Some documents on this page are pdf files. Viewers can convert pdf files to html through Adobe. The federal Clean Water Act provides the statutory basis for state water quality standards programs.
States are responsible for reviewing, establishing, and revising water quality standards.
The Clean Water Act requires that the surface waters of each state be classified according to designated uses. Generally coastal waters where commercial shellfish harvesting occurs. Class V - Navigation, Utility and Industrial Use. Currently, there aren't any class IV bodies of water. The Fenholloway River was reclassified as Class III in 1998 To protect these present and future most beneficial uses of the waters, water quality criteria have been established for each classification.