If you are seeing this message, you are likely using an older browser to view this site. This website's content is fully accessible to all browsers, however the web site will look much better and your experience will be much more enjoyable if you upgrade your browser to a more current version. Please visit this web site to upgrade your browser.
| Assessments Home | 2010 Integrated Report | Previous Reports | Additional Resources | WQ Standards Home |
Numerous documents and websites have been developed that together provide a rich suite of resources for understanding water quality assessments. Summaries and links to many of these materials are provided below. We realize that sorting through the information to answer a specific question can seem daunting, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to direct you to the specific information you are seeking.
EPA has developed fantastic outreach materials to teach water quality assessment principles to children of all ages. For educators, these materials offer a way to teach science to children using materials that can be directly observed and appreciated by students. For the rest of us, these materials provide an excellent introduction to water quality assessment principles.
Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology–Toward a Compendium of Best Practices (CALM)
CALM is the most comprehensive EPA guidance on conducting beneficial use assessments. While the entire document is somewhat lengthy, individual chapters can be downloaded individually depending on the topic of interest.
EPA Biennial Guidance Memos
In the world of environmental law, ambiguity begets lawsuits, which ultimately divert resources from our primary objective of protecting water quality. On the flip side, these suits bring clarity to the nuances that must be addressed when interpreting science in the context of federal regulations. Regardless of ones position on individual issues, EPA continually interprets federal rules and regulations with regard to assessment issues. The result of these interpretations is technical memorandums that clarify key assessment issues.
(All .pdfs except the 2002 version which is a link)
Guidelines for Preparation of the Comprehensive State Water Quality Assessments (305(b) Reports) and Electronic Updates
A number of sections in the Clean Water Act require states and EPA to collect data and report on the overall quality of our Nation’s waters. The Integrated Report is the 305(b) report combined with the 303(d) list of impaired waters. The following link provides access to EPA’s most recent (1997) and comprehensive guidance on the 305(b) portion of the report:
Guidelines for EPA 303(d) Review
Once the Integrated Report is complete, the report, public comments, and DWQ's responses to public comments are submitted to EPA for approval. Review of the report is typically conducted by EPA regional scientists. It is important to note that while EPA carefully reviews and comments on the entire report, formal EPA actions are limited to the 303(d) list of impaired waters. EPA has prepared guidance (.pdf document; 261 KB) to improve consistency among EPA regions in how reviews are conducted and legal language to use when formal action is taken on the 303(d) list. While this guidance was intended for use by EPA staff, it does succinctly summarize, with reference to federal regulations and case law, the actions available to EPA once the IR is submitted to them for approval.
Assessment Database (ADB)
EPA is required to compile assessment information submitted by States into a report that summarizes the overall condition of the Nation’s waters. This task is not trivial given the quantity of information and significant disconnect in monitoring and assessment methods employed by states. As a result, EPA now requires States to submit assessment information onto a common database, the ADB:
Watershed Assessment, Tracking and Environmental ResultS (WATERS)
WATERS is a web-based interactive mapping function that allows users to view Integrated Report assessment information with maps and summary tables:
You are here: Water Quality Home >
