Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards for Specific States, Territories, and Tribes

Pursuant to Clean Water Act section 303(c)(4), EPA may promulgate federal water quality standards (WQS) for a particular state, authorized tribe, or territory (hereinafter referred to as “state”) under two scenarios:

EPA disapproves specific state WQS as being inconsistent with Clean Water Act requirements, or
The EPA Administrator makes a “determination” under section 303(c)(4)(B) of the Clean Water Act that a particular state WQS are not consistent with the Clean Water Act.

Federally promulgated WQS are located in 40 CFR 131 Subpart D-Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards and in 40 CFR 132.6, Application of part 132 [Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System] requirements in Great Lakes States and Tribes. These federal promulgations are subject to federal rulemaking procedures.

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The federally promulgated WQS remain the applicable WQS for Clean Water Act purposes until the following occurs:

the state submits appropriate WQS to replace the federal WQS,
EPA approves those federal replacement WQS, and
EPA withdraws the corresponding federal WQS for the state.

the state adopts and EPA approves WQS more stringent than the federal replacement WQS.

Using the Table

The interactive table is organized by the affected regulation, date, type, citation, and title. Selecting a column heading sorts the table by that column. You can also search the table using the search box just above the table. For example, you can try the following:

Type "Missouri" for regulations, etc. for Missouri.
Type "131.36" for 40 CFR 131.36 and the Federal Register Notices that have amended it.
Type "1-Reg" (a type* included in the table) for all the federal WQS regulations in the table.

The types for each table row are the following:

1-Reg: Regulations. These rows link to the current regulation as published in the Code of Federal Regulations.
2-FR: Federal Register Notices. These rows link to notices published in the Federal Register that have amended (or propose to amend) their respective CFR regulation.
3-Det: Determinations. These rows describe determinations that new or revised WQS are necessary.
4-Web: Web Pages. These rows link to EPA web pages dedicated to their respective federal WQS or determination.

