1. A. Purpose. To protect surface water quality, this State shall adopt water quality standards to:

   1. (1) Protect public health or welfare;
   2. (2) Enhance the quality of water;
   3. (3) Protect aquatic resources; and
   4. (4) Serve the purposes of the Federal Act.

2. B. Water Quality Standards.

   1. (1) The surface water quality standards consist of three parts:

      1. (a) Designated uses of the waters of this State;
      2. (b) Water quality criteria to protect the designated uses; and
      3. (c) Antidegradation Policy.

   2. (2) Water quality standards shall provide water quality for the designated uses of:

      1. (a) Water contact recreation;
      2. (b) Fishing;
      3. (c) Propagation of fish, other aquatic life, and wildlife; and
      4. (d) Agricultural and industrial water supply.
   3. (3) Waters of this State shall be protected for the basic designated uses in Regulation .02A.
   4. (4) Water quality standards shall consider the use and value of public water supplies.

   5. (5) Regulations .02—.08 of this chapter implement this State's water quality standards by:

      1. (a) Defining and establishing specific designated uses for the surface waters of this State;
      2. (b) Assigning a designated use to all surface waters;
      3. (c) Establishing water quality criteria for each designated use;
      4. (d) Defining this State's antidegradation policy;
      5. (e) Defining this State's criteria for mixing zones; and
      6. (f) Defining other water quality protective policies.

Authority: Environment Article, §§9-303.1, 9-313 — 9-316, 9-319, 9-320 — 9-325, 9-327, and 9-328, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: September 1, 1974 (1:1 Md. R. 33)

COMAR 10.50.01.02, .04, and .03 recodified to COMAR 26.08.02.01, .03, and.04, respectively

Stream Segment Classification Tables codified as Regulation .02

Regulation .01 amended effective April 21, 1978 (5:8 Md. R. 593); July 11, 1980 (7:14 Md. R. 1348); December 3, 1984 (11:24 Md. R. 2070)

Regulation .01D amended effective May 24, 1982 (9:10 Md. R. 1022)

Regulation .01I amended effective June 6, 1983 (10:11 Md. R. 976); December 19, 1983 (10:25 Md. R. 2269)

Regulation .03 amended effective August 3, 1981 (8:15 Md. R. 1308)

Regulation .03A and D amended effective December 19, 1983 (10:25 Md. R. 2269)

Regulation .04B—E amended effective July 28, 1978 (5:15 Md. R. 1187)

Regulation .04 repealed effective July 11, 1980 (7:14 Md. R. 1348)

Regulation .04 adopted effective November 18, 1985 (12:23 Md. R. 2220)

Chapter revised effective June 27, 1988 (15:13 Md. R. 1556)

Regulation .02B amended effective May 1, 1989 (16:8 Md. R. 911); October 30, 1989 (16:21 Md. R. 2263)

Regulation .05A amended effective May 1, 1989 (16:8 Md. R. 911)

Regulation .07A amended effective May 1, 1989 (16:8 Md. R. 911)

Regulation .07G amended effective October 30, 1989 (16:21 Md. R. 2263)

Regulation .08A amended effective May 1, 1989 (16:8 Md. R. 911)

Regulation .08O amended effective October 30, 1989 (16:21 Md. R. 2263)

Regulation .08Q amended effective May 1, 1989 (16:8 Md. R. 911)

Regulation .09D amended effective October 30, 1989 (16:21 Md. R. 2263)

Regulation .10E amended effective February 19, 1990 (17:3 Md. R. 303)

Regulation .11B amended effective February 19, 1990 (17:3 Md. R. 303)

Regulation .12 adopted effective February 19, 1990 (17:3 Md. R. 303)

Regulation .13 adopted effective February 19, 1990 (17:3 Md. R. 303)

Chapter revised effective April 16, 1990 (17:7 Md. R. 854)

Regulation .01B amended effective April 26, 2001 (28:2 Md. R. 101); April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474)

Regulation .02A amended effective April 26, 2001 (28:2 Md. R. 101)

Regulation .02B amended effective August 29, 2005 (32:17 Md. R. 1440); April 19, 2010 (37:8 Md. R. 619); April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474)

Regulation .02-1 adopted effective August 29, 2005 (32:17 Md. R. 1440)

Regulation .02-1A amended effective April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474)

Regulation .02-1F, G amended effective October 31, 2022 (49:22 Md. R. 980)

Regulation .03A amended effective January 2, 1995 (21:26 Md. R. 2195)

Regulation .03B amended effective June 7, 1993 (20:11 Md. R. 917); July 5, 2004 (31:13 Md. R. 995)

Regulation .03-1B amended effective April 9, 2018 (45:7 Md. R. 347)

Regulation .03-2 amended effective January 7, 1991 (17:26 Md. R. 2978); June 7, 1993 (20:11 Md. R. 917); March 25, 1996 (23:6 Md. R. 477); April 26, 2001 (28:2 Md. R. 101); April 19, 2010 (37:8 Md. R. 619)

