Nebraska Administrative Code
Topic - ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Title 117 - NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Chapter 7 - WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FOR WETLANDS
Section 117-7-004 - Beneficial Uses
Current through November 25, 2023
Beneficial uses are assigned to wetlands within or bordering upon the State of Nebraska. Assigned beneficial uses are protected by the narrative and numerical water quality criteria listed or referenced in this chapter. Additionally, assigned and existing beneficial uses are protected by the Antidegradation Clause in Chapter 3. Some uses require higher quality water than others. When multiple uses are assigned to the same wetland, all assigned uses will be protected.
Beneficial uses assigned to all wetlands are:
Aquatic Life
Wildlife
Agricultural Water Supply
Aesthetics
These uses are not intended in any way to conflict with the quantitative beneficial uses provided for in Neb. Rev. Stat., Ch 46, regulating irrigation or the authority of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources.
004.01 Aquatic Life
Wetlands assigned this beneficial use provide, or could provide, habitat capable of supporting aquatic biota on a regular or periodic basis. Aquatic biota are life forms which require water to fulfill basic life functions such as reproduction, growth, and development. Examples of aquatic biota include, but are not limited to, fish, macroinvertebrates, amphibians, and hydrophytic vegetation.
Water quality criteria are established to protect assigned beneficial uses. However, traditional water quality parameters in wetlands such as pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, chloride, and conductivity may naturally vary outside accepted ranges for other surface waters. Water quality criteria for specific wetlands or wetland complexes, except numerical criteria for toxic substances (paragraph 004.01C1), petroleum oil (paragraph 004.01D), and residual chlorine (paragraph 004.01F), are to be based on natural background values for traditional water quality parameters. However, these criteria are to be no more stringent than those associated with the Class B Warmwater Aquatic Life classification or the General Criteria for Aquatic Life of Chapter 4, Paragraphs 003.01A, 003.01B, 003.01G, and 003.04B.
The biological integrity of wetlands is to be maintained and protected. Any human activity causing water pollution which would significantly degrade the biological integrity of wetlands is a violation of these Standards. Upland soil and water conservation practices or normal farming, silviculture, and ranching activities involving tilling, seeding, cultivating, harvesting, and grazing for the production of food, fiber, and forest products, will not be considered to cause significant degradation of biological integrity in wetlands. However, the criteria in section 004.01C for toxic substances are applicable to wetlands where such toxic substances are the result of activities listed within this subsection.
Key aquatic species are identified endangered or threatened species. The following list defines the aquatic species considered by the Department to be key species. In addition to this list, any key species listed in Chapter 5 for a waterbody adjacent to a surface-water overflow wetland will be considered a key species for the wetland.
|
COMMON NAME |
SCIENTIFIC NAME |
|
Endangered Species |
|
|
Saltwort Colorado Butterfly Plant |
Salicornia rubra Gaura neomexicana ssp. coloradensis |
|
Threatened Species: |
|
|
Western Prairie Fringed Orchid |
Platanthera praeclara |
|
Ute Ladies'-tresses |
Spiranthes diluvialis |
|
Small White Lady's Slipper |
Cypripedium candidum |
Wetlands are to be free from toxic substances, alone or in combination with other substances, in concentrations that result in acute or chronic toxicity to aquatic life, except as specified in Chapter 2. Toxic substances are not to be present in concentrations that result in bioaccumulation or biomagnification in aquatic organisms which renders them unsuitable or unsafe for consumption.
