Criteria Development Guidance

Estuarine and Coastal Waters

The purpose of this document is to provide scientifically defensible technical guidance to assist states and authorized Tribes in developing quantitative nutrients and algal criteria for estuaries and coastal waters.

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Fact Sheet (August 2001)
Federal Register Notice (October 10, 2001)
Summary of Peer Review Comments (PDF) (153K) (July 2002)
Summary of EPA Response to Comments (PDF) (83K) (July 2002)

Guidance Manual: Estuarine and Coastal Marine Waters

Cover (PDF) (1.7MB)
Table of Contents, Acknowledgements, Foreward, Executive Summary (PDF) (40K)
Chapter 1: Introduction and Objectives (PDF) (3.6MB)
Chapter 2: Scientific Basis for Estuarine and Coastal Waters Quantitative Nutrient Criteria (PDF) (1.8MB)
Chapter 3: Classification of Estuarine and Coastal Waters (PDF) (323K)
Chapter 4: Variables and Measurement Methods To Assess and Monitor Estuarine/Marine Eutrophic Conditions (PDF) (56K)
Chapter 5: Databases, Sampling Design, and Data Analysis (PDF) (75K)
Chapter 6: Determining the Reference Condition (PDF) (143K)
Chapter 7: Nutrient and Algal Criteria Development (PDF) (81K)
Chapter 8: Using Nutrient Criteria To Protect Water Quality (PDF) (99K)
Chapter 9: Use of Models in Nutrient Criteria Development (PDF) (336K)
Case Studies (PDF) (1.3MB)
Appendix A and B (PDF) (1.2MB)
Appendix C, D, E and F (PDF) (346K)
Appendix G Part 1 (PDF) (1.4MB)
Appendix G Part 2 (PDF) (7.3MB)
Appendix H (PDF) (159K)
Reference List (PDF) (54K)

Water Quality Criteria | Water Quality Standards

Criteria Development Guidance

Estuarine and Coastal Waters

Guidance Manual: Estuarine and Coastal Marine Waters

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