Water Quality Criteria and Values
Summary Tables
These tables summarize aquatic life and human health numerical water quality criteria and values contained in and developed pursuant to Chapter 3745-1 of the Ohio Administrative Code. The tables were last updated on October 20, 2009.
Background
Surface water quality criteria and procedures to calculate water quality criteria are contained in Chapter 3745-1 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC). With adoption of rules in 1997 pursuant to the federal Great Lakes Initiative, the water quality criteria for many chemicals differ between the Lake Erie drainage basin and the Ohio River drainage basin. The Lake Erie drainage basin comprises roughly the northern third of Ohio. The Ohio River drainage basin comprises the rest of the state.
The numerical human health and wildlife water quality criteria are in rule 3745-1-33 (Lake Erie drainage basin) and rule 3745-1-34 (Ohio River drainage basin). The numerical aquatic life water quality criteria and other types of numerical water quality criteria are in rule 3745-1-07 (applicable statewide), rule 3745-1-31 (applicable only to Lake Erie) and rule 3745-1-32 (applicable only to the Ohio River). These rules are available here:
- 3745-1-07 Water Use Designations and Statewide Criteria (68k)
- 3745-1-31 Lake Erie Standards (11k)
- 3745-1-32 Ohio River Standards (20k)
- 3745-1-33 Water Quality Criteria for the Lake Erie Drainage Basin (11k)
- 3745-1-34 Water Quality Criteria for the Ohio River Drainage Basin (18k)
In addition to the numerical criteria in the rules, there are procedures allowing the calculation of additional water quality criteria. These procedures are in the following rules.
- 3745-1-36 Methodologies for Development of Aquatic Life Criteria and Values (38k)
- 3745-1-38 Methodologies for Development of Human Health Criteria and Values for the Lake Erie Drainage Basin (44k)
- 3745-1-39 Methodology for Development of Wildlife Criteria for the Lake Erie Drainage Basin (44k)
Additional Information
For additional information on Ohio surface water quality criteria and values, contact one of the following DSW Standards & Technical Support Section staff: