[WEBMASTER’S NOTE: These pages are obsolete because all of the changes described below 

have already been made in the internet version of the Handbook.] 

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 

AUG 19 1994 

OFFICE OF WATER 

Dear Colleague: 

The following material contains the 1994 update to the document Water Quality Standards 

Handbook - Second Edition. Policy and technical changes to the Handbook are included for 

Chapters 3 and 4. Changes in Chapters 2, 3 and 7 also correct typographical and editorial errors. 

The Preface, Glossary, Introduction, and References Sections have been modified to reflect 

changes elsewhere in the Handbook. 

Additions to Chapter 3 include: 

• Section 3.6 incorporates EPA's policy on aquatic life metals criteria as modified by the Office 

of Water Policy and Technical Guidance on Interpretation and Implementation of Aquatic 

Life Metals Criteria (US EPA, 1993f). This policy was signed as the 1993 printing of the 

Handbook went to press and we promised you revisions to reflect it (p. iv). 

• Section 3.7 adds guidance on site-specific aquatic life criteria as modified by the Interim 

Guidance on Determination and Use of Water-Effect Ratios for Metals (included as new 

Appendix L), which provides interim guidance concerning the experimental determination of 

water-effect ratios (WERs) for metals and supersedes all guidance concerning water-effect 

ratios and the Indicator Species Procedure in USEPA, 1983a and in USEPA, 1984f. It also 

supersedes the guidance in these earlier documents for the Recalculation Procedure for 

performing site-specific aquatic life criteria modifications. 

Conforming changes have also been made to other Sections of Chapter 3. 

Section 4.6 has been added to Chapter 4 and includes guidance on the interpretation of the 

EPA's antidegradation policy as it relates to nonpoint sources as presented in the guidance 

memorandum Interpretation of Federal Antidegradation Regulatory Requirement (USEPA, 1994a). 

Several Appendices have also been added or modified. New Appendix J provides additional 

material on EPA's policy on aquatic life criteria for metals. New Appendix L adds the Interim 

Guidance on Determination and Use of Water-Effect Ratios for Metals. Appendices U and V 

update the list of EPA Regional water quality standards coordinators and Standards and Applied 

Science Division document request forms, respectively. Appendix X has been added as a repository 

for this and future update instruction sheets so that a record of updates is maintained in the 

Handbook. 

Please follow the instructions on the reverse. 

David K. Sabock, Chief 

Water Quality Standards Branch 
[WEBMASTER’S NOTE: These pages are obsolete because all of the changes described below 

have already been made in the internet version of the Handbook.] 

WATER QUALITY STANDARDS HANDBOOK 

SECOND EDITION – UPDATE #1 

FILING INSTRUCTIONS 

Follow the instructions below carefully. 

• With the addition of the new Appendices, the Handbook will require two 3-

ring binders. Place the Handbook through page REF-6 in a 1" binder and the 

Appendices in a 3" binder before making the changes below. 

• Proceed row by row down the chart following the instructions in both the 

"REMOVE" and "INSERT" columns for each row. 

• Remove the obsolete pages listed in the "REMOVE" column from the Handbook. 

• Insert the pages in the "INSERT" column in the appropriate places in the 

Handbook. These are the new or replacement pages contained in this package. 

SECTION REMOVE INSERT 

HANDBOOK 

Cover Handbook cover New Handbook cover 

Title Page Title Page Title Page 

Preface pp. iii through viii pp. iii through viii 

Glossary pp. GLOSS-3 through 

GLOSS-8 

pp. GLOSS-3 through 

GLOSS-8 

Introduction pp. INT-7 and INT-8 pp. INT-7 and INT-8 

Chapter 2 Chapter Table of Contents Chapter Table of Contents 

pp. 2-5 and 2-6 pp. 2-5 and 2-6 

Chapter 3 Chapter Table of Contents Chapter Table of Contents 

pp. 3-1 through 3-48 pp. 3-1 through 3-45 

Chapter 4 Chapter Table of Contents Chapter Table of Contents 

 pp. 4-7 through 4-13 pp. 4-7 through 4-14 

Chapter 7 Chapter Table of Contents Chapter Table of Contents 

 pp. 7-7 through 7-13 pp. 7-7 through 7-13 

References pp. REF-1 through REF-9 pp. REF-1 through REF-9 

APPENDICES 

Cover None Document cover for 

Appendices 

Appendix J Title Page (reserved) Title Page and new 

Appendix J 

Appendix L Title Page (reserved) Title Page and new 

Appendix L 

Appendix U WQS Coordinator list WQS Coordinator list 

Appendix V all pages new Document Request 

Forms 

Appendix W Update Request Form new Update Request Form 

Appendix X None Title Page and this page 

of instructions 

If you have any trouble with missing pages or have other questions about this 

update to the Water Quality Standards Handbook, please let us know.