living things that promote growth. Nitrogen and/or Phosphorus (nutrients) in excessive amounts can cause aquatic plants and microbes to grow too fast, choking waterways, causing potentially harmful algae blooms, and creating low oxygen conditions that can harm fish and other aquatic life.
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Definition: Oil and Grease includes fuel oil, gasoline, vegetable oil, and animal fats. Oils generally enter waterways through spills, leaks, and improper disposal, and can be toxic to plants and animals even in small amounts.
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Definition: Organic matter pertains to any of the carbon-based compounds that abound in nature. Living things are described as organic since they are composed of organic compounds. Examples of organic compounds are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Since they are comprised of carbon-based compounds they are broken down into smaller, simpler compounds through decomposition when they die. Living organisms also excrete or secrete material that is considered an organic material. The organic matter from living things becomes a part of the environment. Thus, organic matter abounds in the ecosystem, e.g. soil ecosystem. The organic matter moves into the soil or into the mainstream water where it then serves as a source of nutrition to living organisms. Organic matter may move to soil, sediment, and water. It becomes an important source of coal and kerogen (i.e. a fossilized organic material in sedimentary rocks and shale). Soil organic matter comes from the organic material from plants (e.g. leaves and woody materials), animals (e.g. decaying components), and microorganisms. The presence of organic matter in the soil is essential as a source of nutrients for crops and other garden plants. It also helps store water in the soil and promotes activity of soil microorganisms and earthworms. The organic matter in the soil also regulates the soil pH, temperature, and aeration.
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Definition: If a waterbody has been assessed for “other” this means it fits into another category other than swimming, fish and shellfish consumption or aquatic life. Examples of other uses include: agricultural, industrial and navigation.
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Definition: Water quality parameters that are meeting state or tribal specific water quality standards and/or thresholds OR have insufficient data to be fully assessed.
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Definition: Overall Waterbody Condition refers to the overall condition of the waterbody based on its evaluated uses. If one use is impaired, the overall condition will display as impaired. More information can be found on the waterbody report page for each water.
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Definition: A parameter group is an EPA grouping of a specific state reported pollution cause. Examples of parameters groups include: murky water, fish unsafe to eat, abnormal flow, mercury, etc.
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Definition: A parameter name is a specific state reported impairment cause. This cause is reported directly to EPA and then grouped into parameter groups with similar causes. These parameter groups are then converted to public friendly terms for How’s My Waterway.
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Definition: PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are a group of man-made organic chemicals with a range of toxicity. Although manufacturing of PCBs was banned in the U.S. in 1979, PCBs are long-lasting in fish tissue and in bottom-sediments of rivers and lakes. PCBs in fish that are eaten by humans and wildlife can build up and may have cancer-causing and other health effects. PCB contamination has caused many fishing bans and warnings.
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Definition: This refers to the type of discharges from a permitted facility.
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Definition: Permit Status reflects the stages in the permit life cycle: Effective: A permit that is in its lifetime (Effective Date < = current date < expiration date). Expired: A permit that 90 days after the expiration date has been reached on a permit that has no new Application Received Date or Complete Application Received date entered. Administratively Continued: A permit that is at the permit's expiration date. All monitoring data are still collected and used against the permit’s terms. Pending: A permit with incomplete data or a permit with an Effective Date that has not yet been reached. Retired: A permit that all monitoring data is stopped against a retired permit; used in conjunction with Reissue. If a Permit is reissued before its expiration date, the Permit Status Code or the previous version of the Permit will be set to Retired. Also, the Compliance Tracking status will be set to "Off". Terminated: A permit that if the user enters the Termination Date, upon that date being reached, the system will automatically change the Permit Status Code to Terminated. Also, the Compliance Tracking status will be set to "Off". Not Needed: Effective, Expired, Administratively Continued, Pending, and Retired are selected by default. See ECHO for more information.
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Definition: Pesticides, such as herbicides and insecticides, include a variety of chemicals used to manage unwanted pests or weeds. In water, pesticides can affect the health of aquatic insects, fish, plants, and animals exposed through feeding or contact.
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Definition: PFAS, Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been in use since the 1940s. PFAS are found in a wide array of consumer and industrial products. PFAS manufacturing and processing facilities, facilities using PFAS in production of other products, airports, and military installations are some of the potential contributors of PFAS releases into the air, soil, and water. Due to their widespread use and persistence in the environment, most people in the United States have been exposed to PFAS. There is evidence that continued exposure above specific levels to certain PFAS may lead to adverse health effects.
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Definition: Point Source means any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, or vessel or other floating craft, from which pollutants are or may be discharged. This term does not include agricultural stormwater discharges and return flows from irrigated agriculture. See CWA Section 502(14).
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Definition: Harmful algal blooms are overgrowths of algae in water. Some produce dangerous toxins in fresh or marine water but even nontoxic blooms hurt the environment and local economies. Harmful algal blooms are a major environmental problem in all 50 states. Red tides, blue-green algae, and cyanobacteria are examples of harmful algal blooms that can have severe impacts on human health, aquatic ecosystems, and the economy.
