Truman Lake waterway with green land and trees in the background

The Water Quality Standards Workgroup is a stakeholder workgroup organized by the department to discuss water quality standard-related topics. The group provides input and assistance to the department in developing and refining appropriate water quality standards for protecting Missouri’s streams, lakes and wetlands.

Meetings

This workgroup is a standing working group that may remain inactive until the water quality standards three-year review begins. Meetings are held as needed and are open to everyone. Attendance at these meetings may be in person, by conference call or through Webex. The department will attempt to correct technical difficulties as they arise, but the department cannot guarantee the quality of the Webex or conference call option. The meeting will not be subject to change or repeat due to any technical difficulties.

If there are issues you would like to discuss during the meeting, you will need to notify the department before the meeting. You can do this by emailing the staff coordinator noted below. Individuals requiring special services or accommodations in order to attend a meeting can make arrangements by contacting the staff coordinator at least 48 hours before the meeting. Hearing- and speech-impaired individuals may contact the staff coordinator through Relay Missouri at 800-735-2966. Translation or interpretation services will be provided upon request at no charge. Call 573-522-9395 for assistance.

Staff Coordinator: Victoria Bushan, Water Protection Program, wqs@dnr.mo.gov, 573-751-1419

Upcoming Meetings

There are no new meetings currently scheduled. Please check back, because we anticipate new information soon!

Past Meetings

There are no past meeting records available.

Triennial Review

Code of Federal Regulations 40 C.F.R. § 131.20, requires that states from time to time, but at least once every three years, conduct a review of its water quality standards. All current criteria and EPA recommendations are open for review throughout the triennial review process. Requests for specific review can be emailed to wqs@dnr.mo.gov.  For general information about the triennial review process, visit Water Quality Standards Review.

To provide clarity to our stakeholders, below is an outline of current rulemaking topics and future topics for discussion with supporting resources. Topics may shift, or additional topics may be added, as more information becomes available. For recordings of past meetings and presentations, please visit the Past Meetings tab. For specific information about current rulemaking, visit Clean Water Rulemaking. For general information about federal and state water quality and use regulations, visit Citizens Guide to Water-Related Rules and Regulations.

2026 Rulemaking

General Revisions

  • Bioaccumulation Identifiers reinstated (*)
  • Miscellaneous text corrections - spelling, citations, streamlining 
  • Missouri Use Designation Dataset (MUDD) Updates
    • River des Peres Use Attainability Analysis
    • Add Mallard Lake

Ammonia Aquatic Life Protection (AQL) Criteria Development (excluding Mississippi and Missouri Rivers)

Ammonia Discharger Specific Variances 

2027 Topics for Discussion

General Revisions

  • Missouri Use Designation Dataset (MUDD) corrections - Duplicated stream segments to be deleted, mileage edits to the Water Body ID's (WBID)
  • Hardness - Improvements to the clarity of language 
  • Remove Metropolitan No-Discharge Streams

Aluminum Aquatic Life Protection (AQL) Criteria Development

Additional Ammonia Discharger Specific Variances 

2029 Topics for Discussion

Ammonia Aquatic Life Protection (AQL) Criteria Development for the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) for Drinking Water Supply (DWS), Groundwater (GRW), Human Health Protection (HHP), Aquatic Life Protection (AQL) Criteria Development

Section 304(a) Human Health Protection (HHP) Criteria Development (including potential revisions to Fish Consumption Rate and Drinking Water Consumption Rate

Arsenic Drinking Water Supply (DWS), Groundwater (GRW) Criteria Development

Ongoing Research

Bacteria and Pathogens Whole Body Contact Recreation (WBC), Secondary Contact for Recreation (SCR)

Cadmium Aquatic Life Protection (AQL), acute

Cobalt Aquatic Life Protection (AQL)

Selenium Aquatic Life Protection (AQL)

Resources

Tap on the image to access location, classification and designated uses of Missouri waterbodies.

State

Federal

Contact Information

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