|
CRITERIA (ug/L) |
|||
|
POLLUTANT |
Acute |
Chronic |
CAS No.* |
|
Pesticides: |
|||
|
Acrolein |
3c |
3d |
107-02-8 |
|
Alachlor |
760c |
76d |
15972-60-8 |
|
Aldrin |
3.0a |
0.0000077b,e |
309-00-2 |
|
Atrazine |
330c |
12d |
1912-24-9 |
| Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)-Technical |
100a |
0.1b,e |
608-73-1 |
|
alpha-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) |
(Reserved) |
0.0039b,e |
319-84-6 |
|
beta-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) |
(Reserved) |
0.14b,e |
319-85-7 |
|
Carbaryl |
2.1 |
2.1 |
63-25-2 |
|
Chlordane |
2.4a |
0.0032b,e |
57-74-9 |
|
Chlorpyrifos |
0.083c |
0.041d |
2921-88-2 |
|
DCPA1 |
(Reserved) |
14,300d |
1861-32-1 |
|
p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane or DDT |
1.1a |
0.0003b,e |
50-29-3 |
|
p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene or DDT metabolite (DDE) |
1050a |
0.0022b,e - 0.00018b,e |
72-55-9 |
|
p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane or DDT metabolite (TDE, DDD) |
e 0.6a |
0.0012b,e |
72-54-8 |
|
Demeton |
(Reserved) |
0.1b |
8065-48-3 |
|
Diazinon |
0.17c |
0.17d |
333-41-5 |
|
Dieldrin |
0.24a |
0.000012b,e |
60-57-1 |
|
Dioxin2 |
< 0.01a |
0.000000051b,e |
1746-01-6 |
|
alpha-Endosulfan |
0.22a |
0.056b |
959-98-8 |
|
beta-Endosulfan |
0.22a |
0.056b |
33213-65-9 |
|
Endosulfan sulfate |
(Reserved) |
40b,f |
1031-07-8 |
|
Endrin |
0.086a |
0.03b,f |
72-20-8 |
|
Endrin aldehyde |
(Reserved) |
1.0b,f |
7421-93-4 |
|
Guthion |
(Reserved) |
0.01b |
86-50-0 |
|
Heptachlor |
0.52a |
0.000059b,e |
76-44-8 |
|
Heptachlor epoxide |
0.52a |
0.00032b,e |
1024-57-3 |
|
Isophorone |
117,000a |
18,000b,e |
78-59-1 |
|
gamma-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) or Lindane |
0.95a |
0.16b |
58-89-9 |
|
Malathion |
(Reserved) |
0.1b |
121-75-5 |
|
Methoxychlor |
(Reserved) |
0.02b,f |
72-43-5 |
|
Metolachlor |
390c |
100d |
51218-45-2 |
|
Metribuzin |
(Reserved) |
100d |
21087-64-9 |
|
Mirex |
(Reserved) |
0.001d |
2385-85-5 |
|
Parathion |
0.065c |
0.013d |
56-38-2 |
|
Pentachlorophenol |
e( 1.005(pH)- 4.869) c |
e 0.4b,e |
87-86-5 |
|
Propachlor |
(Reserved) |
8.0d |
1918-16-7 |
|
Toxaphene |
0.73c |
0.0002d |
8001-35-2 |
|
Tributyltin (TBT) |
0.46c |
0.072d |
......... |
|
Chlorphenoxy Herbicide (2,4-D) |
Reserved |
12,000b,f |
94-75-7 |
|
Chlorphenoxy Herbicide (2,4,5-TP) [Silvex] |
Reserved |
400b,f |
93-72-1 |
|
Metals and Inorganics3: |
|||
|
Aluminum |
750c |
87d |
7429-90-5 |
|
Antimony |
88c |
30d |
7440-36-0 |
|
Arsenic |
340c |
16.7b,e |
7440-38-2 |
|
Beryllium |
130a |
5.3d |
7440-41-7 |
|
Cadmium 4 |
(ACF) e( 0.9789[lnhardness]- 3.421) c |
(ACF) e( 0.7977[lnhardness]- 3.909) d |
7440-43-9 |
|
Chromium (III) |
(ACF) e( 0.819[lnhardness]+ 3.764) c |
(ACF) e( 0.819[lnhardness]+ 0.724) d |
