New Mexico’s Water Quality Standards, codified at 20.6.4 NMAC, define water quality goals by designating uses for rivers, streams, lakes and other surface waters, setting criteria to protect those uses, and establishing antidegradation provisions to preserve water quality. The Standards are adopted by the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC), then approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) under the federal Clean Water Act (CWA).
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PUBLIC NOTICE: 2013 Triennial Review Seeks Public Input
- Comments Due May 15, 2013 |
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CURRENT STANDARDS
The current standards incorporate the 2009 triennial review, 2010 Outstanding National Resource Waters designations and the 2012 Lower Dry Cimarron River and Lakes amendments. These standards are effective for state purposes, and they are also effective for CWA purposes as of November 20, 2012. As yet, however, the US EPA has not taken action on the following provisions:
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20.6.4.8.A(3): antidegradation for ONRWs; and |
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20.6.4.9.D(3): new ONRWs in wilderness areas. |
US EPA Decisions on Standards
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MORE RESOURCES...
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AIR-WATER CORRELATION
The Air-Water Temperature Correlation is a tool for identifying appropriate stream classifications and attainable aquatic life use subcategories based on the relationship of air temperature to water temperature.
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ALUMINUM FILTRATION STUDY
The study concludes that a filter of 10 µm pore size minimizes mineral-phase aluminum without restricting amorphous or colloidal phases. It recommends that if the turbidity of a sample is less than 30 NTU, no filtration is needed to minimize mineral phases, and that samples be filtered with capsule (disposable in-line capsule) filters, and not filtered with paper filters that are designed for use in plate or funnel-type filter holders. |
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OUTSTANDING NATIONAL RESOURCE WATERS
On November 30, 2010, the WQCC approved a petition designating perennial streams and lakes as well as identified wetlands in U.S. Forest Service wilderness areas as ONRWs. The newly designated waters and associated changes to the state’s Antidegradation Policy are amendments to the water quality standards and are effective for state purposes as of January 14, 2011. The WQCC’s action also amended the Antidegradation Policy Implementation Procedure applicable to point source discharges, and approved a new implementation document, Guidance for Nonpoint Source Discharges in ONRWs. EPA approval of the revised standards is pending. The Rio Santa Barbara and the waters of the Valle Vidal were previously designated as ONRWs. See the Outstanding Waters page for additional information.
Wilderness ONRWs and Antidegradation Amendments, January 14, 2011
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USE ATTAINABILITY ANALYSES
Final and DRAFT Use Attainability Analyses
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WQCC-Approved Lower Dry Cimarron & Lakes Amendments
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2009 TRIENNIAL REVIEW
New Mexico held its most recent Triennial Review hearing Dec. 8-11, 2009.
Based on the hearing record, the WQCC adopted numerous amendments and issued a Statement of Reasons explaining the amendments in October 2010. In a letter and Record of Decision dated April 18, 2011, EPA approved most of the provisions. In a letter and Record of Decision Addendum dated April 30, 2012, US EPA approved the remaining provisions except the hardness-based equation for aluminum in waters with pH below 6.5, and took no action on provision. See the Triennial Review site for more information.
2009 Triennial Review Amendments, December 1, 2010
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Valle Vidal ONRW Designation
Amendments, February 16, 2006
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2005 Triennial Review:
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Other Important Links...
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New Mexico Water Quality Act [NMSA 74-6-1 et seq.]
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