7 Del. Admin. Code § 7401
The following words and terms, when used in this regulation, shall have the following meaning unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
“Acute”means involving a stimulus severe enough to rapidly induce an adverse response; in toxicity tests, an adverse response observed in 96 hours or less is typically considered acute. An acute effect is not always measured in terms of lethality; it can measure a variety of short term adverse effects.
“Additive Effect”means the total effect of a mixture of pollutants which is equal to the arithmetic sum of the effects of the individual pollutants in the mixture.
“Agriculture” means the use of land and water in the production of food, fiber and timber products.
“Antagonistic Effect”means the total effect of a mixture of pollutants which is less than the arithmetic sum of the effects of the individual pollutants in the mixture.
“Average”means, unless otherwise noted, the arithmetic mean of a representative group of samples for a specified parameter. Representativeness shall be determined through application of appropriate statistical techniques to data collected at times of critical ambient conditions, as determined on a parameter-by-parameter basis.
“Best Management Practice (BMP)” are methods, measures or practices that are determined by the Department to be reasonable and cost-effective means for a person to meet certain, generally nonpoint source, pollution control needs. BMPs include but are not limited to structural and nonstructural controls and operation and maintenance procedures. BMPs can be applied before, during or after pollution-producing activities to reduce or eliminate the introduction of pollutants into receiving waters.
“Best Scientific Judgment” means findings, conclusions, or recommended actions which result from the application of logical reasoning and appropriate scientific principles and practices to available and relevant information on a particular situation.
“Bioavailability” means a measure of the physicochemical access of a pollutant to an organism.
“Biodegradation” means the biological decomposition of natural or synthetic organic materials by microorganisms.
“Carcinogen” means a substance that increases the risk of benign or malignant neoplasms (tumors) in humans or other animals. Carcinogens regulated through these Standards include but may not be limited to those toxic substances classified as Group A or Group B carcinogens as defined in 51 FR 185 (9/24/86).
“Chronic”means involving a stimulus that produces an adverse response that lingers or continues for a relatively long period of time, often one-tenth of the life span or more. Chronic should be considered a relative term depending on the life span of the organism. A chronic effect can be lethality, growth or reproductive impairment, or other longer term adverse effect.
“Clean Water Act”means 33 U.S.C. 1251 et. seq., as amended.
“Cold Water Fish Use” means protection of fish species (such as from the family Salmonidae) and other flora and fauna indigenous to a cold water habitat.
“Complete Mix” means the concentration of a discharged pollutant varies by no more than 5% over the cross-sectional area of the receiving water at the point of discharge.
“Conservation Plan”means a conservation plan is a record of land user decisions affecting land use and conservation treatment of natural resources including soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources. It is comprised of resource management systems which are groups of interrelated conservation practices (BMPs) and management measures formulated to protect, restore, or improve the resource base. Conservation plans are usually developed with the assistance of conservation districts using district BMP standards (ref: Field Office Technical Guide, USDA Soil Conservation Service).
“Control Structure”means a dam, weir or other structure placed by man to regulate stream flow and/or create an impoundment.
“Critical Flow”means a statistically determined minimum flow, which has a defined duration and recurrence interval.
“Degradation”means any adverse change in water quality or existing uses.
“Department”means the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
“Designated Uses”means those uses specified in water quality standards for each water body or segment whether or not they are being attained.
“Diadromous”describes fish which migrate to and from marine water and freshwater for the purpose of spawning.
“Discharge Length Scale”means the square root of the cross-sectional area of any discharge outlet.
“Dispersion” means a physical mixing process which results in the scattering of particles or dissolved materials in the water column.
“Early Life Stages”means life stages for fish which include all embryonic and larval stages, and all juvenile forms to 30 days following hatching.
“Ephemeral”describes a stream which contains flowing water only for short periods following precipitation events.
“Excavated Waters”means waters of the State which are wholly human-created. Such waters shall include but not be limited to upland basins with surface outlets, drainage and tax ditches which are ephemeral, and dug ponds.
“Existing Use” means those uses actually attained in the water body on or after November 28, 1975, whether or not they are included in the water quality standards.
“Fish, Aquatic Life And Wildlife”means all animal and plant life found in Delaware, either indigenous or migratory, regardless of life stage or economic importance.
"Fish Consumption" means the human ingestion of fish and shellfish, that are not chemically contaminated at a level that will cause a significant adverse health impact, caught from the State's waters.
“Foam”means frothy, generally stable, whitish mass of bubbles formed on or in the water upon agitation of the water.
“Fresh Water”means waters of the State which contain natural levels of salinity of 5 parts per thousand or less.
“Fresh Water Flow” means that flow which represents the amount of water passing a measurement point in a non-tidal system.
“Harvestable Shellfish Waters”means waters from which shellfish may be taken and consumed; such waters are approved for shellfish harvesting by the Shellfish & Recreational Waters Branch, Watershed Assessment and Management Section, Division of Watershed Stewardship, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
“Hydrolysis”means a reaction of a chemical with water which results in the cleavage of a chemical bond.
“Indigenous”means native, or naturally growing, existing, or produced.
“Industrial Water Supply”means any water that is protected for use for industrial purposes, including non-contact cooling water.
“Intake Water”means water used by a facility from surface water, groundwater, commercial, or other sources.
“Intermittent”describes a stream which contains flowing water for extended periods during a year, but does not carry flow at all times.
“Lethal Concentration” or "LC" means the point estimate of the toxicant concentration that would be lethal to a given percentage of test organisms during a specific period.
“Marine Water”means waters of the State which contain natural levels of salinity in excess of 5 parts per thousand.
“Migratory Fish Spawning and Nursery Designated Use” means in the Nanticoke River from the upstream-most limits of the City of Seaford to the Maryland State Line and the Broad Creek from the upstream-most limits of the Town of Laurel to the confluence with the Nanticoke River, the survival, growth and propagation of balanced indigenous populations of ecologically, recreationally and commercially important anadromous, semi-anadromous and tidal-fresh resident fish inhabiting spawning and nursery grounds from February 1 through May 31.
“Minimum Analytical Level”means the lowest concentration of a substance that can be quantified within specified limits of interlaboratory precision and accuracy under routine laboratory operating conditions in the matrix of concern.
“Natural Conditions” means water quality characteristics found or expected in the absence of human-induced pollution due to point or nonpoint sources.
“Net Advective Flow” means that flow which represents the difference between the amount of water passing a point in a tidal system on a flood tide and the subsequent ebb tide. It is approximately equal to the freshwater input to the system upstream of that point.
“Normal Corrosion”means anelectrochemicalreaction that results in the dissolution or removal of metal from a solid metal surface. For specific applications considered by the Department, normal corrosion rates shall be as published by the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (Reference: Corrosion Data Survey - Metals Section, National Association of Corrosion Engineers, 1985, as updated from time to time) or, for applications not specifically addressed in the above reference, such other reliable data.
“Normal Erosion” means the progressive loss of original material from a solid surface due to mechanical interaction between that surface and a fluid, a multi-component fluid or an impinging liquid or solid particle. (Reference: Standard Practice for Liquid Impingement Erosion Testing, ASTM Designation G73-82, 1987; or other authoritative source for materials or conditions not covered by the referenced standard).
“NPDES”means National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System as provided in the Clean Water Act.
“Nuisance Condition”means any condition that, as a result of pollutant addition to a stream, causes unreasonable interference with the designated uses of the waters or the uses of the adjoining land areas.
“Nuisance Species”mean any species of fish, other animal, or plant living in or near the water, the presence of which causes unreasonable interference with the designated uses of the waters or the uses of adjoining land areas. Nuisance species include but are not limited to filamentous and blue-green algae.
“Nutrient” means any element or compound essential as a raw material for organism growth and development, including but not limited to nitrogen and phosphorus.
“One-hour Average”means the arithmetic average of the samples collected during a continuous one-hour period.
“Open-water Fish And Shellfish Designated Use”means in the Nanticoke River from the upstream-most limits of the City of Seaford to the Maryland State Line and the Broad Creek from the upstream-most limits of the Town of Laurel to the confluence with the Nanticoke River, the survival, growth and propagation of balanced indigenous populations of ecologically, recreationally and commercially important fish and shellfish inhabiting open water habitats year round.
“Overenrichment”means excessive addition of nutrients to a water body, resulting in deterioration of designated uses of the waters.
“Perennial”describes a freshwater stream which contains flowing water at all times.
“Person”means any individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, federal agency, partnership, corporation (including a government corporation), association, state, municipality, commission, political subdivision of a state, or any interstate body.
“Photolysis”meansa light-catalyzed degradation reaction that occurs when light strikes certain chemicals.
“Pollutant”means dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, hydrocarbons, oil and product chemicals, and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water.
“Practicable”means available and capable of being done after taking into consideration cost and existing technology, as well as logistics in light of overall facility operations or project purposes.
“Primary Contact Recreation”meansany water-based form of recreation, the practice of which has a high probability for total body immersion or ingestion of water (examples include but are not limited to swimming and water skiing).
“Propagation”means reproduction of fish, aquatic life and wildlife within their natural environment.
“Public Water Supply” means any waters of the State designated as public water supply in Section 3.0.
“Regulatory Mixing Zone” means a designated, mathematically defined portion of a receiving water body, in close proximity to a discharge, in which initial dilution, dispersion, and reaction of discharged pollutants occur. See Section 6.0 for details on use of term.
“Risk Management Level”meansthat level above which an assessed risk is unacceptable from a public health perspective.
“Scientifically Reasonable Request”means any request that is based upon material, substantial, and relevant information and would be accepted as reasonable by most persons trained and competent in the subject of the request.
“Scum” describes a thin layer of impurities which forms on the surface of waters of the State.
“Secondary Contact Recreation”means a water-based form of recreation, the practice of which has a low probability for total body immersion or ingestion of water (examples include but are not limited to wading, boating, and fishing).
“Sedimentation” means the movement of solid particles and adsorbed chemicals toward the bottom of the water column under the influence of gravity.
“Shallow-water Bay Grass Designated Use” means in the Nanticoke River from the upstream-most limits of the City of Seaford to the Maryland State Line and the Broad Creek from the upstream-most limits of the Town of Laurel to the confluence with the Nanticoke River, the survival, growth and propagation of rooted, underwater bay grasses necessary for the propagation and growth of balanced indigenous populations of ecologically, recreationally and commercially important fish and shellfish inhabiting vegetated shallow-water habitats April 1 through October 31.
“Shellfish”means any species of fresh, brackish or salt water mollusk that is commonly considered to be edible. Typical edible mollusks include but are not limited to clams, mussels, oysters, scallops, and whelks.
“Stream Basin” means a specified drainage area from which (in most cases) all waters exit through a single outlet.
“Surface Water”means water occurring generally on the surface of the earth.
“Synergistic Effect”means the total effect of a mixture of pollutants which is greater than the arithmetic sum of the effects of the individual pollutants in the mixture.
“Systemic Toxicant”means a toxic substance that has the ability to cause health effects within the body at sites distant from the entry point due to its absorption and distribution. Systemic toxicants are believed to have threshold concentrations or levels below which no health effects occur.
“Tidal”meanssurface waters characterized by periodic rise and fall due to gravitational interactions between the sun, moon, and earth.
“Toxicity” means the ability to cause death, disease, behavioral abnormalities, cancer, genetic mutations, physiological malfunctions (including malfunctions in reproduction), or physical deformities in organisms or their offspring.
“Toxicity Test”means the means to determine the toxicity of a chemical or effluent using living organisms. A toxicity test measures the degree of response of an exposed test organism to a specific chemical or effluent.
“Toxic Substance”means any substance or combination of substances including disease-causing agents, which after discharge and upon exposure, ingestion, inhalation, or assimilation into any organism, either directly from the environment or indirectly by ingestion through food chains, may cause death, disease, behavioral abnormalities, cancer, genetic mutations, physiological malfunctions (including malfunctions in reproduction), or physical deformities in such organisms or their offspring.
“True Daily Mean”means the mean value for a parameter which accurately accounts for diurnal variations over one 24-hour period.
“Use Attainability Analysis”means a structured scientific assessment of the factors affecting the attainment of the use which may include physical, chemical, biological, and economic factors as described in subsections 9.1.1.1 through 9.1.1.8.
“Volatilization”means the loss of a chemical from the water column due to mass exchange across the air-water interface.
“Water Distribution Piping and Appurtenances”means pipes and piping systems, along with integral components thereof, which are used to convey water from one point to another.
“Water Pollution”means man-made or human-induced alteration of the chemical, physical, biological or radiological integrity of surface waters of the State.
“Water Quality”means the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water with respect to its suitability for a particular use. For the purposes of these Standards, water quality shall be assessed in terms of chemical composition, biological integrity, and physical habitat.
“Water-Quality Based”means, generally, requirements for pollution control that are in excess of technology-based minimum requirements, including but not limited to those listed in Sections 301(b) and 306 of the Clean Water Act. Such controls are designed to reduce pollutants to a level that will allow water quality standards to be attained where said standards would not be attained through application of the technology-based controls.
“Water Quality Criterion” means an element of water quality standards, expressed as constituent concentrations, levels, or narrative statements, representing a quality of water that supports a particular designated use.
“Water Quality Standard”means a rule or limit defined herein which consists of a designated use or uses for waters of the State and water quality criteria for such waters based upon such designated uses.
“Waters of the State” means:
All surface waters of the State including but not limited to:
Waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide, including but not limited to estuaries, bays, and the Atlantic Ocean;
All interstate waters, including interstate wetlands;
All other waters of the State, such as lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent and ephemeral streams), drainage ditches, tax ditches, creeks, mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, or natural or impounded ponds;
All impoundments of waters otherwise defined as waters of the State under this definition;
Wetlands adjacent to waters (other than waters that are themselves wetlands) identified above;
Waste and stormwater treatment systems, including but not limited to treatment ponds or lagoons designed to meet the requirements of the Clean Water Act (other than cooling ponds which otherwise meet the requirements of subsection (l) of this definition) are not waters of the State.
" Waters of Exceptional Recreational or Ecological Significance ”or“ ERES "means waters which are important, unique, or sensitive from a recreational and/or ecological perspective, but which may or may not have excellent water quality. Such waters shall normally have regional significance with respect to recreational use (fishing, swimming and boating), or have significant or widespread riverine, riparian, or wetland natural areas.
"Wetland Dominated Tidal River Designated Use"applies to the Murderkill River from the Route 1 Bridge to the confluence with Delaware Bay which supports the survival, growth and propagation of balanced indigenous populations of fish inhabiting the river and adapted to intermittent low dissolved oxygen caused by natural processes during the period May 16 through September 30.
“Wetlands”means wetlands are those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas.
The designated uses applicable to the various stream basins represent the categories of beneficial use of waters of the state which must be maintained and protected through application of appropriate criteria.
| Basins and waterbodies as illustrated in Figure 1 | Public Water Supply Source | Industrial Water Supply | Primary Contact Recreation | Secondary Contact Recreation | Fish, Aquatic Life & Wildlife** | Cold Water Fish (Put-and-Take) | Agricultural Water Supply | ERES Waters* | Harvestable Shellfish Waters | Fish Consumption | |
| # | Name | ||||||||||
| 1 | Naamans Creek | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 2 | Shellpot Creek | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 3 | Brandywine Creek | (a) | x | x | x | x | (b) | (a) | (h) | - | x |
| 4 | Red Clay Creek | x | x | x | x | x | (e) | x | q | - | x |
| 5 | White Clay Creek | (a) | x | x | x | x | (f) | (a) | (g) | - | x |
| 6 | Christina River | (a) | x | x | x | x | (c) | (a) | - | - | x |
| 7 | Delaware River | - | - | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 8 | Army Creek | - | - | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 9 | Red Lion Creek | (a)(i) | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 10 | Dragon Run Creek | (a) | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 11 | Chesapeake & Delaware Canal East | - | x | x | x | x | - | - | - | - | x |
| 12 | Appoquinimink River | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 13 | Blackbird Creek | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 14 | Delaware Bay | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | x | ||
| 15 | Smyrna River | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 16 | Leipsic River | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 17 | Little Creek | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 18 | St. Jones River | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 19 | Murderkill River | - | x | x | x | x (r) | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 20 | Mispillion River | - | x | x | x | x | (a) | x | |||
| 21 | Cedar Creek | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | (d) | - | x |
| 22 | Broadkill River (k) | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | - | - | x |
| 23 | Elk Creek | - | x | x | x | x | - | x | - | - | x |
| 24 | Perch Creek | - | x | x | x | x | - | x | - | - | x |
| 25 | Chesapeake & Delaware Canal West | - | x | x | x | x | - | - | - | - | x |
| 26 | Bohemia Creek | - | x | x | x | x | - | x | - | - | x |
| 27 | Sassafras River | - | x | x | x | x | - | x | - | - | x |
| 28 | Chester River | - | x | x | x | x | - | x | - | - | x |
| 29 | Choptank River | - | x | x | x | x | x | - | x | ||
| 30 | Marshyhope Creek | - | x | x | x | x | - | x | x | - | x |
| 31 | Nanticoke River | - | x | x | x | x (p) | - | (a) | x | - | x |
| 32 | Gum Branch | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | x | - | x |
| 33 | Gravelly Branch | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | x | - | x |
| 34 | Deep Creek | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | x | - | x |
| 35 | Broad Creek | - | x | x | x | x (p) | - | (a) | x | - | x |
| 36 | Wicomico | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | x | - | x |
| 37 | Pocomoke River | - | x | x | x | x | - | x | - | - | x |
| 38 | Lewes & Rehoboth Canal | - | x | x | x | x | - | - | - | - | x |
| 39 | Rehoboth Bay | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | x | (j) | x |
| 40 | Indian River | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | (d) | - | x |
| 41 | Iron Branch | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | (d) | - | x |
| 42 | Indian River Bay | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | x | (j) | x |
| 43 | Buntings Branch | - | - | x | x | x | - | x | - | - | x |
| 44 | Assawoman | - | - | x | x | x | - | (a) | x- | - | x |
| 45 | Little Assawoman Bay | - | x | x | x | x | - | (a) | x | - | x |
| Delaware Bay (waterbody) (l), (n) | - | x | x | x | x | - | - | (m) | (j) | x | |
| Delaware River (Waterbody) (l),(o) | - | x | x | x | x | - | - | - | - | x | |
| Atlantic Ocean (waterbody) | - | x | x | x | x | - | - | (m) | x |
(b) Designated use from March 15 to June 30 on:
(c) Designated use from March 15 to June 30 on:
(e) Designated use year round on:
(f) Designated use year round on:
1. White Clay Creek from the PA/DE line to the dam at Curtis Paper.
Designated use from March 15 to June 30 on:
(x) This designated water use to be protected throughout entire stream basin
- water uses not designated in the stream basin
* waters of exceptional recreational or ecological significance
** includes shellfish propagation
Figure1 Delaware Watersheds and Waterbodies
Basin Boundaries to be used in determination of standards applicability are on file with the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship.
4.1 All surface waters of the State (except as detailed in Sections 7.0 and 8.0) shall meet the following minimum criteria:
4.1.1 Waters shall be free from substances that are attributable to wastes of industrial, municipal, agricultural or other human-induced origin. Examples include but are not limited to the following:
4.2 Narrative Criteria for Waters With the Public Water Supply Designated Use
4.2.1 Streams with a designated use of public water supply shall provide waters of acceptable quality for use for drinking, culinary or food processing purposes after application of approved treatment equivalent to coagulation, filtration, and disinfection (with additional treatment as necessary to remove naturally occurring impurities). The untreated waters are subject to the following limitations:
4.2.1.1 Waters shall be free from substances (except natural impurities) that, alone or in combination with other substances, result in:
4.4 Coordination with Delaware River Basin Commission:
For waters of the Delaware River and Delaware Bay, duly adopted Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) Water Quality Regulations shall be the applicable criteria. If the DRBC has not developed an applicable regulatory standard or criteria for these waters, and Delaware has, Delaware’s criteria shall be applicable.
4.5 The following criteria shall apply outside approved regulatory mixing zones unless otherwise specified:
4.5.1 Temperature, measured as Fahrenheit Degrees
4.5.1.1 Fresh Waters
4.5.1.2 Marine Waters
4.5.1.3 Cold Water Fisheries (Put and Take)
4.5.2 Dissolved Oxygen, measured as milligrams per liter (mg/L)
4.5.2.1 Fresh Waters
4.5.2.2 Marine Waters
4.5.2.3 Cold Water Fisheries (Put and Take)
4.5.2.4 The Nanticoke River from the upstream-most limits of the City of Seaford to the Maryland State Line and Broad Creek from the upstream-most limits of the Town of Laurel to the confluence with the Nanticoke River
4.5.2.4.1 For the period February 1- May 31:
4.5.2.4.2 For June 1- January 31
At water temperatures greater than 84 degrees Fahrenheit, instantaneous minimum shall not be less than 4.3 mg/L
4.5.2.5 The Murderkill River from the Route 1 Bridge to the Confluence with the Delaware Bay
4.5.2.5.1 For the period from May 16through September 30:
4.5.2.6 All Waters
4.5.3 pH, measured in standard units, in all waters of the state
4.5.6 Water Clarity in the Nanticoke River from the upstream-most limits of the City of Seaford to the Maryland State Line and Broad Creek from the upstream-most limits of the Town of Laurel to the confluence with the Nanticoke River:
4.5.6.1 Chlorophyll-a criteria for the Nanticoke River from the upstream-most limits of the City of Seaford to the Maryland State Line and Broad Creek from the upstream-most limits of the Town of Laurel to the confluence with the Nanticoke River:
Concentrations of chlorophyll-a in free-floating microscopic aquatic plants (algae) shall not exceed levels that result in ecologically undesirable consequences - such as reduced water clarity, low dissolved oxygen, food supply imbalances, proliferation of species deemed potentially harmful to aquatic life or humans or aesthetically objectionable conditions or otherwise render tidal waters unsuitable for designated uses.
During the period of April 1 to October 31 the minimum seasonal averaged secchi depth shall be 1.0 m.
4.5.7 Bacterial Water Quality Criteria
4.5.7.1 Primary and Secondary Contact Recreation Waters:
The following criteria shall apply:
The purpose of these criteria is to provide the Department with a basis to assess water quality trends and pollution control needs with regard to primary and secondary contact recreation in waters of the State and to meet Federal Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act Requirements. The criteria apply to enterococcus bacteria determined by the Department to be of non-wildlife origin based on best scientific judgment using available information. Swimming in waters affected by runoff during runoff periods may present an elevated risk of gastrointestinal illness and is not recommended.
4.5.7.2 Harvestable Shellfish waters:
The total coliform median MPN of the water shall not exceed 70/100 mL, nor shall more than 10% of the samples have an MPN in excess of 330/100 mL for a 3 decimal dilution test (or 230/100 mL where the 5 tube decimal test is used). These criteria shall be verified through sampling of those portions of the shellfish area most probably exposed to fecal contamination for those tidal and climatic conditions most likely to result in contamination of the shellfish area.
4.5.8 Nutrients
Nutrient overenrichment is recognized as a significant problem in some surface waters of the State.
4.5.9 Toxic Substances
4.5.9.2 General Provisions:
4.5.9.3 Specific Numerical Criteria:
4.5.9.3.1 Aquatic Life Criteria:
4.5.9.3.2 Human Health Criteria
4.5.9.3.2.2 For compounds in Table 2 which are considered as both systemic toxicants and human carcinogens, criteria based on both human health concerns are presented. In determining pollution control requirements, the more stringent criterion, after consideration of critical (design) flows in Section 7.0, shall be utilized.
TABLE 1
WATER QUALITY CRITERIA FOR PROTECTION OF AQUATIC LIFE
(All Values Are Listed or Calculated in Micrograms Per Liter)
| Parameter | Fresh Acute Criterion | Fresh Chronic Criterion | Marine Acute Criterion | Marine Chronic Criterion |
| Aldrin | 3.0 | -- | 1.3 | -- |
| Acrolein | 3.0 | 3.0 | ||
| Aluminum pH6.5-9.0 | 750. | 87. | -- | -- |
| Ammonia | Temperature and pH dependent, see formula after this table | Temperature and pH dependent, see formula after this table | ||
| Arsenic (III)* | 340. | 150 | 69. | 36. |
| Cadmium* | EXP^(0.9789*LN(hardness)-3.866)*(1.136672-((LN(hardness)*(0.041838)))) | EXP^(0.7977*LN(hardness)-3.909)*(1.101672-((LN(hardness)*(0.041838)))) | 33 | 7.9 |
| Carbaryl | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.6 | |
| Chlordane | 2.4 | 0.0043 | 0.09 | 0.004 |
| Chlorine | 19 | 11. | 13 | 7.5 |
| Chlorpyrifos (Dursban) | 0.083 | 0.041 | 0.011 | 0.0056 |
| Chromium (III)* | 0.316*EXP(0.819*LN(hardness)+3.7256) | 0.86*EXP(0.819*LN(hardness)+0.6848) | C | -- |
| Chromium (VI)* | 16. | 11. | 1,100. | 50. |
| Copper* | Freshwater criteria calculated using the EPA Biotic Ligand Model | Freshwater criteria calculated using the EPA Biotic Ligand Model | 4.8 | 3.1 |
| Cyanide1 | 22. | 5.2 | 1.0 | -- |
| DDT and Metabolites (DDD and DDE) | 1.1 | 0.0010 | 0.13 | 0.0010 |
| Demeton | -- | 0.10 | -- | 0.10 |
| Diazanon | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.82 | 0.82 |
| Dieldrin | 0.24 | .056 | 0.71 | 0.0019 |
| Endosulfan | 0.22 | 0.056 | 0.034 | 0.0087 |
| Endrin | .086 | .036 | 0.037 | 0.0023 |
| Guthion | -- | 0.01 | -- | 0.01 |
| Heptachlor | 0.52 | 0.0038 | 0.053 | 0.0036 |
| Hexachloro-cylclohexane | .095 | 0.08 | 0.16 | -- |
| Iron | -- | 1000. | -- | -- |
| Lead* | (1.46203-LN(hardness)*0.145712)* EXP(1.273*LN(hardness)-1.460) | (1.46203-LN(hardness)*0.145712)* EXP(1.273*LN(hardness)-4.705) | 210. | 8.1 |
| Malathion | -- | 0.1 | -- | 0.1 |
| Mercury (II)* | 1.4 | .77 | 1.8 | 0.94 |
| Methoxychlor | -- | 0.03 | -- | 0.03 |
| Mirex | -- | 0.001 | C | 0.001 |
| Nickel* Nonylphenol | 0.998*EXP(0.8460*LN(hardness)+2.255) 28 | 0.997*EXP(0.8460*LN(hardness)+0.0584) 6.6 | 74. 7 | 8.2 1.7 |
| Total PCBs | 0.014 | 0.03 | ||
| Parathion | 0.065 | 0.013 | -- | -- |
| Pentachlorophenol | EXP(1.005*pH-4.869) | EXP(1.005*pH-5.134) | 13. | 7.9 |
| Selenium | 20 | 5.0 | 290 | 71. |
| Silver* | 0.85*EXP(1.72*LN(hardness)-6.59) | -- | 1.9 | -- |
| Toxaphene | 0.73 | 0.0002 | 0.21 | 0.0002 |
| Tributyltin (TBT) | 0.46 | 0.072 | 0.42 | 0.0074 |
| Zinc* | 0.978*EXP(0.8473*LN(hardness)+0.884) | 0.986*EXP(0.8473*LN(hardness)+0.884) | 90 | 81 |
Notes:
1Cyanide measured as free cyanide at the lowest pH occurring in the receiving water, or cyanide amenable to chlorination.
Formulas in the table have been formatted so that they can be copied directly into spreadsheets to calculate criteria. Criteria are calculated to two significant figures.
LN = natural log base e
EXP = e = 2.71828
Hardness is expressed as mg/L as CaCO3
pH is expressed as Standard Units
* Criteria is for total dissolved form
Calculation of Freshwater Acute Ammonia Criterion:
The one-hour average concentration of total ammonia nitrogen (in mg TAN/L) is not to exceed, more than once every three years on the average, the CMC (acute criterion magnitude) calculated using the following equation:


Where:
pH=pH of interest
t= temperature degrees Celsius
Calculation of Freshwater Chronic Ammonia Criterion:
The thirty-day rolling average concentration of total ammonia nitrogen (in mg TAN/L) is not to exceed, more than once every three years on the average, the chronic criterion magnitude (CCC) calculated using the following equation:

Where:
pH=pH of interest
t= temperature degrees Celsius
In addition, the highest four-day average within the 30-day averaging period should not be more than 2.5 times the CCC more than once in three years on average.
TABLE 2
WATER QUALITY CRITERIA FOR PROTECTION OF HUMAN HEALTH
(All Values Are Listed in Micrograms per Liter)
| Pollutant | Human Health for the consumption of Organism Only (ug/l) | Human Health for the consumption of Water + Organism (ug/l) |
| Acenaphthene | 90 | 70 |
| Acrolein | 400 | 3 |
| Acrylonitrile | 7 | 0.061 |
| Aldrin | 0.00000077 | 0.00000077 |
| alpha-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) | 0.00039 | 0.00036 |
| alpha-Endosulfan | 30 | 20 |
| Anthracene | 400 | 300 |
| Antimony | 640 | 5.6 |
| Arsenic | 10 (mcl) | |
| Asbestos | 7 million fibers/L | |
| Barium | 1,000 | |
| Benzene | 16 | 0.58 |
| Benzidine | 0.011 | 0.00014 |
| Benzo(a)anthracene | 0.18 | 0.038 |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | 0.018 | 0.0038 |
| Benzo(b)fluoranthene | 0.18 | 0.038 |
| Beryllium | 4 (MCL) | |
| beta-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) | 0.014 | 0.008 |
| beta-Endosulfan | 40 | 20 |
| Bis(2-Chloro-1-methylethyl) Ether | 4000 | 200 |
| Bis(2-Chloroethyl) Ether | 2.2 | 0.03 |
| Bis(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 0.37 | 0.32 |
| Bis(Chloromethyl) Ether | 0.017 | 0.00015 |
| Bromoform | 120 | 7 |
| Butylbenzyl Phthalate | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Cadmium | 5 (MCL) | |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 5 | 0.4 |
| Chlordane | 0.00032 | 0.00031 |
| Chlorobenzene | 800 | 100 |
| Chlorodibromomethane | 21 | 0.8 |
| Chloroform | 2,000 | 60 |
| Chlorophenoxy Herbicide (2,4-D) | 70 (MCL) | |
| Chlorophenoxy Herbicide (2,4,5-TP) [Silvex] | 50 (MCL) | |
| Chromium (III) | 100 (MCL) | |
| Chromium (VI) | 100 (MCL) | |
| Chrysene | 0.13 | 0.12 |
| Copper | 1300 (MCL) | |
| Cyanide | 400 | 4 |
| Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene | 0.018 | 0.0038 |
| Dichlorobromomethane | 27 | 0.95 |
| Dieldrin | 0.0000012 | 0.0000012 |
| Diethyl Phthalate | 600 | 600 |
| Dimethyl Phthalate | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Di-n-Butyl Phthalate | 30 | 20 |
| Dinitrophenols | 1,000 | 10 |
| Endosulfan Sulfate | 40 | 20 |
| Endrin | 0.03 | 0.03 |
| Endrin Aldehyde | 1 | 1 |
| Ethylbenzene | 130 | 68 |
| Fluoranthene | 20 | 20 |
| Fluorene | 70 | 50 |
| gamma-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) [Lindane] | 4.4 | 0.2 (MCL) |
| Heptachlor | 0.0000059 | 0.0000059 |
| Heptachlor Epoxide | 0.000032 | 0.000032 |
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.000079 | 0.000079 |
| Hexachlorobutadiene | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) -Technical | 0.01 | 0.0066 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | 4 | 4 |
| Hexachloroethane | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene | 0.0013 | 0.0012 |
| Isophorone | 1,800 | 34 |
| Methylmercury | 0.3 mg/kg | — |
| Methoxychlor | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Methyl Bromide | 10000 | 100 |
| Methylene Chloride | 1,000 | 5 (MCL) |
| Nickel | 4,600 | 610 |
| Nitrates | 10,000 (MCL) | |
| Nitrobenzene | 600 | 10 |
| Nitrosodibutylamine | 0.22 | 0.0063 |
| Nitrosodiethylamine | 1.24 | 0.0008 |
| Nitrosopyrrolidine | 34 | 0.016 |
| N-Nitrosodimethylamine | 3 | 0.00069 |
| N-Nitrosodi-n-Propylamine | 0.51 | 0.005 |
| N-Nitrosodiphenylamine | 6 | 3.3 |
| Pentachlorobenzene | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Pentachlorophenol | 0.04 | 0.03 |
| Phenol | 300,000 | 4,000 |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 0.000064 | 0.000064 |
| Pyrene | 30 | 20 |
| Selenium | 4200 | 50 (MCL) |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 29 | 5 (MCL) |
| Thallium | 0.47 | 0.24 |
| Toluene | 520 | 57 |
| Toxaphene | 0.00071 | 0.0007 |
| Trichloroethylene | 7 | 0.6 |
| Vinyl Chloride | 1.6 | 0.022 |
| Zinc | 26,000 | 7,400 |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | 200,000 | 200 (MCL) |
| 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane | 3 | 0.2 |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | 8.9 | 0.55 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 20,000 | 7 (MCL) |
| 1,2,4,5-Tetrachlorobenzene | 0.03 | 0.03 |
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | 0.076 | 0.071 |
| 1,2-Dichlorobenzene | 3,000 | 600(MCL) |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | 650 | 5 (MCL) |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | 31 | 0.9 |
| 1,2-Diphenylhydrazine | 0.2 | 0.03 |
| Trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 4,000 | 100 |
| 1,3-Dichlorobenzene | 10 | 7 |
| 1,3-Dichloropropene | 12 | 0.27 |
| 1,4-Dichlorobenzene | 900 | 75 (MCL) |
| 2,3,7,8-TCDD (Dioxin)(as TEQ1) | 5.10E-09 | 5.00E-09 |
| 2,4,5-Trichlorophenol | 600 | 300 |
| 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol | 2.8 | 1.5 |
| 2,4-Dichlorophenol | 60 | 10 |
| 2,4-Dimethylphenol | 3,000 | 100 |
| 2,4-Dinitrophenol | 300 | 10 |
| 2,4-Dinitrotoluene | 1.7 | 0.049 |
| 2-Chloronaphthalene | 1000 | 800 |
| 2-Chlorophenol | 800 | 30 |
| 2-Methyl-4,6-Dinitrophenol | 30 | 2 |
| 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine | 0.15 | 0.049 |
| 3-Methyl-4-Chlorophenol | 2,000 | 500 |
| p,p′-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) | 0.00012 | 0.00012 |
| p,p′-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) | 0.000018 | 0.000018 |
| p,p′-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) | 0.00003 | 0.00003 |
The columns labeled "Fish and Water Ingestion” shall apply only to waters of the State designated Public Water Supply sources in these standards.
The column labeled "Fish Ingestion Only" shall apply to all waters of the State not designated Public Water Supply sources in this document.
Values shown with “(MCL)” under header "Fish and Water Ingestion" are Primary Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) as given in the State of Delaware Regulations Governing Public Drinking Water Systems that became effective September 10, 2001
Criteria is for the "total toxic equivalence (TEQ) to 2, 3, 7, 8 - TCDD". The toxic equivalence for a sample is the sum of the concentration for each congener multiplied by its associated Toxicity Equivalence Factor (TEF) listed in table below.
TEQ = ((Concentration of Congener in sample) x (TEF))
where the TEF is unitless and the concentration is in ug/l.
| Congener | TEF value | Congener | TEF value |
| Dibenzo-p-dioxins | Non-ortho PCBs | ||
| 2,3,7,8-TCDD | 1 | PCB 77 | 0.0001 |
| 1,2,3,7,8-PnCDD | 1 | PCB 81 | 0.0003 |
| 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD | 0.1 | PCB 126 | 0.1 |
| 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD | 0.1 | PCB 169 | 0.03 |
| 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD | 0.1 | ||
| 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD | 0.01 | Mono-ortho PCBs | |
| OCDD | 0.0003 | PCB 105 | 0.00003 |
| PCB 114 | 0.00003 | ||
| Dibenzofurans | PCB 118 | 0.00003 | |
| 2,3,7,8-TCDF | 0.1 | PCB 123 | 0.00003 |
| 1,2,3,7,8-PnCDF | 0.03 | PCB 156 | 0.00003 |
| 2,3,4,7,8-PnCDF | 0.3 | PCB 157 | 0.00003 |
| 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF | 0.1 | PCB 167 | 0.00003 |
| 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF | 0.1 | PCB 189 | 0.00003 |
| 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDF | 0.1 | ||
| 2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF | 0.1 | ||
| 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF | 0.01 | ||
| 1,2,3,4,7,8,9-HpCDF | 0.01 | ||
| OCDF | 0.0003 |
5.6 Criteria for Waters of Exceptional Recreational or Ecological Significance (ERES Waters)
5.6.1 General Policy
5.6.1.4 Prior to any public notice for a discharge permit required pursuant to7 Del.C. Ch. 60, the Department shall make a determination that potential impacts have been avoided to the maximum extent practicable, and that remaining unavoidable impacts will be minimized to the extent appropriate and practicable. Findings shall be based upon appropriate factual determinations, evaluations, and tests with special emphasis on the persistence and permanence of the impacts. Under this provision impacts considered individually or collectively include:
5.6.1.5 Any applicant for a discharge permit required pursuant to7 Del.C. Ch. 60 shall provide to the Department, as part of a complete application, a resource assessment tailored to the site performed by qualified professionals. Such assessments shall fully consider ecological functions and values in light of the policies set forth in these standards. Consideration shall be given to:
5.6.2 General Provisions
5.6.3 Pollution Prevention
5.6.3.3 Increased or New Sources: For the purposes of subsection 5.6, new sources are those discharges for which a permit has not been issued pursuant to7 Del.C. Ch. 60 prior to January 1, 1991, and increased sources are those discharges for which there is an increase in the mass loading of any pollutant of concern from any existing source. For the purposes of subsection 5.6, pollutants of concern are the following: oxygen demanding substances (as may be measured by BOD and COD), nitrogen, phosphorous, bacteria, heat, and total suspended solids. In the case of any waterbody designated as ERES waters pursuant to Section 3.0 of the Standards, the Department shall not issue or reissue a permit pursuant to 7 Del.C. Ch. 60 that allows an increase in or new source of pollutant loadings of pollutants of concern unless the applicant demonstrates:
5.6.3.3.2 That a proposed new discharge or any increase in loading of pollutants of concern of an existing discharge is consistent with the Pollution Control Strategy for the basin. Prior to adoption of a Pollution Control Strategy for a stream basin no increase in loadings of pollutants of concern shall be allowed to the stream basin from a surface water discharger unless the Secretary determines that:
5.6.3.4 Pollution Control Strategy
5.6.3.4.1 For each stream basin designated as ERES waters pursuant to Section 3.0 of these standards, the Department shall develop a pollution control strategy. The strategy shall provide for the implementation of best management practices established pursuant to subsection 5.6.3.5 of this section and shall include such additional requirements, measures, and practices as are necessary to:
5.6.3.4.2 The strategy pursuant to this subsection shall, at a minimum:
5.6.3.5 Best Management Practices
The Department may adopt, pursuant to7 Del.C. §6010, best management practices for selected sources of pollution to ERES waters. Best management practices identified by the Department pursuant to this subsection shall provide a standard for the control of the addition of pollutants which reflects the greatest degree of pollutant reduction achievable including, where practicable, a standard requiring no discharge of pollutants.
The following requirements shall apply to regulatory mixing zones:
6.4 Size: Size of the zone shall be no larger than is necessary to provide for mixing of effluent and receiving water. The following are the maximum size limitations that shall apply unless the discharger can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Department that a larger mixing zone would not have an adverse impact in the receiving water:
6.4.1 Mixing zones for non-thermal pollutants shall be designed as follows:
6.4.1.1 Rivers: During critical stream flow, as detailed in Section 8.0 of these standards, the maximum distance to the edge of the mixing zone shall be described by:
where xm = maximum mixing zone length,
u = flow velocity for critical flow as detailed in subsection 7.2.3 or subsection 7.3,
W = width of river,
H = depth of river,
g = acceleration due to gravity, and
S = slope of river surface.
6.4.2 Mixing zones for thermal (temperature) pollutants shall be defined as those waters between the point of discharge and the point at which the receiving water temperature criteria are met as defined in Section 4.0, subject to subsection 6.4.2.1 through 6.4.2.5 below. For non-tidal freshwater, mixing zones shall be designed using the critical stream flow specified in subsection 7.1 or 7.3.
6.5 In-Zone and Boundary of Zone Water Quality Requirements:
6.5.2 Regulatory mixing zones shall be free of the following:
7.2 For all waters of the state, water quality criteria for toxic substances as specified in subsection 4.6.3 shall not apply at those times when the freshwater or net advective flow falls below the following values:
8.1 A low flow water is one in which the 7Q10 freshwater inflow is less than 0.1 cfs. The following criteria shall apply to discharges into low flow waters:
8.1.2 The discharge shall not add:
9.1 Exceptions and Modifications
9.1.1 Request for Removal of Designated Uses: The Department shall consider scientifically reasonable requests for the removal of a designated use which is not an existing use, or the establishment of sub-categories of a use for a water body or segment of specific waters of the State based upon the demonstration by means of a Use Attainability Analysis that attainment of the designated use is not feasible because:
9.1.1.6 Controls more stringent than those required by sections 301(b) and 306 of the Clean Water Act would result in substantial and widespread economic and social impact.
A request for removal of designated uses shall be deemed a scientifically reasonable request if it is demonstrated that the Use Attainability Analysis prepared and submitted by the requestor is based upon sound scientific rationale and is supported by substantial scientific and technical evidence and analysis as to the existence of one or more of the factors listed above. If the Department finds any request for removal to be frivolous or to be flawed as to the methods used to obtain evidence or perform analysis to such an extent that the validity of the conclusions would be challenged by most persons trained and competent in the use and interpretation of the technical or scientific methods employed, it may dismiss such request for removal without further action. If the Department determines that a scientifically reasonable request has been made, it shall make a preliminary determination as to the proposed change and hold a public hearing in accordance with7 Del.C. §6006. The removal or establishment of sub-categories of a designated use completed under this Section are deemed to be duly adopted components of the State of Delaware Surface Water Quality Standards.
The Department will not consider requests for the removal of a designated use, for a water body or segment of specific waters of the State if:
9.1.2 Request for Modification of Water Quality Criteria: The Department shall consider scientifically reasonable requests for modification of water quality criteria contained herein for portions of specific waters of the State. A request for modification shall be deemed to be a scientifically reasonable request if it is based upon a sound rationale, and supported by substantial scientific evidence and analysis. This evidence and analysis must demonstrate the existence of site-specific differences in the chemical, physical, or biological characteristics of the surface water, and must propose alternate site-specific water quality criteria. Scientific studies for the development of these alternate criteria shall be designed and conducted in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Water Quality Standards Handbook Second Edition, EPA 823/B-94-005 or other scientifically defensible methodologies approved by the Department. If the Department finds any request for modification to be frivolous, to be flawed as to the methods used to obtain evidence and to perform analysis to such an extent that the validity of the conclusions would be challenged by most persons trained and competent in the use and interpretation of the technical and scientific methods employed, or to contain reasonable evidence that a reduction in the number, quality, or river or stream mileage of designated uses would occur, it may dismiss such request for modification without further action. If the Department determines that a scientifically reasonable request has been made, the Department shall make a preliminary determination as to the proposed change and shall hold a public hearing in accordance with7 Del.C. §6006. If the Department determines that a scientifically reasonable request has been made pursuant to this Section and such request could result in a change in discharge limits, then the public hearings for the discharge limitation change and the criteria modification shall be held concurrently. In such case, the Department shall provide separate public notices for the discharge limitation change and the criteria modification. Criteria modification completed under this Section are deemed to be duly adopted components of the State of Delaware Surface Water Quality Standards.
9.1.2.5 The discharger demonstrates that controls more stringent than technology-based limits and Section 306 of the Clean Water Act that would result in substantial and widespread economic and social impact. The analysis of economic impacts must demonstrate that:
9.2 Conditions
Should any section, paragraph, or other part of this document be declared invalid for any reason, the remainder shall not be affected.
3 DE Reg. 311 (08/01/99)