Regulation .03-2C amended effective July 5, 2004 (31:13 Md. R. 995)

Regulation .03-2D, F amended effective February 5, 2024 (51:2 Md. R. 77)

Regulation .03-2G amended effective July 19, 2004 (31:14 Md. R. 1080); November 29, 2010 (37:24 Md. R. 1660); April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474); October 31, 2022 (49:22 Md. R. 980); February 5, 2024 (51:2 Md. R. 77)

Regulation .03-2H, I amended effective April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474); October 31, 2022 (49:22 Md. R. 980)

Regulation .03-2I amended effective February 5, 2024 (51:2 Md. R. 77)

Regulation .03-3 amended effective July 5, 2004 (31:13 Md. R. 995); August 29, 2005 (32:17 Md. R. 1440); April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474)

Regulation .03-3A amended effective April 9, 2018 (45:7 Md. R. 347)

Regulation .03-3C amended effective April 19, 2010 (37:8 Md. R. 619); November 29, 2010 (37:24 Md. R. 1660); April 2, 2012 (39:6 Md. R. 410); October 31, 2022 (49:22 Md. R. 980)

Regulation .03-3E amended effective October 28, 1991 (18:21 Md. R. 2311)

Regulation .03-3H adopted effective April 19, 2010 (37:8 Md. R. 619)

Regulation .03-4 adopted effective July 19, 2004 (31:14 Md. R. 1081)

Regulation .04 amended effective April 26, 2001 (28:2 Md. R. 101); October 31, 2022 (49:22 Md. R. 980)

Regulation .04A amended effective April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474)

Regulation .04C amended effective January 7, 1991 (17:26 Md. R. 2978)

Regulation .04-1 repealed and new Regulation .04-1 adopted effective October 31, 2022 (49:22 Md. R. 980)

Regulation .04-1 adopted effective February 5, 2001 (28:2 Md. R. 104)

Regulation .04-1 recodified to be Regulation .04-2 and new Regulation .04-1 adopted effective July 19, 2004 (31:14 Md. R. 1081)

Regulation .04-1D amended effective November 29, 2010 (37:24 Md. R. 1660)

Regulation .04-1O amended effective November 29, 2010 (37:24 Md. R. 1660); April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474); April 9, 2018 (45:7 Md. R. 347)

Regulation .04-2 repealed and new Regulation .04-2 adopted effective October 31, 2022 (49:22 Md. R. 980)

Regulation .04-3 adopted effective October 31, 2022 (49:22 Md. R. 980)

Regulation .05 amended effective June 7, 1993 (20:11 Md. R. 917)

Regulation .05A amended effective July 5, 2004 (31:13 Md. R. 995)

Regulation .05B recodified to Regulation .05-1 effective June 7, 1993 (20:11 Md. R. 917)

Regulation .05D amended effective January 17, 1994 (21:1 Md. R. 34)

Regulation .05-1 amended effective November 29, 2010 (37:24 Md. R. 1660)

Regulation .07 amended effective August 29, 2005 (32:17 Md. R. 1441)

Regulation .07E amended effective April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474)

Regulation .07E repealed effective October 31, 2022 (49:22 Md. R. 980)

Regulation .07F, G repealed effective April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474)

Regulation .08 repealed and new Regulation .08 adopted effective August 29, 2005 (32:17 Md. R. 1442)

Regulation .08 amended effective April 19, 2010 (37:8 Md. R. 619); April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474); April 9, 2018 (45:7 Md. R. 347); October 31, 2022 (49:22 Md. R. 980)

Regulation .08H and J amended effective April 13, 1992 (19:7 Md. R. 747)

Regulation .08J amended effective January 17, 1994 (21:1 Md. R. 34); October 24, 1994 (21:21 Md. R. 1815); May 22, 1995 (22:10 Md. R. 708); July 5, 2004 (31:13 Md. R. 995)

Regulation .08L amended effective November 29, 2010 (37:24 Md. R. 1660)

Regulation .08N amended effective October 28, 1991 (18:21 Md. R. 2311); January 17, 1994 (21:1 Md. R. 34); October 24, 1994 (21:21 Md. R. 1815)

Regulation .08O amended effective January 17, 1994 (21:1 Md. R. 34); May 22, 1995 (22:10 Md. R. 708)

Regulation .08Q amended effective January 17, 1994 (21:1 Md. R. 34); May 22, 1995 (22:10 Md. R. 708)

Regulation .09A amended effective October 20, 1997 (24:21 Md. R. 1453); December 22, 2014 (41:25 Md. R. 1486)

Regulation .09D amended effective January 19, 2004 (31:1 Md. R. 32); May 3, 2010 (37:9 Md. R. 673)

Regulation .10B amended effective February 5, 2001 (28:2 Md. R. 104)

Regulation .11B amended effective April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 474)