The case for regime-based water quality standards
Conventional water quality standards have been successful in reducing the concentration of toxic substances in US waters. However, conventional standards are based on simple thresholds and are therefore poorly structured to address human-caused imbalances in dynamic, natural water quality parameters, such as nutrients, sediment, and temperature. A more applicable type of water quality standarda??a a??regime standarda??a??would describe desirable distributions of conditions over space and time within a stream network. By mandating the protection and restoration of the aquatic ecosystem dynamics that are required to support beneficial uses in streams, well-designed regime standards would facilitate more effective strategies for management of natural water quality parameters.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2004 |
---|---|
Title | The case for regime-based water quality standards |
DOI | 10.1641/0006-3568(2004)054[0155:TCFRWQ]2.0.CO;2 |
Authors | Geoffrey C. Poole, J. B. Dunham, D.M. Keenan, S.T. Sauter, D.A. McCullough, Christopher Mebane, Jeffrey C. Lockwood, Don A. Essig, Mark P. Hicks, Debra J. Sturdevant, E.J. Materna, M. Spalding, John Risley, Marianne Deppman |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | BioScience |
Index ID | 1016390 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Western Fisheries Research Center |