5.02.050 Water Body Classifications And Standards Specific To Uses

(a) Water Body Classifications by Environmental Conditions

(1) Class N, Natural State

The designated uses of Class N waters include: the enjoyment of water in its natural condition and, where compatible, as a source of water for drinking or culinary purposes, bathing, fishing, fish, shellfish, and wildlife propagation and survival, primary and secondary contact recreation, and ceremonial use.

There shall be no discharge of sewage, industrial wastes, or other wastes, waste effluents or any sewage effluents not having had filtration resulting from at least 200 feet of lateral travel through unconsolidated earth. A greater distance may be required if inspection shows that, due to peculiar geologic conditions, this distance is inadequate to protect the water from pollution. These waters shall contain no deleterious substances, hydrocarbons or substances that would contribute to eutrophication, nor shall they receive surface runoff containing any such substance.

(2) Class AA-Special

The designated uses of Class AA-S waters include: a source of water supply for drinking, culinary or food processing purposes, primary and secondary contact recreation, fishing, and ceremonial use, and fish, shellfish, and wildlife propagation and survival.

These waters shall contain no floating solids, settleable solids, oil, sludge deposits, toxic wastes, deleterious substances, colored or other wastes or heated liquids attributable to sewage, industrial wastes or other wastes. There shall be no discharge or disposal of sewage, industrial wastes or other wastes into these waters.

(3) Class A-Special

The designated uses of Class A-S waters include: a source of water supply for drinking, culinary or food processing purposes, primary and secondary contact recreation, fishing, ceremonial use, and fish, shellfish, and wildlife propagation and survival.

This classification may be given to those international boundary waters that, if subjected to approved treatment, equal to coagulation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection with additional treatment, if necessary, to reduce naturally present impurities, meet or will meet EPA drinking water standards and are or will be considered safe and satisfactory for drinking water purposes.

(4) Class AA

The designated uses of Class AA waters include: a source of water supply for drinking, culinary or food processing purposes, primary and secondary contact recreation, fishing, ceremonial use, and fish, shellfish, and wildlife propagation and survival.

This classification may be given to those waters that, if subjected to approved disinfection treatment, with additional treatment if necessary, to remove naturally present impurities, meet or will meet EPA-drinking water standards and are or will be considered safe and satisfactory for drinking water purposes.

(5) Class A

The designated uses for Class A waters include: source of water supply for drinking, culinary or food processing purposes, primary and secondary contact recreation, fishing, ceremonial use and fish, shellfish and wildlife propagation and survival.

This classification may be given to those waters that, if subjected to approved treatment equal to coagulation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection, with additional treatment if necessary, to reduce naturally present impurities, meet or will meet US Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards and are or will be considered safe and satisfactory for drinking water purposes.

(6) Class B

The designated uses for Class B waters include: primary and secondary contact recreation, ceremonial use, fish, shellfish and wildlife propagation and survival, and fishing.

(7) Class C

The designated uses for Class C waters include: primary and secondary contact recreation, ceremonial use, and fish, shellfish and wildlife propagation and survival, and fishing.

However, due to such natural conditions as intermittency of flow, water conditions not conducive to propagation of game fishery, or stream bed conditions, the waters may not support fish propagation, primary and secondary contact recreation or ceremonial uses.

(b) Designated Fisheries

(1) Cold Water Fishery. A cold water fishery is a water body where water temperature and other characteristics provide for propagation and survival of cold water fish (e.g. family Salmonidae).

(2) Warm Water Fishery: A warm water fishery is a water body where water temperature and other characteristics provide for propagation and survival and propagation of warm water fish (e.g. families Centrachidae, Esocidae and others).

(1) Class GA

The designated use of Class GA waters is as a source of potable water supply. Class GA waters are fresh ground waters.

(2) Class GSA

The designated uses include: a source of potable mineral waters, or conversion to fresh potable waters, or as raw material for the manufacture of sodium chloride or its derivatives or similar products. Class GSA waters are saline ground waters.

In addition to the classes specified above please see Table 1 below for addition information on Designated Uses.