Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Chapter

Department of Environmental Quality

State Water Control Board

Water Quality Standards [9 VAC 25 ‑ 260]

Chapter Information

Description	Establishes narrative and numerical water quality criteria to protect designated uses and an antidegradtion policy for state waters.
State Authority	Sections 62.1-44.15 (10 ) and 62.1-44.15 (3 a) of the Code of Virginia
Federal Authority	Clean Water Act (33 USC 1251 et seq.) 40 Code of Federal Regulations 131
Text of Regulation	Link to Virginia Administrative Code
Goals of Regulation	To protect public health and/or welfare with the least possible costs and intrusiveness to the citizens and businesses of the Commonwealth. To establish numerical and narrative measurements to be used to protect and guage water quality in the waters of the Commonwealth.
Meetings	See all meetings (98) relating to this chapter.

Contact Information

Name / Title:	David Whitehurst
Address:	1111 East Main Street, Suite 1400 P.O. Box 1105 Richmond, VA 23218
Email Address:	[email protected]
Telephone:	(804)774-9180 FAX: ()- TDD: ()-

Action Title	Latest Stage	Status
Current Actions
Rulemaking to adopt site specific selenium aquatic life criteria for four streams which are tributaries to Knox Creek in Buchanan County	Proposed	Comment period is underway and will end on 12/06/2024.
Modification of Implementation Requirements for Criteria Specific to the Chesapeake Bay and Its Tidal Tributaries (9VAC25-260-185)	Fast-Track	Submitted to the Registrar and awaiting publication (12/02/2024).

Action Title	Latest Stage	Status
Past Actions
Triennial Review Rulemaking to Adopt New, Update or Cancel Existing Water Quality Standards (2020)- Partial amendments eff. 4/18/2023 - See 4/24/2023 Register(excludes Aluminum amendment), Aluminum amendment eff. 6/26/2024, See 7/15/2024 Register	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 06/26/2024.
Final Exempt CH 260 Changes in Response to 2022 Board Bill	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 11/23/2022.
Amending the Water Quality Standards regulation to designate four waters as Public Water Supply (PWS) (Eff. Date 11/24/21)	Fast-Track	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 11/24/2021.
Rulemaking to Adopt Numeric Turbidity Criteria	NOIRA	Stage complete. Comment period ended 05/12/2021.
Chlorophyll a Criteria for the Tidal James River [Effective Date - January 9, 2020]	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 01/09/2020.
Triennial Review Remaining Issues-Ammonia(Action ID 4017-NOIRA & 3171-Proposal) EFF. October 13, 2020	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 10/13/2020.
Triennial Review Remaining Issues/Bacteria, Ammonia, Cadmium and Human Health Criteria/Eff 10/21/19	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 10/21/2019.
Amending the Chesapeake Bay nutrient criteria to include 2017	Fast-Track	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 01/10/2019.
Designation of Portion of Laurel Fork in Highland County as Exceptional State Waters	Proposed	Stage complete. Comment period ended 04/15/2022.
Triennial Review-See 7/24/2017 & for 9VAC25-260-460-See 2/19/2018 Register for Effective Date Notices	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 06/27/2017.
Amendment to Update DEQ Mailing Address	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 06/06/2012.
Designate a One Mile Segment of the Dan River as a Public Water Supply [EFF DATE-APRIL 23, 2014]	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 04/23/2014.
Chesapeake Bay Nutrient Criteria - 2007, 2008 and 2010 Criteria Assessment Protocols Addenda	Fast-Track	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 01/06/2011.
Protection of Eastern Shore Tidal Waters for Clams and Oysters	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 08/20/2009.
Triennial Review - EFFECTIVE DATE SET- SEE GENERAL NOTICE POSTING FOR DETAILS	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 02/01/2010.
Designate a segment of the North River within George Washington National Forest and a segment of Little Stony Creek within Jefferson National Forest as Exceptional State Waters	Fast-Track	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 10/22/2008.
Portions of Hazel River as Exceptional Waters [NOTE: EFFECTIVE AUGUST 12, 2008}	Fast-Track	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 08/12/2008.
Amendments for Criteria to Protect the Designated Uses of Lakes and Reservoirs from the Impacts of Nutrients [Eff. Date: August 14, 2007]	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 08/14/2007.
Designation of Tributaries of Simpson Creek as an Exceptional State Water [Eff. Date September 11, 2007 - See October 1, 2007 Register)	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 09/11/2007.
Amendment to Designate Certain Tributaries of the Pedlar and North Fork of the Buffalo Rivers and a Portion of the North Fork of the Buffalo Rivers as Exceptional State Waters (Effective Date: Septemer 11, 2007 - see October 1, 2007 Register)	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 09/11/2007.
Amendments - Water Quality Standards - Chesapeake Bay and Tidal Waters Criteria [SECTIONS 5, 10, 50, 185, 186, 350 EFFECTIVE JUNE 24, 2005 - Sections 310, 410 & 530 EFFECTIVE JANUARY 12, 2006]]	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 01/12/2006.
Designation of Several Waters in the Shenandoah National Park as Exceptional State Waters [ EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 29, 2005]	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 12/29/2005.
Designation of a Section of Bottom Creek as an Exceptional Water {EFFECTIVE DATE - JUNE 10, 2005 - NOTICE TO BE PUBLISHED JULY 11, 2005}	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 06/10/2005.
Designation of a Section of Little Stony Creek as an Exceptional Water {EFFECTIVE DATE - JUNE 10, 2005 - NOTICE TO BE PUBLISHED JULY 11, 2005]	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 06/10/2005.
Designation of a Section of Ragged Island Creek as an Exceptional Water {EFFECTIVE DATE - JUNE 10, 2005 - NOTICE TO BE PUBLISHED JULY 11, 2005}	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 06/10/2005.
Designation of Lake Drummond and portions of 6 other streams as Exceptional Waters {EFFECTIVE DATE - JUNE 10, 2005 - NOTICE TO BE PUBLISHED JULY 11, 2005}	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 06/10/2005.
Technical Correction - Formula for Calculation of Acute and Chronic Ammonia criteria for Saltwater	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 02/12/2004.
Water Quality Standards Triennial Review Amendments (Effective Date: Feb. 12, 2004)	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 02/12/2004.
Amendment of Water Quality Standards - Update Certain Criteria and Use Designations (Sections 5, 160-170, 310 & 390 Pub. 6/17/02 - Sections 140 & 155 Pub. 8/12/2002: Effective Date: August 27, 2003	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 08/27/2003.
Amendment of the water quality standards to update numerical criteria and/or narrative criteria for dissolved oxygen (Notice of EPA Approval Published 5/6/2002 - Effective Date 6/5/2002)	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 06/05/2002.
Designation of Nutrient Enriched Waters and Potomac River Basin	Final	Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 06/07/2000.

Action Title	Latest Stage	Status
Withdrawn Actions
Designate a portion of Bull Run as Exceptional State Waters	NOIRA	Stage withdrawn on 06/26/2012 after the comment period had ended.
Chesapeake Bay Nutrient Criteria - 2007, 2008 and 2010 Criteria Assessment Protocols Addenda	Emergency	Stage withdrawn on 01/05/2011 before the Secretary's office completed its review.