16065-83-1 |
|
Chromium (VI) |
16c |
11d |
18540-29-9 |
|
Copper |
(ACF) e( 0.9422[lnhardness]-1.700) c |
(ACF) e(.08545[lnhardness]- 1.702) d |
7440-50-8 |
|
Cyanide |
41.3c |
9.8d |
57-12-5 |
|
Iron |
(Reserved) |
1,000b |
7439-89-6 |
|
Lead5 |
(CF)e(1.273[lnhardness]- 1.460) c |
(CF) e[ 1.273[lnhardness]- 4.705) d |
7439-92-1 |
|
Manganese |
(Reserved) |
1,000b,e |
7439-96-5 |
|
Mercury6 |
1.4c |
0.77d |
7439-97-6 |
|
Nickel |
( 0.998)e( 0.846[lnhardness]+ 2.255) c |
(0. 997) ( 0.846[lnhardness]+ 0.0584) d |
7440-02-0 |
|
Selenium |
See 004.01C3 |
7782-49-2 |
|
|
Silver |
( 0.85)e1.27[lnhardness]- 6.59) c |
(Reserved) |
7440-22-4 |
|
Thallium |
1,400a |
0.47b,f |
7440-28-0 |
|
Zinc |
( 0.978)e( 0.8473[lnhardness]+ 0.884) c |
(CF) e( 0.8473[ln hardness]+ 0.884) d |
7440-66-6 |
|
PCBs and Related Compounds: |
|||
|
PCBs |
2.0a |
0.00064b,e |
......... |
|
Chlorinated Naphthalenes |
1,600a |
43,000b,e |
......... |
|
Halogenated Aliphatics: |
|||
|
Halomethanes |
11,000a |
157b,e |
......... |
|
Bromoform |
(Reserved) |
1,200b,e |
75-25-2 |
|
Methyl bromide |
(Reserved) |
10,000b,f |
74-83-9 |
|
Chloroform |
28,900a |
1,240b |
67-66-3 |
|
Carbon tetrachloride |
35,200a |
50b,e |
56-23-5 |
|
Methylene chloride |
(Reserved) |
3,000b,f |
75-09-2 |
|
1,2-dichloroethane |
118,000a |
6,500b,e |
107-06-2 |
|
Hexachloroethane |
980a |
0.8b,f |
67-72-1 |
|
Pentachloroethane |
7,240a |
1,100b |
76-01-7 |
|
Trichlorinated ethanes |
18,000a |
(Reserved) |
25323-89-1 |
|
1,1,1-trichloroethane |
(Reserved) |
200,000b,f |
71-55-6 |
|
1,1,2-trichloroethane |
(Reserved) |
89b,e |
79-00-5 |
|
Tetrachloroethanes |
9,320a |
(Reserved) |
25322-20-7 |
|
1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane |
(Reserved) |
30b,e |
79-34-5 |
|
Dichloroethylenes |
11,600a |
(Reserved) |
25323-30-3 |
|
1,1-dichloroethylene |
(Reserved) |
20,000b,f |
75-35-4 |
|
Trans-1,2-dichloroethylene |
(Reserved) |
4,000b,f |
156-60-5 |
|
Tetrachloroethylene |
5,280a |
70b,f |
127-18-4 |
|
Trichloroethylene |
45,000a |
30b,f |
79-01-6 |
|
Chlorodibromomethane |
(Reserved) |
210b,e |
124-48-1 |
|
Dichlorobromomethane |
(Reserved) |
270b,e |
75-27-4 |
|
Dichloropropane |
23,000a |
5,700b |
26638-19-7 |
|
1,2-dichloropropane |
(Reserved) |
310b,e |
78-87-5 |
|
Dichloropropene |
6,060a |
244b |
26952-23-8 |
|
1,3-dichloropropene |
(Reserved) |
120b,e |
542-75-6 |
|
Hexachlorobutadiene |
90a |
0.02b,f |
87-68-3 |
|
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene |
7.0a |
4.0b,f |
77-47-4 |
|
Vinyl Chloride |
(Reserved) |
16b,e |
75-01-4 |
|
Ethers: |
|||
|
Bis(2-chloroethyl) Ether |
(Reserved) |
22b,e |
111-44-4 |
|
Bis(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) Ether |
(Reserved) |
4,000b,f |
108-60-1 |
|
(Reserved) |
0.17b,e |
542-88-1 |
