Kansas Criteria Development Progress
This page provides information about the progress Kansas has made towards the development of numeric criteria and shows what statewide and site-specific criteria are currently in effect.
Note: The information on the tabs below reflects the information available on EPA’s
Water Quality Standards Repository. The criteria presented here will be updated as new water quality standards documents are posted to the Repository.
Numeric Criteria Development
The information presented below gives a summary of state progress towards the development of numeric criteria. The information comes from EPA’s “State Adoption of Numeric Nutrient Standards (1998-2008)” report, current water quality standards, program activity measures, and nutrient criteria development plans. Links to the Kansas’s Nutrient Criteria Plan and state water quality standards are also provided.
Existing Numeric Criteria
| Waterbody Type | N | P | Chl-a | Clarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakes & Reservoirs | ||||
| Rivers & Streams | ||||
| Estuaries | N ⁄ A | N ⁄ A | N ⁄ A | N ⁄ A |
| Wetlands |
S = Statewide W = For selected waterbody N ⁄ A=Not Applicable
Note: See Statewide Criteria and Site-specific Criteria tabs for more information.
Links to Numeric Nutrient Criteria Plan and Existing Nutrient Criteria
Plan:
WQS: Kansas Water Quality Standards
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment: Bureau of Water Exit
Milestone Information
Milestone information updated July 2012.
Milestone |
Rivers and Streams | Lakes and Reservoirs | Estuaries and Coastal Waters | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TN | TP | TN | TP | TN | TP | |
| Planning for criteria development | No date provided | No date provided | No date provided | No date provided | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Collection of information and data | No date provided | No date provided | No date provided | No date provided | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Analysis of information and data | No date provided | No date provided | No date provided | No date provided | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Proposal of criteria | No date provided | No date provided | No date provided | No date provided | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Adoption of criteria (EPA-Approved) | No date provided | No date provided | No date provided | No date provided | Not applicable | Not applicable |
TN: Total Nitrogen; TP: Total Phosphorus
Statewide Criteria
The information on this tab shows EPA-approved nutrient criteria for Kansas’s waterbodies. The language presented below comes directly from state water quality standards and applies to all waterbodies within the state (unless a waterbody type or designated use is noted). Criteria applicable to specific waterbodies within the state can be found on the “Site-specific Criteria” tab. For more information, refer to the Kansas water quality standards.
The following information reflects Kansas’ water quality standards posted to the Water Quality Standards Repository as of November 2010 (EPA-approved June 2008).
Article 16. - Surface Water Quality Standards
28-16-28e. Surface water quality criteria.
(b) General criteria for surface waters. The following criteria shall apply to all surface waters, regardless of classification.
(1) Surface waters shall be free, at all times, from the harmful effects of substances that originate from artificial sources of pollution and that produce any public health hazard, nuisance condition, or impairment of a designated use.
(7) Taste-producing and odor-producing substances of artificial origin shall not occur in surface waters at concentrations that interfere with the production of potable water by conventional water treatment processes, that impart an unpalatable flavor to edible aquatic or semiaquatic life or terrestrial wildlife, or that result in noticeable odors in the vicinity of surface waters.
(8) The natural appearance of surface waters shall not be altered by the addition of color-producing or turbidity-producing substances of artificial origin.
(c) Criteria for designated uses of surface waters.
(2) Aquatic life support use.
(A) Nutrients. The introduction of plant nutrients into streams, lakes, or wetlands from artificial sources shall be controlled to prevent the accelerated succession or replacement of aquatic biota or the production of undesirable quantities or kinds of aquatic life.
(3) Domestic water supply use.
(D) The introduction of plant nutrients into surface waters designated for domestic water supply use shall be controlled to prevent interference with the production of drinking water.
(7) Recreational use.
(A) General. The introduction of plant nutrients into surface waters designated for primary or secondary contact recreational use shall be controlled to prevent the development of objectionable concentrations of algae or algal by-products or nuisance growths of submersed, floating, or emergent aquatic vegetation.
Tables of Numeric Criteria
Table 1a. Aquatic Life, Agriculture, And Public Health Designated Uses Numeric Criteria.
| Use Category | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquatic Life | Agriculture | Public Health | ||||
| Parameter | Acute | Chronic | Livestock | Irrigation | Food Procurement | Domestic Water Supply |
| nitrate (as N) | a | a | a | a | a | 10,000 |
| nitrite + nitrate (as N) | a | a | 100,000 | a | a | 10,000 |
a - criterion not available
Site-specific Criteria
The information on this tab shows EPA-approved site-specific nutrient criteria for Kansas’s waterbodies. Criteria on this page apply only to the waterbodies listed below. Criteria applicable to all waterbodies within the state are found on the “Statewide Criteria” tab. For more information, refer to the Kansas water quality standards.
The following information reflects Kansas’ water quality standards posted to the Water Quality Standards Repository as of November 2010 (EPA-approved June 2008).
None.