Nebraska Administrative Code › Topic - ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY › Title 117 - NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY › Chapter 7 - WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FOR WETLANDS › Section 117-7-004 - Beneficial Uses

Current through June 17, 2024
Beneficial uses are assigned to wetlands within or bordering upon the
	 State of Nebraska. Assigned beneficial uses are protected by the narrative and
	 numerical water quality criteria listed or referenced in this chapter.
	 Additionally, assigned and existing beneficial uses are protected by the
	 Antidegradation Clause in Chapter 3. Some uses require higher quality water
	 than others. When multiple uses are assigned to the same wetland, all assigned
	 uses will be protected.
Beneficial uses assigned to all wetlands are:
Aquatic Life
Wildlife
Agricultural Water Supply
Aesthetics
These uses are not intended in any way to conflict with the
	 quantitative beneficial uses provided for in Neb. Rev. Stat., Ch 46, regulating
	 irrigation or the authority of the Nebraska Department of Natural
	 Resources.
004.01 Aquatic Life
Wetlands assigned this beneficial use provide, or could provide,
	 habitat capable of supporting aquatic biota on a regular or periodic basis.
	 Aquatic biota are life forms which require water to fulfill basic life
	 functions such as reproduction, growth, and development. Examples of aquatic
	 biota include, but are not limited to, fish, macroinvertebrates, amphibians,
	 and hydrophytic vegetation.
004.01A
  General Criteria
Water quality criteria are established to protect assigned beneficial
	 uses. However, traditional water quality parameters in wetlands such as pH,
	 temperature, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, chloride, and conductivity may
	 naturally vary outside accepted ranges for other surface waters. Water quality
	 criteria for specific wetlands or wetland complexes, except numerical criteria
	 for toxic substances (paragraph 004.01C1), petroleum oil (paragraph 004.01D),
	 and residual chlorine (paragraph 004.01F), are to be based on natural
	 background values for traditional water quality parameters. However, these
	 criteria are to be no more stringent than those associated with the Class B
	 Warmwater Aquatic Life classification or the General Criteria for Aquatic Life
	 of Chapter 4, Paragraphs 003.01A, 003.01B, 003.01G, and 003.04B.
004.01B Biological Criteria
The biological integrity of wetlands is to be maintained and protected.
	 Any human activity causing water pollution which would significantly degrade
	 the biological integrity of wetlands is a violation of these Standards. Upland
	 soil and water conservation practices or normal farming, silviculture, and
	 ranching activities involving tilling, seeding, cultivating, harvesting, and
	 grazing for the production of food, fiber, and forest products, will not be
	 considered to cause significant degradation of biological integrity in
	 wetlands. However, the criteria in section 004.01C for toxic substances are
	 applicable to wetlands where such toxic substances are the result of activities
	 listed within this subsection.
004.01B1 Any human activity causing water
  pollution which would cause a significant adverse impact to an identified "key
  species" is a violation of these Standards.
004.01B1a Key Species
Key aquatic species are identified endangered or threatened species.
	 The following list defines the aquatic species considered by the Department to
	 be key species. In addition to this list, any key species listed in Chapter 5
	 for a waterbody adjacent to a surface-water overflow wetland will be considered
	 a key species for the wetland.
COMMON NAME
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Endangered Species
Saltwort
Colorado Butterfly Plant
Salicornia rubra
Gaura neomexicana
ssp. coloradensis
Threatened Species:
Western Prairie Fringed Orchid
Platanthera praeclara
Ute Ladies'-tresses
Spiranthes diluvialis
Small White Lady's Slipper
Cypripedium candidum
004.01C Toxic Substances
Wetlands are to be free from toxic substances, alone or in combination
	 with other substances, in concentrations that result in acute or chronic
	 toxicity to aquatic life, except as specified in Chapter 2. Toxic substances
	 are not to be present in concentrations that result in bioaccumulation or
	 biomagnification in aquatic organisms which renders them unsuitable or unsafe
	 for consumption.
004.01C1 The
  following numerical criteria for the protection of aquatic life and their uses
  are not to be exceeded. Unless otherwise noted, criteria are based on total
  concentrations.
CRITERIA (ug/L)
POLLUTANT
Acute
Chronic
CAS No.
*
Pesticides:
Acrolein
3c
3d
107-02-8
Alachlor
760c
76d
15972-60-8
Aldrin
3.0a
0.0000077b,e
309-00-2
Atrazine
330c
12d
1912-24-9
Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)-Technical
100a
0.1b,e
608-73-1
alpha-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)
(Reserved)
0.0039b,e
319-84-6
beta-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)
(Reserved)
0.14b,e
319-85-7
Carbaryl
2.1
2.1
63-25-2
Chlordane
2.4a
0.0032b,e
57-74-9
Chlorpyrifos
0.083c
0.041d
2921-88-2
DCPA1
(Reserved)
14,300d
1861-32-1
p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane
or DDT
1.1a
0.0003b,e
50-29-3
p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene or DDT metabolite
				  (DDE)
1050a
0.0022b,e -
				  0.00018b,e
72-55-9
p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane or DDT metabolite (TDE,
				  DDD)
e 0.6a
0.0012b,e
72-54-8
Demeton
(Reserved)
0.1b
8065-48-3
Diazinon
0.17c
0.17d
333-41-5
Dieldrin
0.24a
0.000012b,e
60-57-1
Dioxin2
< 0.01a
0.000000051b,e
1746-01-6
alpha-Endosulfan
0.22a
0.056b
959-98-8
beta-Endosulfan
0.22a
0.056b
33213-65-9
Endosulfan sulfate
(Reserved)
40b,f
1031-07-8
Endrin
0.086a
0.03b,f
72-20-8
Endrin aldehyde
(Reserved)
1.0b,f
7421-93-4
Guthion
(Reserved)
0.01b
86-50-0
Heptachlor
0.52a
0.000059b,e
76-44-8
Heptachlor epoxide
0.52a
0.00032b,e
1024-57-3
Isophorone
117,000a
18,000b,e
78-59-1
gamma-Hexachlorocyclohexane
(HCH) or Lindane
0.95a
0.16b
58-89-9
Malathion
(Reserved)
0.1b
121-75-5
Methoxychlor
(Reserved)
0.02b,f
72-43-5
Metolachlor
390c
100d
51218-45-2
Metribuzin
(Reserved)
100d
21087-64-9
Mirex
(Reserved)
0.001d
2385-85-5
Parathion
0.065c
0.013d
56-38-2
Pentachlorophenol
e( 1.005(pH)- 4.869) c
e 0.4b,e
87-86-5
Propachlor
(Reserved)
8.0d
1918-16-7
Toxaphene
0.73c
0.0002d
8001-35-2
Tributyltin (TBT)
0.46c
0.072d
.........
Chlorphenoxy Herbicide (2,4-D)
Reserved
12,000b,f
94-75-7
Chlorphenoxy Herbicide (2,4,5-TP) [Silvex]
Reserved
400b,f
93-72-1
Metals and
				  Inorganics3:
Aluminum
750c
87d
7429-90-5
Antimony
88c
30d
7440-36-0
Arsenic
340c
16.7b,e
7440-38-2
Beryllium
130a
5.3d
7440-41-7
Cadmium 
				  4
(ACF) e( 0.9789[ln
hardness
]-
					 3.421) c
(ACF) e( 0.7977[ln
hardness
]-
					 3.909) d
7440-43-9
Chromium (III)
(ACF) e( 0.819[ln
hardness
]+
					 3.764) c
(ACF) e( 0.819[ln
hardness
]+
					 0.724) d
16065-83-1
Chromium (VI)
16c
11d
18540-29-9
Copper
(ACF) e(
					 0.9422[ln
hardness
]-1.700) c
(ACF) e(.08545[ln
hardness
]-
					 1.702) d
7440-50-8
Cyanide
41.3c
9.8d
57-12-5
Iron
(Reserved)
1,000b
7439-89-6
Lead5
(CF)e(1.273[ln
hardness
]-
					 1.460) c
(CF) e[ 1.273[ln
hardness
]-
					 4.705) d
7439-92-1
Manganese
(Reserved)
1,000b,e
7439-96-5
Mercury6
1.4c
0.77d
7439-97-6
Nickel
( 0.998)e( 0.846[ln
hardness
]+
					 2.255) c
(0. 997) 
				  ( 0.846[ln
hardness
]+
					 0.0584) d
7440-02-0
Selenium
See 004.01C3
7782-49-2
Silver
( 0.85)e1.27[ln
hardness
]-
					 6.59) c
(Reserved)
7440-22-4
Thallium
1,400a
0.47b,f
7440-28-0
Zinc
( 0.978)e( 0.8473[ln
hardness
]+
					 0.884) c
(CF) e( 0.8473[ln
hardness
]+
					 0.884) d
7440-66-6
PCBs and Related Compounds:
PCBs
2.0a
0.00064b,e
.........
Chlorinated Naphthalenes
1,600a
43,000b,e
.........
Halogenated Aliphatics:
Halomethanes
11,000a
157b,e
.........