|
|
Bis(chloromethyl) Ether |
|||
|
Chloroalkyl ethers |
238,000a |
(Reserved) |
......... |
|
Haloethers |
360a |
122b |
......... |
|
Monocyclic Aromatics except Phenols, Cresols, and Phthalates: |
|||
|
Benzene |
5,300a |
90b,f |
71-43-2 |
|
Chlorinated benzenes |
250a |
50b |
......... |
|
Chlorobenzene |
(Reserved) |
800b,f |
108-90-7 |
|
1,2-dichlorobenzene |
(Reserved) |
3,000b,f |
95-50-1 |
|
1,3-dichlorobenzene |
(Reserved) |
10b,f |
541-73-1 |
|
1,4,-dichlorobenzene |
(Reserved) |
900b,f |
106-46-7 |
|
Ethylbenzene |
32,000a |
130b,f |
100-41-4 |
|
Hexachlorobenzene |
6.0a |
0.00079b,e |
118-74-1 |
|
Nitrobenzene |
27,000a |
600b,f |
98-95-3 |
|
Pentachlorobenzene |
(Reserved) |
0.1b,f |
608-93-5 |
|
1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene |
(Reserved) |
0.03b,f |
95-94-3 |
|
1,2,4-trichlorobenzene |
(Reserved) |
0.76b,e |
120-82-1 |
|
Toluene |
17,500a |
520b,f |
108-88-3 |
|
2,4-dinitrotoluene |
330a |
17b,e |
121-14-2 |
|
Phenols and Cresols: |
|||
|
Phenol |
10,200a |
2,560b |
108-95-2 |
|
2-chlorophenol |
4,380a |
800b,f |
95-57-8 |
|
3-methyl-4-chlorophenol |
30a |
2,000b,f |
59-50-7 |
|
2,4-dichlorophenol |
2,020a |
60b,f |
120-83-2 |
|
2,4,5-trichlorophenol |
100a |
63b |
95-95-4 |
|
2,4,6-trichlorophenol |
(Reserved) |
6b,f |
88-06-2 |
|
Dinitrophenols |
(Reserved) |
1,000b,f |
25550-58-7 |
|
Nitrophenols |
230a |
150b |
......... |
|
Nonylphenol |
28c |
6.6d |
1044-05-1 |
|
2-methyl-4,6-dinitrophenol |
(Reserved) |
30b,f |
534-52-1 |
|
2,4-dinitrophenol |
(Reserved) |
300b,f |
51-28-5 |
|
2,4-dimethylphenol |
2,120a |
3,000b,f |
105-67-9 |
|
Phthalate Esters: |
|||
|
Phthalate esters |
940a |
3.0b |
......... |
|
Butylbenzyl phthalate |
(Reserved) |
1.0b,e |
85-68-7 |
|
Di-N-butyl phthalate |
(Reserved) |
30b,f |
84-74-2 |
|
Diethyl phthalate |
(Reserved) |
600b,f |
84-66-2 |
| Bis(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate |
2,000a |
3.7b,e |
117-81-7 |
|
Dimethyl phthalate |
(Reserved) |
2,000b,f |
131-11-3 |
|
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): |
|||
|
Acenaphthene |
1,700a |
90b,f |
83-32-9 |
|
Anthracene |
(Reserved) |
400b,f |
120-12-7 |
|
Benzo(a)anthracene |
(Reserved) |
0.013b,e |
56-55-3 |
|
Benzo(a)pyrene |
(Reserved) |
0.0013b,e |
50-32-8 |
|
Benzo(b)fluoranthene |
(Reserved) |
0.013b,e |
205-99-2 |
|
Benzo(k)fluoranthene |
(Reserved) |
0.13b,e |
207-08-9 |
|
Chrysene |
(Reserved) |
1.3b,e |
218-01-9 |
|
Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene |
(Reserved) |
0.0013b,e |
53-70-3 |
|
Fluoranthene |
3,980a |
20b,f |
206-44-0 |
|
Fluorene |
(Reserved) |
70b,f |
86-73-7 |
|
Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene |
(Reserved) |
0.013b,e |
193-39-5 |
|
Naphthalene |
2,300a |
620b |
91-20-3 |
|
2-chloronaphthalene |
