Abstract |
The water quality standards program is the first nationwide strategy for water quality management. It contains four major elements: the use (recreation, drinking water, fish and wildlife propagation, industrial, or agricultural) to be made of the interstate water; criteria to protect those uses; implementation plans (for needed industrial-municipal waste treatment improvements) and enforcement plans; and an antidegradation statement to protect existing high quality waters. Temperature standards are set to control thermal pollution, or the amount of heated wastes discharged into the water. |