Bromoform
(Reserved)
1,200b,e
75-25-2
Methyl bromide
(Reserved)
10,000b,f
74-83-9
Chloroform
28,900a
1,240b
67-66-3
Carbon tetrachloride
35,200a
50b,e
56-23-5
Methylene chloride
(Reserved)
3,000b,f
75-09-2
1,2-dichloroethane
118,000a
6,500b,e
107-06-2
Hexachloroethane
980a
0.8b,f
67-72-1
Pentachloroethane
7,240a
1,100b
76-01-7
Trichlorinated ethanes
18,000a
(Reserved)
25323-89-1
1,1,1-trichloroethane
(Reserved)
200,000b,f
71-55-6
1,1,2-trichloroethane
(Reserved)
89b,e
79-00-5
Tetrachloroethanes
9,320a
(Reserved)
25322-20-7
1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane
(Reserved)
30b,e
79-34-5
Dichloroethylenes
11,600a
(Reserved)
25323-30-3
1,1-dichloroethylene
(Reserved)
20,000b,f
75-35-4
Trans-1,2-dichloroethylene
(Reserved)
4,000b,f
156-60-5
Tetrachloroethylene
5,280a
70b,f
127-18-4
Trichloroethylene
45,000a
30b,f
79-01-6
Chlorodibromomethane
(Reserved)
210b,e
124-48-1
Dichlorobromomethane
(Reserved)
270b,e
75-27-4
Dichloropropane
23,000a
5,700b
26638-19-7
1,2-dichloropropane
(Reserved)
310b,e
78-87-5
Dichloropropene
6,060a
244b
26952-23-8
1,3-dichloropropene
(Reserved)
120b,e
542-75-6
Hexachlorobutadiene
90a
0.02b,f
87-68-3
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
7.0a
4.0b,f
77-47-4
Vinyl Chloride
(Reserved)
16b,e
75-01-4
Ethers:
Bis(2-chloroethyl) Ether
(Reserved)
22b,e
111-44-4
Bis(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) Ether
(Reserved)
4,000b,f
108-60-1
(Reserved)
0.17b,e
542-88-1
Bis(chloromethyl) Ether
Chloroalkyl ethers
238,000a
(Reserved)
.........
Haloethers
360a
122b
.........
Monocyclic Aromatics except Phenols, Cresols, and
				  Phthalates:
Benzene
5,300a
90b,f
71-43-2
Chlorinated benzenes
250a
50b
.........
Chlorobenzene
(Reserved)
800b,f
108-90-7
1,2-dichlorobenzene
(Reserved)
3,000b,f
95-50-1
1,3-dichlorobenzene
(Reserved)
10b,f
541-73-1
1,4,-dichlorobenzene
(Reserved)
900b,f
106-46-7
Ethylbenzene
32,000a
130b,f
100-41-4
Hexachlorobenzene
6.0a
0.00079b,e
118-74-1
Nitrobenzene
27,000a
600b,f
98-95-3
Pentachlorobenzene
(Reserved)
0.1b,f
608-93-5
1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene
(Reserved)
0.03b,f
95-94-3
1,2,4-trichlorobenzene
(Reserved)
0.76b,e
120-82-1
Toluene
17,500a
520b,f
108-88-3
2,4-dinitrotoluene
330a
17b,e
121-14-2
Phenols and Cresols:
Phenol
10,200a
2,560b
108-95-2
2-chlorophenol
4,380a
800b,f
95-57-8
3-methyl-4-chlorophenol
30a
2,000b,f
59-50-7
2,4-dichlorophenol
2,020a
60b,f
120-83-2
2,4,5-trichlorophenol
100a
63b
95-95-4
2,4,6-trichlorophenol
(Reserved)
6b,f
88-06-2
Dinitrophenols
(Reserved)
1,000b,f
25550-58-7
Nitrophenols
230a
150b
.........
Nonylphenol
28c
6.6d
1044-05-1
2-methyl-4,6-dinitrophenol
(Reserved)
30b,f
534-52-1
2,4-dinitrophenol
(Reserved)
300b,f
51-28-5
2,4-dimethylphenol
2,120a
3,000b,f
105-67-9
Phthalate Esters:
Phthalate esters
940a
3.0b
.........
Butylbenzyl phthalate
(Reserved)
1.0b,e
85-68-7
Di-N-butyl phthalate
(Reserved)
30b,f
84-74-2
Diethyl phthalate
(Reserved)
600b,f
84-66-2
Bis(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate
2,000a
3.7b,e
117-81-7
Dimethyl phthalate
(Reserved)
2,000b,f
131-11-3
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
				  (PAHs):
Acenaphthene
1,700a
90b,f
83-32-9
Anthracene
(Reserved)
400b,f
120-12-7
Benzo(a)anthracene
(Reserved)
0.013b,e
56-55-3
Benzo(a)pyrene
(Reserved)
0.0013b,e
50-32-8
Benzo(b)fluoranthene
(Reserved)
0.013b,e
205-99-2
Benzo(k)fluoranthene
(Reserved)
0.13b,e
207-08-9
Chrysene
(Reserved)
1.3b,e
218-01-9
Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene
(Reserved)
0.0013b,e
53-70-3
Fluoranthene
3,980a
20b,f
206-44-0
Fluorene
(Reserved)
70b,f
86-73-7
Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene
(Reserved)
0.013b,e
193-39-5
Naphthalene
2,300a
620b
91-20-3
2-chloronaphthalene
1,600a
1,000b,f
91-58-7
Phenanthrene
30a
6.3b
85-01-8
Pyrene
(Reserved)
30b,f
129-00-0
Nitrosamines and other Nitrogen-containing
				  Compounds:
Nitrosamines
5,850a
12.4b,e
.........