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Definition: The term Publicly Owned Treatment Works or POTW means a treatment works as defined by section 212 of the Act, which is owned by a State or municipality (as defined by section 502(4) of the Clean Water Act). This definition includes any devices and systems used in the storage, treatment, recycling and reclamation of municipal sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature. It also includes sewers, pipes and other conveyances only if they convey wastewater to a POTW Treatment Plant. The term also means the municipality as defined in section 502(4) of the Clean Water Act, which has jurisdiction over the Indirect Discharges to and the discharges from such a treatment works.
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Definition: Pretreatment is a NPDES permit that prescribes for the reduction of the amount of pollutants, the elimination of pollutants, or the alteration of the nature of pollutant properties in wastewater prior to or in lieu of discharging or otherwise introducing such pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works [40 CFR 403.3(q)].
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Definition: A strategic set of steps followed over many years by a water quality program and its partners, intended to provide a basis for protecting healthy waters and their associated ecosystem structure, functions and underlying uses, and the implementation of protection activities.
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Definition: Uniquely identifies a Public Water System.
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Definition: A value that verifies that the water system and the water system facility are active.
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Definition: Radiation can enter waterways through eroding or dissolving underground deposits of radioactive metals such as uranium, from the air due to accidental or intentional release, in seepage from improper disposal sites, in mining runoff or dumped mine-tailings, or from other industrial activities. Concentrated radioactive materials in waterways can be a health concern.
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Definition: A restoration plan is an EPA approved plan to restore water quality provided by the State. Plans could include a TMDL and/or a watershed restoration plan.
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Definition: Restored Waters is the process for bringing an impaired water back to its water quality standards to meet its designated uses.
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Definition: Salts (salinity) are minerals that dissolve in water; they can be toxic to freshwater plants and animals and make water unusable for drinking, irrigation, and livestock. Water withdrawals, road de-icing, human and industrial wastewater, fertilizer applications, mining and oil or gas drilling, and repeated use of irrigation water can contribute to high levels of salts.
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Definition: The portion of the sample associated with results obtained from a physically-partitioned sample.
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Definition: You can switch between linear and log scale to visualize data on the Monitoring Report page. What is a linear scale? A linear scale is a chart where the value between any two consecutive points on the line does not change no matter the location on the line. What is a logarithmic scale? A logarithmic scale (or log scale) is a way of displaying numerical data over a very wide range of values in a compact way. Logarithmic scales are useful when the data you are displaying is much less or much more than the rest of the data or when the percentage differences between values are important. You can specify whether to use a logarithmic scale, if the values in the chart cover a very large range.
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Definition: Sediment is a problem when rain washes soil into waterways from fields, construction sites, yards, logging areas, city streets, and other areas. Sediment can make water murky, hurt the health and habitats of fish and other aquatic animals, interfere with uses like fishing and swimming, and carry other pollutants.
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Definition: Septic System is an on-site system designed to treat and dispose of sewage.
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Definition: Indicates a violation that EPA or another regulatory agency has defined as a severe violation.
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Definition: Stormwater is rain or snowmelt that runs-off of industrial and construction sites, streets, roads, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces, and which carries pollutants from these areas into waterbodies.
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Definition: A physical, chemical, or biological factor that may cause stress in the aquatic system or contribute to pollution.
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Definition: Surface water is all water naturally open to the atmosphere, such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, streams, wetlands, oceans and estuaries.
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Definition: If a waterbody has been assessed for swimming and boating this means that a decision was made on if it has been deemed safe for swimming and other recreational uses. The information in How’s My Waterway about the safety of recreation should only be considered as general reference. Please consult with your state for local or swimming advisories before deciding to swim in a waterbody. Recreational uses are often divided into two subcategories: Primary Contact. Protects people from illness due to immersion in water. May include swimming, water-skiing, skin diving, and surfing—all activities where ingestion is likely. Secondary Contact. Protects people when engaging in activities where ingestion is unlikely, such as boating and wading.
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Definition: Taste, color, and odor problems may indicate that pollutants are present; however, these problems are of concern mainly because they affect uses of waterways, such as swimming, drinking water supply, or aesthetic enjoyment.
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Definition: Many fish and other aquatic animals are sensitive to changes in water temperature and require a certain temperature range to survive. If water temperature goes outside that range for too long, they can become sick or die.
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Definition: A TMDL or Total Maximum Daily Load is the calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant allowed to enter a waterbody so that the waterbody will meet and continue to meet water quality standards for that particular pollutant. A TMDL determines a pollutant reduction target and allocates load reductions necessary to the source(s) of the pollutant. Sometimes referred to as a “pollution diet” for a waterbody.
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Definition: Sum of EPA budget, other federal funds, state funds, local funds and other funds for a project.
