Overview of Clean Water Act Implementation in the West

Welcome to "Implementing the Clean Water Act in the Intermountain West: an Overview." In this report we identified critical state Clean Water Act program areas and picked indicators under each area. The indicators are designed to provide a snapshot of threats and opportunities in the states – not to “grade” the issue area.

This review will allow river advocates to compare their state’s strengths and weaknesses with other states, prioritize the issues that will provide the greatest results for clean, healthy rivers, and better advocate for protections within their own states. The regional scope of the review will allow all of us to see where certain states are trying new and innovative approaches that should be spread to other states, or to address troubling trends emerging throughout the region.

However, this should not be seen as an attempt to “grade” the states’ programs. The reality on the ground varies dramatically from state to state, making many direct comparisons difficult. Instead, a wise reader will interpret the data for a state in the context of the reality in the state (e.g., how many permitted point sources are there? How big of an issue is nutrient pollution? etc.), as well as considering the regional comparisons.

This report will be released in three phases. Each phase will be released as a compilation or collection of white papers and provided on the River Network website. In the end, all three phases will be combined into one report. Below you will find Phase 1 of the analysis, which focuses on elements of the region’s water quality standards programs.

Phase 1

• Introduction: Includes cover, table of contents and the preface (which includes information about our research approach and important caveats for the reader).

• Chapter 1, Water Quality Standards: Uses and Criteria: summarizes each state's designated uses and provides information on criteria for bacteria, nutrients, sediment and biocriteria. Also includes general information on each state's standards program.

• Chapter 2, Water Quality Standards: Antidegradation: provides background on each state's antidegradation policies and procedures and more detailed information on Tier 2 antidegradation protections.

• Chapter 3, Water Quality Standards: Outstanding Resource Waters: focuses in on Tier 3 or Outstanding Resource Waters within the antidegradation policy.

Phase 2

• Chapter 4, 401 Water Quality Certification: provides a snapshot of the 401 Water Quality Certification program in each of the 8 states, including the extent to which states use the power, what activities they apply the power to, and more.