Navajo Nation Surface Water Quality Standards 2015
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Presented below are water quality standards that are in effect for Clean Water Act purposes. EPA is posting these standards as a convenience to users and has made a reasonable effort to assure their accuracy. Additionally, EPA has made a reasonable effort to identify parts of the standards that are not approved, disapproved, or are otherwise not in effect for Clean Water Act purposes. July 22, 2021 Navajo Nation Surface Water Quality Standards 2015 Effective March 17, 2021 The federal Clean Water Act (CWA) requires states and federally recognized Indian tribes to adopt water quality standards in order to "restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's Waters" (CWA, 1988). The attached WQS document is in effect for Clean Water Act purposes with the exception of the following provisions. Navajo Nation’s previously approved criteria for these provisions remain the applicable for CWA purposes. The “Navajo Nation Surface Water Quality Standards 2015” (NNSWQS 2015) made changes amendments to the “Navajo Nation Surface Water Quality Standards 2007” (NNSWQS 2007). For federal Clean Water Act permitting purposes, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) must approve these changes to the NNSWQS 2007 which are found in the NNSWQS 2015. The USEPA did not approve of three specific changes which were made to the NNSWQS 2007 and are in the NNSWQS 2015. (October 15, 2020 Letter from USEPA to Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency). The three specific changes which USEPA did not accept are: 1) Aquatic and Wildlife Habitat Designated Use - Suspended Solids Changes (NNSWQS 2015 Section 207.E) The suspended soils standard for aquatic and wildlife habitat designated use was changed to only apply to flowing (lotic) surface waters and not to non-flowing (lentic) surface waters. USEPA did not approve of this change, therefore for the federal CWA purposes, the suspended sediment criteria apply to both flowing (lotic) and non-flowing (lentic) surface waters. 2) Aquatic and Wildlife Habitat Designated Use - Cadmium Acute & Chronic Criteria Changes (NNSWQS 2015 Tables 207.1, 207.2, 207.3, 207.4 and 207.5) The acute and wildlife habitat acute and chronic cadmium standards were changed (NNSWQS 2007) from: Acute: [e (1.0166 [ln (hardness)] - 3.924) ][1.136672-[ln (hardness)](0.041838)] Chronic: [e (0.7409 [ln (hardness)] - 4.719) ][1.101672-[ln (hardness)](0.041838)] To (NNSWQS 2015): Acute Coldwater Standard = [e (1.0166 [ln (hardness)] - 3.924) ][1.136672-[ln (hardness)](0.041838) Chronic Coldwater Standard = [e (0.7409 [ln (hardness)] – 4.719) ][1.101672-[ln (hardness)](0.041838)] Acute Warm Water Standard = [e (1.0166 [ln (hardness)] – 2.561 ][1.136672-[ln (hardness)](0.041838)] Chronic Warm Water Standard = [e (0.7409 [ln (hardness)] – 3.894) ][1.101672-[ln (hardness)](0.041838)] USEPA did not approve of this change, therefore for the federal CWA purposes, the aquatic and wildlife habitat acute and chronic cadmium water quality standards remain as they were in the NNSWQS 2007. 3) Primary Human Contact - Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate Criteria Changes (NNSWQS 2015 Tables 207.1) The primary human contact standard for bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate was change from 330 micrograms per Liter (μg/L) (NNSWQS 2007) to 1200 μg/L (NNSWQS 2015). USEPA did not approve of this change, therefore for the federal CWA purposes, the primary human contact standard for bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate will remain as it was in the NNSWQS 2007 (330 μg/L). NAVAJO NATION SURFACE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS 2015 (Photograph of the Colorado River near Lees Ferry on October 27, 2003) Prepared by: Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency Water Quality Program Post Office Box 339 Window Rock, Arizona 86515 (928) 871-7690 Passed by Navajo Nation Council Resources and Development Committee on May 23, 2017 Navajo Nation Surface Water Quality Standards 2015 Navajo Nation EPA Water Quality Program TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I SURFACE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS - GENERAL PROVISIONS § 101 TITLE ................................................................................................................................ 1 § 102 AUTHORITY .................................................................................................................... 1 § 103 PURPOSE .......................................................................................................................... 1 § 104 DEFINITIONS ................................................................................................................... 1 § 105 SEVERABILITY .................................................................................................................7 PART II SURFACE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS § 201 ANTIDEGRADATION POLICY ..................................................................................... 7 § 202 ANTIDEGRADATION IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES .......................................8 § 203 NARRATIVE SURFACE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS ......................................13 § 204 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ............................................................................................14 § 205 NARRATIVE NUTRIENT STANDARD IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ......................16 § 206 DESIGNATED USE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR NAVAJO NATION SURFACE WATERS ........................................................................................18 § 207 NUMERIC SURFACE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS ...........................................20 § 208 SAMPLE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS ...................................................................22 § 209 EXCEPTIONAL WATERS OF THE NAVAJO NATION ..............................................23 § 210 VARIANCES .....................................................................................................................24 § 211 WASTEWATER MIXING ZONES ..................................................................................26 § 212 SITE SPECIFIC STANDARDS……………………………………………………….. 28 § 213 NATURAL BACKGROUND…………………………………………………………. 29 Page ii Navajo Nation Surface Water Quality Standards 2015 Navajo Nation EPA Water Quality Program PART II SURFACE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS (continued) § 214 BIOLOGICAL STANDARDS (RESERVED) ..................................................................29 TABLES 205.1 Numeric Targets for Lakes and Reservoirs ....................................................................17 206.1 Designated Uses for Navajo Nation Surface Waters .....................................................30 207.1 Numeric Surface Water Quality Standards .....................................................................44 207.2 Acute Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Cadmium - Aquatic and Wildlife Cold Water ........................................................................................................50 207.3 Chronic Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Cadmium - Aquatic and Wildlife Cold Water ........................................................................................................51 207.4 Acute Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Cadmium - Aquatic and Wildlife Warm Water .....................................................................................................52 207.5 Chronic Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Cadmium - Aquatic and Wildlife Warm Water .....................................................................................................53 207.6 Acute Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Chromium III - Aquatic and Wildlife ....................................................................................................................54 207.7 Chronic Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Chromium III - Aquatic and Wildlife ....................................................................................................................55 207.8 Acute Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Copper - Aquatic and Wildlife...............56 207.9 Chronic Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Copper - Aquatic and Wildlife ..........................................................................................................................57 207.10 Acute Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Lead - Aquatic and Wildlife ...........................................................................................................................58 207.11 Chronic Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Lead - Aquatic and Wildlife ...........................................................................................................................59 207.12 Acute Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Nickel - Aquatic and Wildlife ...........................................................................................................................60 Page ii Navajo Nation Surface Water Quality Standards 2015 Navajo Nation EPA Water Quality Program TABLES (continued) 207.13 Chronic Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Nickel - Aquatic and Wildlife ...........................................................................................................................61 207.14 Acute Water Quality Standards for Pentachlorophenol - Aquatic and Wildlife ...........................................................................................................................62 207.15 Chronic Water Quality Standards for Pentachlorophenol - Aquatic and Wildlife ...........................................................................................................................62 207.16 Acute Water Quality Standards