1,600a |
1,000b,f |
91-58-7 |
|
Phenanthrene |
30a |
6.3b |
85-01-8 |
|
Pyrene |
(Reserved) |
30b,f |
129-00-0 |
|
Nitrosamines and other Nitrogen-containing Compounds: |
|||
|
Nitrosamines |
5,850a |
12.4b,e |
......... |
|
Benzidine |
2,500a |
0.11b,e |
92-87-5 |
|
3,3'-dichlorobenzidine |
(Reserved) |
1.5b,e |
91-94-1 |
|
1,2-diphenylhydrazine |
270a |
2.0b,e |
122-66-7 |
|
Acrylonitrile |
7,550a |
70b,e |
107-13-1 |
|
N-nitrosodibutylamine |
(Reserved) |
2.2b,e |
924-16-3 |
|
N-nitrosodiethylamine |
(Reserved) |
12.4b,e |
55-18-5 |
|
N-nitrosodimethylamine |
(Reserved) |
30b,e |
62-75-9 |
|
N-nitrosodiphenylamine |
(Reserved) |
60b,e |
86-30-6 |
|
N-nitrosodi-N-propylamine |
(Reserved) |
5.1b,e |
621-64-7 |
|
N-nitrosopyrrolidine |
(Reserved) |
340b,e |
930-55-2 |
a Concentration not to be exceeded at any time
b Twenty-four hour average concentration
c One-hour average concentration
d Four-day average concentration
e Human health criteria at the 10-5 risk level for carcinogens based on the consumption of fish and other aquatic organisms
f Human health criteria based on the consumption of fish and other aquatic organisms
1 Dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate
2 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin or 2,3,7,8-TCDD
3 Criteria for metals and inorganics apply to dissolved concentrations
4 The conversion factors for cadmium are hardness dependent and defined by:
ACF = 1.136672-[ln hardness ( 0.041838)]
CCF = 1.101672-[ln hardness ( 0.041838)]
5 The conversion factor for lead (acute and chronic) is hardness dependent and defined by:
CF = 1.46203- [(ln hardness)( 0.145712)]
6 Chronic criterion for mercury applies to total recoverable concentrations
|
POLLUTANT |
CRITERIA (mg/kg) |
CAS No.* |
|
Methylmercury |
0.215 |
22967-92-6 |
* Chemical Abstract Services Registry Number
|
POLLUTANT |
CAS No.* |
|||
|
Selenium |
7782-49-2 |
|||
|
FISH TISSUE1 CRITERIA |
WATER COLUMN4 CRITERIA |
|||
|
Criterion Element |
Egg/Ovary2 |
Fish Whole Body or Muscle3 |
Thirty-day average |
Intermittent Exposure5 |
|
Magnitude |
15.1 mg/kg |
8.5 mg/kg whole body or 11.3 mg/kg muscle |
1.5 µg/L |
WOCt = WQC30-day - Cbkgrnd(1-fint) fint |
|
Duration |
Instantaneous measurement6 |
Instantaneous measurement6 |
30 days |
Number of days/month with an elevated concentration |
|
Frequency |
Not to be exceeded |
Not to be exceeded |
Not more than once in three years on average |
Not more than once in three years on average |
1. Fish tissue elements are expressed as steady-state.
2. Egg/Ovary supersedes any whole-body, muscle, or water column element when fish egg/ovary concentrations are measured.
3. Fish whole-body or muscle tissue supersedes water column element when both fish tissue and water column concentrations are measured.