Affected Regulation	Date (yyyy-mm-dd)	Type	Citation	Title
120.11 (former)	1980-02-14	2-FR	45 FR 9910	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards; Navigable Waters of the State of Alabama (PDF)(376 pp, 111 MB)
120.11 (former)	1982-11-26	2-FR	47 FR 53372	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards; State of Alabama; Withdrawal of Regulation (PDF)(384 pp, 114 MB)
120.104 (former); later moved to 131.31	1976-06-22	2-FR	41 FR 25000	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards; Navigable Waters of the State of Arizona (PDF)(352 pp, 95 MB)
120.104 (former); later moved to 131.31	1976-11-05	2-FR	41 FR 48737	Final Rule, Correction: Water Quality Standards; Navigation (sic) Waters of the State of Arizona (PDF)(360 pp, 113 MB)
120.104 (former); later moved to 131.31	2003-11-06	2-FR	41 FR 62740	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards; Withdrawal of Federal Nutrient Standards for the State of Arizona (PDF)(286 pp, 2 MB)
120.34 (former); later moved to 130.33	1979-04-30	2-FR	44 FR 25223	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards; Navigable Waters of the State of Mississippi (PDF)(216 pp, 54 MB)
120.34 (former); later moved to 130.33	1986-04-04	2-FR	51 FR 11580	Removal of Rule: Water Quality Standards for Surface Waters of Mississippi (PDF)(176 pp, 43 MB)
120.37 (former)	1978-06-06	2-FR	43 FR 24529	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards; Navigable Waters of the State of Nebraska (PDF)(156 pp, 43 MB)
120.37 (former)	1982-07-26	2-FR	47 FR 32128	Withdrawal of a Rule: Water Quality Standards; State of Nebraska; Withdrawal of Regulation (PDF)(320 pp, 95 MB)
120.43 (former)	1980-04-01	2-FR	45 FR 21246	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards; Navigable Waters of the State of North Carolina (PDF)(312 pp, 86 MB)
120.45 (former)	1980-11-28	2-FR	45 FR 79053	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards; Navigable Waters of the State of Ohio (PDF)(400 pp, 108 MB)
120.45 (former)	1982-07-07	2-FR	47 FR 29541	Final Rule: Ohio; Withdrawal of Regulation (PDF)(136 pp, 39 MB)
131.35	1988-07-15	2-FR	53 FR 26968	Proposed Rule: Water Quality Standards for the Colville Indian Reservation in the State of Washington (PDF)(45 pp, 11 MB)
131.35	1989-07-06	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.35	Colville Confederated Tribes Indian Reservation WQS in Effect for CWA: Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
131.35	1989-07-06	2-FR	54 FR 28622	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards for the Colville Indian Reservation in the State of Washington (PDF)(35 pp, 9 MB)
131.36	1991-11-19	2-FR	56 FR 58419	Proposed Rule: Amendments to the Water Quality Standards Regulation To Establish the Numeric Criteria for Priority Toxic Pollutants Necessary to Bring All States Into Compliance With Section 303(c)(2)(B) (PDF) (62 pp, 18 MB)
131.36	1992-12-22	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.36	Toxics criteria for those states not complying with Clean Water Act section 303(c)(2)(B) WQS in Effect for CWA (Applicable States): Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Kansas, Nevada, Vermont
131.36	1992-12-22	2-FR	57 FR 69847	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards; Establishment of Numeric Criteria for Priority Toxic Pollutants; States’ Compliance (PDF) (111 pp, 29 MB)
131.36	1993-06-01	2-FR	58 FR 31177	Correction notice; final rule: Water Quality Standards; Establishment of Numeric Criteria for Priority Toxic Pollutants; States’ Compliance (PDF) (6 pp, 2 MB)
131.37	1995-01-24	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.37	California WQS in Effect for CWA: California
131.37	1995-01-24	2-FR	60 FR 4664	Water Quality Standards for Surface Waters of the Sacramento River, San Joaquin River, and San Francisco Bay and Delta of the State of California
131.36	1995-05-04	2-FR	60 FR 22228	Stay of Federal Water Quality Criteria for Metals
131.36	1995-05-04	2-FR	60 FR 22229	Interim final rule, notice of data availability and request for comments. Establishment of Numeric Criteria for Priority Toxic Pollutants; States' Compliance Revision of Metals Criteria
131.31	1996-05-07	2-FR	61 FR 20686	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards for Surface Waters in Arizona
131.36	1996-11-29	2-FR	61 FR 60616	Withdrawal From Federal Regulations of Human Health Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Idaho
131.32 (former)	1996-12-09	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.32 (former)	Federal Antidegradation Policy for all Waters of the United States Within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (former)
131.32 (former)	1996-12-09	2-FR	61 FR 64816	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards for Pennsylvania
131.36	1996-12-11	2-FR	61 FR 65183	National Toxics Rule: Remand of Water Quality Criteria for Dioxin and Pentachlorophenol to EPA for Response to Comments
131.33	1997-07-31	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.33	Idaho WQS in Effect for CWA: Idaho
131.33	1997-07-31	2-FR	62 FR 41162	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards for Idaho
131.36	1997-10-09	2-FR	62 FR 52926	Final Rule :Withdrawal From Federal Regulations of Arsenic Human Health Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Idaho
131.36	1997-10-10	2-FR	62 FR 53212	Final Rule: Withdrawal From Federal Regulations of Nineteen Acute Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Alaska
131.36	1998-03-02	2-FR	63 FR 10140	Final Rule: Withdrawal From Federal Regulations of the Applicability to Alaska's Waters of Arsenic Human Health Criteria
131.36	1999-11-09	2-FR	64 FR 61182	Final Rule: Establishment of Numeric Criteria for Priority Toxic Pollutants; States' Compliance Revision of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Criteria
131.36	2000-04-12	2-FR	65 FR 19659	Final Rule: Withdrawal of Certain Federal Human Health and Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Rhode Island, Vermont, the District of Columbia, Kansas and Idaho
131.38	2000-05-18	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.38	Establishment of numeric criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California WQS in Effect for CWA: California
131.38	2000-05-18	2-FR	65 FR 31681	Final Rule: Establishment of Numeric Criteria for Priority Toxic Pollutants for the State of California WQS in Effect for CWA: California
131.38	2001-02-13	2-FR	66 FR 09960	Correction notice; final rule: Establishment of Numeric Criteria for Priority Toxic Pollutants for the State of California; Correction
131.33	2002-03-13	2-FR	67 FR 11247	Final Rule: Withdrawal of the Federal Designated Use for Shields Gulch in Idaho
131.36	2002-11-08	2-FR	67 FR 68039	Direct Final Rule: Withdrawal of Federal Human Health and Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria for Toxic Pollutants Applicable to Michigan
131.36	2002-12-03	2-FR	67 FR 71843	Final Rule: Withdrawal of Certain Federal Human Health and Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Vermont, the District of Columbia, Kansas and New Jersey
131.34	2003-07-07	2-FR	68 FR 40427	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards for Kansas
131.39 (proposed)	2003-10-10	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.39 (proposed)	Oregon (proposed)
131.39 (proposed)	2003-10-10	2-FR	68 FR 58757	Proposed Rule: Water Quality Standards for Oregon
131.31	1996-05-07	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.31	Arizona WQS in Effect for CWA: Arizona
131.31	2003-11-06	2-FR	68 FR 62740	Final Rule: Withdrawal of Federal Nutrient Standards for the State of Arizona
131.38	2003-11-06	2-FR	68 FR 62744	Final Rule: Withdrawal of Federal Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria for Copper and Nickel Applicable to South San Francisco Bay, CA
131.40	2004-01-26	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.40	Puerto Rico WQS in Effect for CWA: Puerto Rico
131.40	2004-01-26	2-FR	69 FR 03514	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards for Puerto Rico
131.36	2004-10-29	2-FR	69 FR 63079	Final Rule: Withdrawal of Certain Federal Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Alaska, Arkansas, and Puerto Rico
131.41	2004-11-16	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.41	Bacteriological criteria for those states not complying with Clean Water Act section 303(i)(1)(A) WQS in Effect for CWA (Affected States and Territories): Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, U.S. Virgin Islands
131.41	2004-11-16	2-FR	69 FR 67217	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards for Coastal and Great Lakes Recreation Waters WQS in Effect for CWA (Affected States): Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin
131.[Subpart D]	2006-10-31	3-Det		[See Determination that WQS are needed for 141 Water Body Segments in the State of Missouri ] WQS in Effect for CWA: Missouri
131.[Subpart D]	2006-10-31	3-Det		[See EPA’s Detailed Analysis of Whether New or Revised Water Quality Standards are Necessary for 141 Water Body Segments ] WQS in Effect for CWA: Missouri
131.36	2007-07-09	2-FR	72 FR 37109	Direct final rule: Withdrawal of Federal Marine Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria for Toxic Pollutants Applicable to Washington State
131.42	2007-12-12	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.42	Antidegradation Implementation Methods for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico WQS in Effect for CWA: Puerto Rico
131.42	2007-12-12	2-FR	72 FR 70517	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards for Puerto Rico
131.33	2008-08-19	2-FR	73 FR 48300	Direct Final Rule: Withdrawal of the Federal Water Quality Standards Use Designations for Soda Creek and Portions of Canyon Creek, South Fork Coeur d'Alene River, and Blackfoot River in Idaho
131.32 (former)	2008-09-15	2-FR	73 FR 53140	Direct Final Rule: Withdrawal of Federal Antidegradation Policy for All Waters of the United States Within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
131.33	2008-11-05	2-FR	73 FR 65735	Final Rule; Withdrawal of direct final rule: Withdrawal of the Federal Water Quality Standards Use Designations for Soda Creek and Portions of Canyon Creek, South Fork Coeur d'Alene River, and Blackfoot River in Idaho
131.32 (former)	2008-11-14	2-FR	73 FR 67396	Withdrawal of direct final rule: Withdrawal of Direct Final Rule Removing the Federal Antidegradation Policy Applicable to Waters of the United States Within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
131.[Subpart D]	2008-12-12	3-Det		[See Determination that WQS are needed for Mississippi River segments upstream and downstream of St. Louis ] WQS in Effect for CWA: Missouri
131.44	2009-01	3-Det		[See Fact Sheet: Determination that New or Revised Nutrient Water Quality Standards are Necessary for Florida ]
131.44	2009-01-14	3-Det		[See Determination that Numeric Nutrient Water Quality Criteria are Necessary to Meet CWA Requirements for the State of Florida (2009) ]
131.[Subpart D]	2009-10-29	3-Det		[See Determination that WQS are needed for the Mississippi River segment near St. Louis ] WQS in Effect for CWA: Missouri
131.32 (former)	2010-05-28	2-FR	75 FR 29899	Final Rule: Withdrawal of Federal Antidegradation Policy for all Waters of the United States Within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
131.43 (former)	2010-12-06	1-Reg	131.43 (former)	40 CFR §131.43 Florida (former)
131.43 (former)	2010-12-06	2-FR	75 FR 75761	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Lakes and Flowing Waters
131.43 (former)	2012-03-07	2-FR	77 FR 13496	Final Rule; delay of effective date: Effective Date for the Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Lakes and Flowing Waters
131.43 (former)	2012-07-06	2-FR	77 FR 39949	Final Rule; delay of effective date: Effective Date for the Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Lakes and Flowing Waters
131.44	2012-08-03	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.44	Florida WQS in Effect for CWA: Florida
131.44	2012-08-03	2-FR	77 FR 46298	Final Rule: Phosphorus Water Quality Standards for Florida Everglades
131.44	2012-11-30	3-Det		[See Amendment to the January 14, 2009 Determination that Numeric Nutrient Water Quality Criteria are Necessary to Meet CWA Requirements for the State of Florida ]
131.44	2012-08-03	4-Web		Phosphorus Water Quality Standards for the Florida Everglades
131.36	2013-04-04	2-FR	78 FR 02025	Final Rule: Withdrawal of Certain Federal Water Quality Criteria Applicable to California, New Jersey and Puerto Rico
131.44	2013-06-28	3-Det		[See Second Amendment to the January 14, 2009 Determination that Numeric Nutrient Water Quality Criteria are Necessary to Meet CWA Requirements for the State of Florida ]
131.43 (former)	2014-09-25	2-FR	79 FR 57447	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Lakes and Flowing Waters; Withdrawal
131.34	2015-10-20	2-FR	80 FR 51019	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards Regulatory Revisions
131.40	2015-10-20	2-FR	80 FR 51019	Final Rule: Water Quality Standards Regulatory Revisions
131.36	2016-07-15	2-FR	81 FR 46030	Proposed Rule: Establishment of Revised Numeric Criteria for Selenium for the San Francisco Bay and Delta, State of California
131.36	2016-07-15	4-Web		Establishment of Revised Numeric Criteria for Selenium for the San Francisco Bay and Delta
131.38	2016-07-15	2-FR	81 FR 46030	Proposed Rule: Establishment of Revised Numeric Criteria for Selenium for the San Francisco Bay and Delta, State of California
131.45	2016-11-28	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.45	Revision of certain Federal water quality criteria applicable to Washington WQS in Effect for CWA: Washington
131.36	2016-11-28	2-FR	81 FR 85417	Final Rule: Revision of Certain Federal Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Washington
131.45	2016-11-28	2-FR	81 FR 85417	Final Rule: Revision of Certain Federal Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Washington
131.43	2016-12-19	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.43	Maine WQS in Effect for CWA: Maine
131.43	2016-12-19	2-FR	81 FR 92466	Final Rule: Promulgation of Certain Federal Water Quality Standards Applicable to Maine
131.43	2020-12-21	2-FR	85 FR 82936	Final Rule: Withdrawal of Certain Federal Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Maine
131.43	2016-12-19	4-Web		Promulgation of Certain Federal Water Quality Standards Applicable to Maine
131.45	2017-02-03	4-Web		Withdrawal of Certain Federal Human Health Criteria in Washington - Final Rule
131.46	2017-02-03	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.46	Aquatic life criterion for cadmium in Oregon WQS in Effect for CWA: Oregon
131.46	2017-02-03	2-FR	82 FR 09166	Final Rule: Aquatic Life Criteria for Cadmium in Oregon
131.46	2017-02-03	4-Web		Final Rule - Cadmium Aquatic Life Criterion Applicable to Oregon Fresh Waters
131.47 (proposed)	2017-12-27	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.47 (proposed)	Missouri (proposed)
131.47 (proposed)	2017-12-27	2-FR	82 FR 61213	Proposed Rule: Water Quality Standards for the State of Missouri's Lakes and Reservoirs
131.47 (proposed)	2017-12-27	4-Web		Proposed Nutrient Criteria for Missouri Lakes and Reservoirs
131.38	2018-10-16	2-FR	83 FR 52163	Final Rule: Withdrawal of Certain Federal Water Quality Criteria Applicable to California: Lead, Chlorodibromomethane, and Dichlorobromomethane
131.38	2018-12-13	2-FR	83 FR 64059	Proposed Rule: Establishment of a Numeric Criterion for Selenium for the State of California
131.45	2020-05-13	2-FR	85 FR 28494	Final Rule: Withdrawal of Certain Federal Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Washington
131.38	2016-07-15	4-Web		Establishment of Numeric Criteria for Priority Toxic Pollutants for the State of California (California Toxics Rule) Establishment of Revised Numeric Criteria for Selenium for the San Francisco Bay and Delta (Proposal) Withdrawal of Certain Federal Criteria for California - Withdrawal of certain federal water quality criteria for lead, chlorodibromomethane, and dichlorobromomethane in California. Establishment of a Numeric Criterion for Selenium for Fresh Waters in California
131.[Subpart D]	2011-05-11	4-Web		EPA Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) WQS in Effect for CWA: Illinois
131.[Subpart D]	2011-05-11	3-Det		[See Determination that New or Revised Use Designations that Provide for Recreation are Necessary for Segments of the Chicago Area Waterway System ] WQS in Effect for CWA: Illinois
131.34	2003-07-07	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.34	Kansas WQS in Effect for CWA: Kansas
131.47	2020-12-30	1-Reg	40 CFR 131.47	Aquatic life criteria for aluminum in Oregon (proposed)
131.47	2019-05-01	2-FR	84 FR 18454	Proposed Rule: Aquatic Life Criteria for Aluminum in Oregon
131.47	2020-12-30	4-Web		Aluminum Aquatic Life Criteria Applicable to Oregon Fresh Waters - Final Rule
132.6	2011-09-16	1-Reg	40 CFR 132.6	Application of part 132 requirements in Great Lakes States and Tribes [Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System]. WQS and Other Provisions in Effect for: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin
132.6	2000-08-04	2-FR	65 FR 47864	Final Rule: Identification of Approved and Disapproved Elements of the Great Lakes Guidance Submissions From the States of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, and Final Rule
132.6	2000-10-06	2-FR	65 FR 59732	Final Rule: Identification of Approved and Disapproved Elements of the Great Lakes Guidance Submission From the State of New York, and Final Rule
132.6	2000-11-06	2-FR	65 FR 66502	Final Rule: Identification of Approved and Disapproved Elements of the Great Lakes Guidance Submission From the State of Wisconsin, and Final Rule
132.6	2011-09-16	2-FR	76 FR 57646	Final Rule: Final Withdrawal of Certain Federal Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Wisconsin