Benzidine
2,500a
0.11b,e
92-87-5
3,3'-dichlorobenzidine
(Reserved)
1.5b,e
91-94-1
1,2-diphenylhydrazine
270a
2.0b,e
122-66-7
Acrylonitrile
7,550a
70b,e
107-13-1
N-nitrosodibutylamine
(Reserved)
2.2b,e
924-16-3
N-nitrosodiethylamine
(Reserved)
12.4b,e
55-18-5
N-nitrosodimethylamine
(Reserved)
30b,e
62-75-9
N-nitrosodiphenylamine
(Reserved)
60b,e
86-30-6
N-nitrosodi-N-propylamine
(Reserved)
5.1b,e
621-64-7
N-nitrosopyrrolidine
(Reserved)
340b,e
930-55-2
a Concentration not to be exceeded at any
	 time
b Twenty-four hour average concentration
c One-hour average concentration
d Four-day average concentration
e Human health criteria at the
	 10-5 risk level for carcinogens based on the
	 consumption of fish and other aquatic organisms
f Human health criteria based on the consumption
	 of fish and other aquatic organisms
1 Dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate
2 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin or
	 2,3,7,8-TCDD
3 Criteria for metals and inorganics apply
	 to dissolved concentrations
4 The conversion factors for cadmium are
	 hardness dependent and defined by:
ACF = 1.136672-[ln
hardness
( 0.041838)]
CCF = 1.101672-[ln
hardness
( 0.041838)]
5 The conversion factor for lead (acute and
	 chronic) is hardness dependent and defined by:
CF = 1.46203- [(ln
hardness
)( 0.145712)]
6 Chronic criterion for mercury applies to total
	 recoverable concentrations
004.01C2 The following criteria for the
  protection of human health based on consumption of fish and other aquatic
  organisms are not to be exceeded. These criteria are expressed as fish tissue
  concentrations (mg/kg fish).
POLLUTANT
CRITERIA (mg/kg)
CAS
				  No.*
Methylmercury
0.215
22967-92-6
* Chemical Abstract Services Registry
	 Number
004.01C3 The
  following Selenium criteria are for the protection of aquatic life. These
  criteria are expressed preferentially as fish tissue concentrations (mg/kg
  fish), followed by water column concentrations (mg/L) in the absence of fish
  tissue information.
POLLUTANT
CAS
				  No.*
Selenium
7782-49-2
FISH TISSUE1
				  CRITERIA
WATER COLUMN4
				  CRITERIA
Criterion Element
Egg/Ovary2
Fish Whole Body or
Muscle3
Thirty-day average
Intermittent Exposure5
Magnitude
15.1 mg/kg
8.5 mg/kg whole body
or
11.3 mg/kg
				  muscle
1.5 µg/L
WOCt = WQC30-day - Cbkgrnd(1-fint) fint
Duration
Instantaneous
measurement6
Instantaneous
measurement6
30 days
Number of days/month with an elevated concentration
Frequency
Not to be exceeded
Not to be exceeded
Not more than once in three years on average
Not more than once in three years on average
1. Fish tissue elements are expressed as
	 steady-state.
2. Egg/Ovary supersedes any whole-body,
	 muscle, or water column element when fish egg/ovary concentrations are
	 measured.
3. Fish whole-body or muscle tissue
	 supersedes water column element when both fish tissue and water column
	 concentrations are measured.
4. Water column values are based on
	 dissolved total selenium in water and are derived from fish tissue values via
	 bioaccumulation modeling. Water column values are the applicable criterion
	 element in the absence of steady-state condition fish tissue data.
5. Where WQC30-day is the water column
	 monthly element, for either a lake or stream; Cbkgrnd is the average background
	 selenium concentration, and fint is the fraction of any 30-day period during
	 which elevated selenium concentrations occur, with fint assigned a value >=
	 0.033 (corresponding to 1 day).
6. Fish tissue data provide instantaneous
	 point measurements that reflect integrative accumulation of selenium over time
	 and space in fish populations at a given site.
* Chemical Abstract Services Registry Number
004.01D Petroleum Oil.
Not to exceed 10 mg/L.
004.01E Alkalinity
No less than 20 mg/L as CaCO3 except where
	 natural background is less.
004.01F Residual Chlorine
004.01F1 One-hour average concentration not
  to exceed 19 µg/L.
004.01F2
  Four-day average concentration not to exceed 11 µg/L.