Ohio Administrative Code
Title 3745 - Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Chapter 3745-4 - Surface Water Monitoring and Assessment
Section 3745-4-02 - Definitions
Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
As used in this chapter:
(A) "Citizen monitoring program" means any organized citizen effort to collect surface water quality data using standardized sampling and testing protocols. The program shall provide an introduction to basic water quality principles and train participants in the use of field instrumentation, sample collection and preservation, and data recording techniques.
(B) "Compelling reasons" as to why historical data are credible means that no more recent data exist, or more recent data alone are insufficient to establish water quality, or the director identifies other circumstances supporting the use of the historical data. Historical data shall be evaluated to ensure that more recent information does not indicate that the data are not representative of current conditions.
(C) "Credible data" means scientifically valid chemical, physical, or biological water quality monitoring data concerning surface waters. This includes qualitative scoring of physical habitat characteristics and the sampling of fish, macroinvertebrates, and water quality, that have been collected by or submitted to the director and that comply with this chapter. Credible data may include historical data if the director identifies compelling reasons as to why the data are credible.
(D) "Data quality objectives (DQOs)" means qualitative and quantitative statements derived from the DQO process that clarify study objectives, define the appropriate type of data, and specify tolerable levels of potential decision errors that will be used as the basis for establishing the quality and quantity of data needed to support decisions. The planning process for ensuring environmental data are the type, quality, and quantity needed for decision making is called the DQO process.
(E) "Detection limit" means the lowest concentration of a target analyte that a given method or piece of equipment can reliably ascertain and report as greater than zero.
(F) "Director" means the director of the Ohio environmental protection agency or an authorized representative.
(G) "Educational monitoring program" means a surface water quality data collection program designed for education or public awareness purposes and associated with an accredited or school-sponsored science education program. The program must be consistent with national or state science content standards, provide an introduction to basic water quality principles and train participants in the use of field instrumentation, sample collection and preservation, and data recording techniques.
(H) "Federal environmental agency," means an agency of the United States government, or a department, division, or program in an agency of the United States government, whose primary function includes protection, management, study or assessment of the environment, natural resources or ecological systems, including but not limited to, the following:
(I) "Headwater habitat evaluation index " or "HHEI" means an assessment methodology of the principal physical and riparian stream habitat features in headwater streams.
(J) "Historical data" means data that are more than five years old.
(K) "Ohio EPA" means the Ohio environmental protection agency.
(L) "Primary headwater habitat stream" means a surface water having a defined bed and bank, with either continuous or periodical flowing water, watershed area less than or equal to 1.0 square mile (two hundred fifty-nine hectare), and maximum depth of water pools equal to or less than forty centimeters.
(M) "Project study plan" means a document describing the purpose of the data collection, the parameters or conditions that will be monitored, the methods of data collection and analysis, the identification of monitoring sites, a schedule for data collection and reporting, and how the data will be interpreted and presented.
(N) "Quality assurance plan" or "quality assurance manual" means a document that details a laboratory's procedures to assure the accuracy and reproducibility of analytical results. A quality assurance plan includes information about laboratory personnel and their qualifications as well as laboratory equipment, methods, data management, and other specific procedures related to and including sample analysis.
(O) "Qualified data collector " or "QDC" means an individual who meets the requirements established in paragraph (A) of rule 3745-4-03 of the Administrative Code.
(P) "Qualitative habitat evaluation index " or "QHEI" means an assessment methodology of the principal physical and riparian stream habitat features that affect fish communities and other aquatic life.
(Q) "State environmental agency," means an agency within the executive branch of the government of the state of Ohio, or a department, division, or program in an agency within the executive branch of the government of the state of Ohio, whose primary function includes protection, management, study or assessment of the environment, natural resources or ecological systems, including but not limited to, the following:
