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The Water Quality Planning Branch has seven biologists/ecologists and two geologists on staff.
This branch deals with a variety of issues related to water quality monitoring and standards development,
groundwater and wasteload allocations. It has produced a number of reports on a variety of topics related
to its work, see the List of Publications available online in PDF File format,
also available in hard copy on request.
Water Quality Monitoring - includes the monitoring of the chemical constituents in the
water and sediment of rivers, streams and lakes within the State and monitoring the biological communities and
physical habitat within selected waters.
The chemical monitoring network on rivers and streams includes over 130 stations which are
sampled monthly for more than 30 parameters, over 100 stations that are sampled on a bi-monthly or quarterly
schedule and an additional 30-50 stations that are intensively sampled over a short period of time for special
purposes. Some of these stations have been regularly sampled since the 1970s. Collection of the routine,
monthly water samples is performed by the Water Divisions’ field inspectors and laboratory analyses are
conducted by the Department’s Environmental Preservation and Technical Services Division. The quarterly or bi-monthly sampling of unassisted
or reassessed waters is conducted by Planning Branch personnel with laboratory analyses by Tech Services.
Synoptic, watershed-intensive surveys of the physical, chemical and biological conditions of a watershed are
conducted by the Planning Section personnel.
Biological/Habitat Monitoring is currently restricted to special project needs associated
with synoptic watershed surveys or for the development of additional data to support the establishment of
biological criteria used to evaluate the biological integrity of a water body. Biological data collections
consists primarily of the fish and macroinvertebrate communities of a stream, including species
identification, enumeration and grouping by guilds such as families, tropic feeding levels, sensitivity to
disturbances, etc. In addition, measurement of existing aquatic life habitat is necessary to identify habitat
stressors that may be affecting the communities in addition to water quality contaminants.
The Lake and Reservoir Monitoring Program was not formalized until 1989 when the first
statewide intensive monitoring of Arkansas’ Significant Publicly-owned Lakes was conducted. This included
measurement of approximately 30 chemical parameters plus bacteria and chlorophyll a. At least 80 lakes were
included. They range in size from 60 to over 45,000 acres and total 356,254 acres. A second lakes survey was
completed in 1994 and included a very similar plan, except sediment quality was added to the project. The next
lakes survey is planned for the summer of 1999.
Reports on monitoring projects are compiled regularly. On-Line Searchable database of
monitoring station lab results is now available online
Water Quality Monitoring Stations On-Line
Searchable Database
Development and Update of Water Quality Standards
Arkansas’ Surface Water Quality Standards, Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology
Regulation 2 (PDF File 4.8mb),
include:
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designation of uses for all waters of the State
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narrative or numeric criteria designed to prevent impairment of the designated uses
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a policy to prohibit degradation of waters of the State (anti-degradation policy).
The water quality standards are ecoregion based. Waters within each of the six ecoregions of
the State have standards which were developed from data from least-disturbed streams within each ecoregion.
These data were developed during an intensive, statewide study of the physical, chemical and biological
characteristics of least-disturbed streams during 1983-1986.
At least every three years the water quality standards must be reviewed and updated where
appropriate. Additionally, the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission may be petitioned to amend
the water quality standards at any time. The process for any amendment to the water quality standards includes
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a 30 to 45 day public review period
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consideration of and response to public comments
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review of proposed amendments by the appropriate Committee of the Arkansas General Assembly
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approval by the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission
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approval by the Governor of Arkansas
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approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Link to current Water Quality Standards Review
Biennial Assessment of the Condition of Waters of the State
Every two years all water quality data from the Department’s monitoring networks and any
other readily available data is compiled into a report which describes the current condition of the State’s
waters. Waters which are not meeting the Water Quality Standards or are not supporting their designated uses
are noted and scheduled for corrective action. This report, which is required by Section 305(b) of the Clean
Water Act, is also used to prepare the statewide nonpoint source assessment report, the list of impaired
waters (Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act), the Index of Watershed Indicators and numerous other water
quality management needs.
Link to the most recent Section 305(b) Report
Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL)
For waters that are not meeting water quality standards or have a significant potential not
to meet standards as a result of point source discharges or nonpoint source activities, TMDL’s are developed
which establish the maximum amount of a pollutant that can enter a specific water body without violating the
water quality standards. The values are normally calculated amounts based on dilution and the assimilative
capacity of the water body. Calculations are performed by various models which predict safe levels of
contaminants based on worst-case conditions and providing a margin of safety. The calculated safe amounts then
may be allocated to point source discharges as a wasteload allocation (WLA) and to nonpoint sources as a local
allocation (LA). This constitutes a TMDL.
Ground Water Protection Program
The basic responsibilities of the ground water program include budgeting and grant
administration, ground-water quality planning and water-quality monitoring, and addressing gaps in
ground-water protection through the development of guidelines and regulations.
One of the more important functions of the Program is the water-quality monitoring including
ambient monitoring and research-oriented monitoring, such as investigation of pesticides in ground water in
eastern Arkansas, nutrient and bacteria transport in shallow aquifer systems in northwest Arkansas, and
salt-water intrusion into shallow aquifers in south-eastern Arkansas. The ambient ground-water monitoring
program was developed in order to document existing ground-water quality in various aquifers throughout the
State. Because each area of the State is sampled every three years, the data can be used to document trends
and changes in water quality over time. The monitoring program currently consists of 195 well and spring sites
in 9 different monitoring areas within the State. A full suite of inorganic parameters is analyzed for the
samples, including all major cations and anions and trace metals. In addition, in areas where industry,
landfills, and other facilities which store, manufacture or dispose organic chemicals, semi-volatile and
volatile organic analyses are performed on the samples. Areas with row-crop agriculture commonly include
pesticide analyses. Published reports for each area of the State are produced following each sampling event. A
map of the established ground-water monitoring areas is available.
Link to Water-Quality Monitoring
Searchable Database
In general, ground-water quality is very good to exceptional throughout the State. Exceptions
to this situation are high iron concentrations and areas of high chloride content in localized areas of the
Gulf Coastal Plain in eastern Arkansas. Impacts from non-point sources, although regional in scope, dominantly
result in low level contamination below established health standards. Point-source or site-specific sources
result in higher levels of contamination but are restricted to smaller areas (commonly on site boundaries).
Program personnel work together with other divisions of the Department and other agencies in crafting
guidelines and regulations to address both point-source and non-point sources of pollution. Although the state
does not have a formal set of ground-water standards, the Water Division uses federal standards and health
advisory limits to establish cleanup levels at contaminated sites.
Technical Review and Administration of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits
Biomonitoring Program
The biomonitoring program of the NPDES permits system requires most major dischargers to
perform toxicity tests of their effluent to determine if it is toxic to aquatic organisms at various
concentrations which might occur in the receiving stream. The test procedure has a very rigorous protocol that
must be followed, along with detailed statistical interpretations and several potential follow-up steps
depending on the test results. The Planning Section assists the Permits Branch by preparing and reviewing
biomonitoring language in the permits, reviewing toxicity test results for correct procedures, tracking the
results of all testing done by permittees and contacting permittees to initiate required actions if toxicity
is verified.
Short Term Authority
Pursuant to §401(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act, the ADEQ hereby issues water quality
certification for the certain project with certain conditions.
The
following applicants
are requesting water quality certification from
the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) in
accordance with Section 401(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act.
Link to Short Term Activity Authorization files
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