Since passage of the 1972 Water Pollution Control Act amendments (PL 92-500), considerable money, manpower, and research effort have been devoted to understanding and monitoring water quality in an effort to satisfy the objectives of this law. The act specified three major national goals regarding water quality: (1) Installation of waste treatment facilities throughout the country; (2) Attainment of an interim goal of water quality which provides for the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and...recreation' by mid-1983, and (3) Elimination of all discharges by 1985. The act detailed methods to achieve these goals. Monies for research and construction were allocated. Penalities were set, and a system for granting discharge permits and licenses was outlined.