4. Water column values are based on dissolved total selenium in water and are derived from fish tissue values via bioaccumulation modeling. Water column values are the applicable criterion element in the absence of steady-state condition fish tissue data.
5. Where WQC30-day is the water column monthly element, for either a lake or stream; Cbkgrnd is the average background selenium concentration, and fint is the fraction of any 30-day period during which elevated selenium concentrations occur, with fint assigned a value >= 0.033 (corresponding to 1 day).
6. Fish tissue data provide instantaneous point measurements that reflect integrative accumulation of selenium over time and space in fish populations at a given site.
* Chemical Abstract Services Registry Number
Not to exceed 10 mg/L.
No less than 20 mg/L as CaCO3 except where natural background is less.
004.02 Wildlife
Wetlands assigned this beneficial use provide, or could provide, habitat capable of supporting wildlife on a regular or periodic basis. Wildlife are undomesticated terrestrial or avian life forms which may utilize wetlands to support life functions such as watering, feeding, loafing, predator protection, and nesting. Examples of wildlife include, but are not limited to, furbearers, waterfowl, shorebirds, migratory birds, and reptiles.
Because wildlife utilizing wetlands rely on aquatic biota in many cases for food and habitat, general criteria and toxic criteria listed for the protection of aquatic life (paragraphs 004.01A and 004.01C) also apply for the protection of wildlife.
Any human activity causing water pollution which would cause a significant adverse impact to an identified "key species" is a violation of these Standards.
Key wildlife species are identified endangered, threatened, or sensitive species. The following list defines the wildlife species considered by the Department to be key species.
|
COMMON NAME |
SCIENTIFIC NAME |
|
Endangered Species: |
|
|
Whooping Crane Interior Least Tern |
Grus americana Sternula antillarum athalassos |
|
River Otter American Burying Beetle Salt Creek Tiger Beetle |
Lontra canadensis Nicrophorus americanus Cicindela nevadica lincolniana |
|
Threatened Species: |
|
|
Piping Plover Rufa Red Knot Western Massasauga |
Charadrius melodus Calidris canutus rufa Sistrurus tergeminus |
|
Sensitive Species |
|
|
A freshwater snail American Toad Bald Eagle Blanding's Turtle Graham's Crayfish Snake Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad |
Fossaria techella Anaxyrus americanus Haliaeetus leucocephalus Emydoidea blandingii Regina grahamii Gastrophryne olivacea |
|
Niobrara ambersnail Platte River Caddisfly Red-eared Slider Smallmouth Salamander Smooth Soft Shelled Turtle |
Osyloma haydeni Ironoquia plattensis Trachemys scripta elegans Ambystoma texanum Apalone mutica |
004.03 Agricultural Water Supply
Wetlands assigned this beneficial use are used or have the potential to be used for general agricultural purposes (e.g., irrigation and livestock watering) without treatment. In some cases, however, natural background water quality may limit their use for agricultural purposes.
Wastes or toxic substances introduced directly or indirectly by human activity in concentrations that would degrade the use (i.e., would produce undesirable physiological effects in crops or livestock) will not be allowed. Where natural background water quality limits the use of a wetland for agricultural purposes, water quality criteria for conductivity and selenium are to be based on the natural background condition.
Not to exceed 2,000 umhos/cm between April 1 and September 30.
Not to exceed 100 mg/L.
Not to exceed 0.02mg/L.
004.04 Aesthetics.
This use applies to all wetlands of the state. To be aesthetically acceptable, wetlands are to be free from human-induced pollution which causes:
Amended effective 12/13/2014.
Amended effective 6/24/2019