You may need a PDF reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA’s About PDF page to learn more.

Determination that WQS are needed for 141 Water Body Segments in the State of Missouri (PDF)(7 pp, 553 K, October 31, 2006)
EPA’s Detailed Analysis of Whether New or Revised Water Quality Standards are Necessary for 141 Water Body Segments (PDF)(17 pp, 137 K, October 31, 2006)
Determination that WQS are needed for the Mississippi River segment near St. Louis (PDF)(10 pp, 182 K, October 29, 2009)
Determination that WQS are needed for Mississippi River segments upstream and downstream of St. Louis (PDF)(6 pp, 272 K, December 12, 2008)
Determination that Numeric Nutrient Water Quality Criteria are Necessary to Meet CWA Requirements for the State of Florida (2009) (PDF)(10 pp, 203 K, January 14, 2009)
Fact Sheet: Determination that New or Revised Nutrient Water Quality Standards are Necessary for Florida (PDF)(2 pp, 125 K, January 2009, 823-F-09-001)
Amendment to the January 14, 2009 Determination that Numeric Nutrient Water Quality Criteria are Necessary to Meet CWA Requirements for the State of Florida (PDF)(4 pp, 2 MB, November 30, 2012)
Second Amendment to the January 14, 2009 Determination that Numeric Nutrient Water Quality Criteria are Necessary to Meet CWA Requirements for the State of Florida (PDF)(7 pp, 3 MB, June 28, 2013)
Determination that New or Revised Use Designations that Provide for Recreation are Necessary for Segments of the Chicago Area Waterway System (PDF)(9 pp, 535 K, May, 11, 2011)

Related Information

Using the Table