Aquatic life use designation revisions

Revisor ID: R-05001

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) intends to amend the list of beneficial uses established in Minnesota Rules (Minn. R.) chapter 7050. The rule amendments affect Class 2 (Aquatic Life and Recreation) and Class 7 (Limited Resource Value) designated uses for streams. The MPCA routinely reviews use designations to ensure that assigned beneficial uses are protective and attainable as defined by the Clean Water Act and Minnesota Rule.

Goals. The draft use designations in this rule enhance the protection of the biological, chemical, and physical integrity of state water resources by:

• Establishing protective and attainable designated uses. This rule assigns beneficial uses that will result in appropriate management actions to maintain or improve aquatic life condition.
• Assigning beneficial uses to protect high-quality water resources. Draft beneficial uses identify high quality water resources and establish higher biological goals to maintain those conditions.
• Assigning beneficial uses to appropriately classify modified resources. These include channelized streams and ditches and will result in achievable goals that are consistent with maintaining existing uses.
• Documenting existing beneficial uses. The rule will record the baseline goal for these waters to ensure their restoration or protection.

GovDelivery: Aquatic life use designation revisions MNPCA_661

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Background

The use designations in this rulemaking were initiated based on routine monitoring and review of beneficial use assigned to streams. The most important reason to make these changes is that the designated use for each stream reach needs to be correct and appropriate because it affects water quality protection and restoration efforts (e.g., assessment, stressor identification, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permitting, total maximum daily loads). Assigning the correct beneficial uses to Minnesota’s waters also accurately documents the types and condition of Minnesota’s aquatic resources.

Technical support documents

• Amendments to aquatic life (Class 2) use designations for streams (wq-rule4-30a)
  Appendix A: Detailed descriptions of thermal habitat use designation reviews (wq-rule4-30b)
  Technical guidance for reviewing and designating aquatic life uses in Minnesota streams and rivers (wq-s6-34)
• Identification of predictive habitat attributes for Minnesota streams to support tiered aquatic life uses (wq-s6-39)
• Macroinvertebrate data collection protocols for lotic waters in Minnesota (wq-bsm3-12a)

  (2017)
• Macroinvertebrate data collection protocols for lotic waters in Minnesota (wq-bsm3-12a)

  (2017)

Tentative schedule