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Definition: Rainfall (precipitation) is measured every 15 minutes or 1 hour at this station. The total daily rainfall is the cumulative amount of rainfall that has fallen over the last 24 hours (from the time the last measurement was taken). Precipitation is any liquid or frozen water that forms in the atmosphere and falls back to the Earth. It comes in many forms, like rain, sleet, and snow. Along with evaporation and condensation, precipitation is one of the three major parts of the global water cycle. </p> <p>Precipitation forms in the clouds when water vapor condenses into bigger and bigger droplets of water. When the drops are heavy enough, they fall to the Earth. If a cloud is colder, like it would be at higher altitudes, the water droplets may freeze to form ice. These ice crystals then fall to the Earth as snow, hail, or rain, depending on the temperature within the cloud and at the Earth’s surface. Most rain begins as snow high in the clouds. As the snowflakes fall through warmer air, they become raindrops.
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Definition: The USEPA provides funding from the Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Grant Program to states to implement nonpoint source control activities, with focus on impaired waterbodies.
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Definition: Total Toxic Chemicals include many, man-made substances such as solvents, pesticides, dioxins, PCBs, and furans. They can enter waterways through improper pesticide application and disposal, runoff, spills, auto exhaust, and burning of chemical wastes. These chemicals can be toxic to animals and people.
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Definition: Toxic Inorganic Chemicals refer to a wide range of pollutants including metals, fire retardants, cyanide, and perchlorate (used in rocket fuel) that can be poisonous to aquatic life and people. Industrial or wastewater discharges, mining, landfills, and air deposition of car exhaust and energy production can contribute to increased levels of toxic inorganic chemicals in waterways.
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Definition: Toxic Organic Chemicals are harmful, man-made chemicals that contain carbon. They can build-up in animal and fish tissue, lake and river sediments, and enter sources of drinking water posing potential long-term health risks.
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Definition: Trash consists of litter, debris, and other types of discarded solid waste. Trash can be contaminated with toxins or bacteria, and it harms fish and wildlife that eat it or become entangled in it. In areas where people swim or wade, trash can present a human health and/or safety threat.
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Definition: Section 106 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) authorizes EPA to provide financial assistance to states and eligible interstate agencies to establish and administer programs for the prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. In 1987, Congress amended section 518(e) of the CWA to include provisions that allow EPA to treat an Indian tribe in a manner similar to a state (i.e., treatment in a manner similar to a state, or TAS) for the purpose of providing Section 106 funding.
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Definition: Unassessed Waters are waters that have not been monitored by states, territories, and tribes for their physical, chemical, and biological properties to determine whether the waters meet water quality standards.
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Definition: This is the code that represents the unit for measuring the sample.
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Definition: In How’s My Waterway the upstream watershed shows the entire land area that drains into the smaller selected watershed depicted by the dashed line on the map. Everything upstream eventually ends up downstream. Everyday activities in upstream waters can affect downstream waters. It is essential to consider these downstream impacts when developing and implementing water quality protection and restoration actions.
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Definition: Additional requirements for medium/large municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), as defined at 40 CFR 122.26.
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Definition: Additional requirements for small municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), as defined as 40 CFR 122.30-122.37.
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Definition: A use group is an EPA grouping of a specific state reported designated use. Examples of use groups include: recreation, fish consumption, ecological life, and drinking water.
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Definition: When water clarity (turbidity) values are high, it means that the water is cloudy, muddy or opaque (turbid) because of suspended soil particles, algae, microbes, or organic matter. These tiny particles can absorb heat and raise water temperatures, reduce oxygen for aquatic animals, reduce native aquatic plant growth, clog fish gills and smother fish eggs and aquatic insects. If water is described as highly turbid, it also means that only a small amount of light is able to penetrate through the water.
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Definition: Water Level (Gage Height)
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Definition: Water Quality Standards are state and tribal-adopted and EPA-approved standards for waterbodies that include designated uses and water quality criteria.
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Definition: Water temperature is a physical property expressing how hot or cold water is. Temperature is an important factor to consider when assessing water quality. Many fish and other aquatic animals are sensitive to changes in water temperature and require a certain temperature range to survive. If water temperature goes outside that range for too long, they can become sick or die.
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Definition: A Waterbody in How’s My Waterway can be a river, stream, lake or other type of water that has been assessed by the state. The assessed area may be an entire waterbody or just a segment of an individual river, stream, lake, pond, or wetland.
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Definition: Watershed is the land area that drains into a stream or other waterbody.
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Definition: HUC12 is a local sub-watershed level (~90,000 HUC12 watersheds nationwide). How's My Waterway uses HUC12 watersheds to display data. HUC is an acronym for Hydrologic Unit Codes. HUCs are a way of identifying watersheds in the United States and are organized from largest to smallest.
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Definition: Wetlands means areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas. 40 CFR 120.2(3)(xvi).
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