1. Proposed Bay Oxygen & Clarity Criteria and Status on Bay Chlorophyll Criteria
Rich Batiuk
U.S. EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office
Water Quality Technical Workgroup
March 15, 2001

2. Refined Designated Uses for Chesapeake Bay and Tidal Tributary Waters
A. Cross Section of Chesapeake Bay or Tidal Tributary
Shallow Water
Open Water
Deep Water
Deep Channel
B. Oblique View of the “Chesapeake Bay” and its Tidal Tributaries
Migratory Finfish
Spawning and
Nursery Habitat
Open Water
Habitat
Shallow Water
Habitat
Deep Water
Deep Channel

3. 
Deep Channel
Deep Water
Open Water
Shallow Water
Migratory Spawning and Nursery
Water Clarity
Chlorophyll a
Dissolved Oxygen
Chesapeake Bay Criteria Needed for Protection of the Proposed Tidal Waters Designated Uses

4. Basis for Bay Oxygen Criteria
Dec 2000 EPA marine DO criteria document & 1985 EPA freshwater document
Addition of more Bay species effects data
Application of larval recruitment model using Bay specific parameters, species
1992 Bay oxygen restoration goal laid basic foundation
In the term “local/regional”, does regional mean the main tribs and mainstem of the Bay?

5. Previous Illustration of Draft Chesapeake Bay Dissolved Oxygen Criteria
Spawning/
Nursery
Open Water/
Shallow Water
Deep Water
Dissolved Oxygen
Concentration
Deep Channel
Exposure Time (Days)

6. Illustration of Proposed Chesapeake Bay Dissolved Oxygen Criteria
6mg/L 10 day ave. (tidal fresh)
5 mg/L 1 day minimum 6 5 4 3 1
Spawning
Dissolved Oxygen
Concentration
(mg/L)
Criteria Averaging Period (Days)

7. Illustration of Proposed Chesapeake Bay Dissolved Oxygen Criteria6 5 4 3 1
5 mg/L monthly average
4 mg/L weekly average
3.5 mg/L 1 day minimum
Shallow/Open Water
Dissolved Oxygen
Concentration
(mg/L)
Criteria Averaging Period (Days)

8. Illustration of Proposed Chesapeake Bay Dissolved Oxygen Criteria6 5 4 3 1
3 mg/L monthly average
1.5 mg/L minimum
Dissolved Oxygen
Concentration
(mg/L)
Deep Water
Criteria Averaging Period (Days)

9. Illustration of Proposed Chesapeake Bay Dissolved Oxygen Criteria6 5 4 3 1
Dissolved Oxygen
Concentration
(mg/L)
Deep Channel
1 mg/L minimum
Criteria Averaging Period (Days)

10. Illustration of Proposed Chesapeake Bay Dissolved Oxygen Criteria
6mg/L 10 day ave. (tidal fresh)
5 mg/L 1 day minimum 6 5 4 3 1
Spawning
5 mg/L monthly average
4 mg/L weekly average
3.5 mg/L 1 day minimum
Shallow/Open Water
3 mg/L monthly average
1.5 mg/L minimum
Dissolved Oxygen
Concentration
(mg/L)
Deep Water
Deep Channel
1 mg/L minimum
Criteria Averaging Period (Days)

11. Spawning/Nursery Oxygen Criteria
Components
- EPA freshwater criteria for warmwater species early life stages:7 day mean of 6 mg/L, 1 day min of 5mg/L
- EPA saltwater criterion protecting against larval recruitment effects: curves reaching mg/L
- EPA saltwater criterion protecting against growth effects (CCC): 5 mg/L
- Protection against effects on threatened/ endangered listed species: 3.5 mg/L

12. 6.0 Illustration of Migratory Spawning/Nursery
Freshwater Early Life Stage
Illustration of Migratory Spawning/Nursery
Protection Against Growth Effects
CMC Factoring in Sturgeon Effects

13. Shallow/Open Water Oxygen Criteria
Components
- EPA freshwater criteria for warmwater species: 30 day mean of 5.5 mg/L, 7 day mean of 4 mg/L, and 1 day min of 3 mg/L
- EPA saltwater criterion protecting against larval recruitment effects: curves reaching mg/L
- EPA saltwater criterion protecting against growth effects (5 mg/L) and effects on juvenile/adult survival (2.24 mg/L)
- Protection against effects on threatened/ endangered listed species: 3.5 mg/L

14. Freshwater Crit
Protection Against Growth Effects
Freshwater Crit
CMC Factoring in Sturgeon Effects
Freshwater Crit
Bay CMC

15. Deep Water Oxygen Criteria
Components
- Protection against Bay anchovy egg/larval recruitment effects: curves reaching mg/L
- EPA saltwater criterion protecting juvenile/adult survival (2.24 mg/L)
- Protecting survival of species inhabiting subpycnocline waters ( mg/L)

17. Deep Channel Oxygen Criteria
Components
- Protection of survival of benthic infaunal worms and clams that would normally inhabit this mid-salinity deep mud habitats (1-1.5 mg/L)

18. Original Basis for Bay Chlorophyll Criteria Derivation
Historical concentrations (back to 1950s)
Contributions to reducing light penetration
Excess algae leading to low dissolved oxygen
Measure of health of aquatic habitats
Good quality of fish food
In the term “local/regional”, does regional mean the main tribs and mainstem of the Bay?

19. Concerns Raised with Lines of Evidence Approach
Historical data not matched with living resource status
Redundancy with oxygen and clarity criteria
Concerns raised about applicability of trophic status to designated uses
Strong interest in “stand alone” criteria based on fish food/algal composition quantification
In the term “local/regional”, does regional mean the main tribs and mainstem of the Bay?

20. Draft Chlorophyll Criteria Lines of Evidence
Synthesis Matrix

21. Draft Chlorophyll Criteria Summary of Lines of Evidence Concentration Ranges

22. Chlorophyll Criteria Components
Salinity regime based
Spring, summer, and annual average concentrations
Maximum concentration w/acceptable return frequency (algal bloom index)
Based on fish food/algal composition quantification with assurance of consistency with oxygen/clarity criteria attainment
In the term “local/regional”, does regional mean the main tribs and mainstem of the Bay?

23. Illustration of Chesapeake Bay Chlorophyll Criteria

24. Basis for Bay Clarity Criteria
Two past technical syntheses (1992, 2000) of Bay grasses habitat requirements
Focus on light available to the underwater grasses at the leaf surface
16 year+ tidal WQ monitoring database
Investments in ecosystem processes modeling
In the term “local/regional”, does regional mean the main tribs and mainstem of the Bay?

25. Chesapeake Bay Water Clarity Criteria
15%
High Salinity Habitats 9%
Low Salinity Habitats
Percent Surface
Light

26. Partial View of Water Clarity Criteria Team’s
Criteria Depth of Application Synthesis Matrix

27. Partial View of Water Clarity Criteria Team’s
Criteria Depth of Application Synthesis Matrix

28. Example of Forthcoming Product from the Water Clarity Criteria Team

29. Example of Forthcoming Recommendations from the Water Clarity Criteria Team

30. Example of Forthcoming Recommendations from the Water Clarity Criteria Team
Table IV-9. Recommended water clarity criteria depth of application by Chesapeake Bay Program segment.

31. Final Products
Bay specific oxygen, chlorophyll, and clarity criteria published as EPA regional nutrient criteria
Baywide implementation guidelines
Consistent tidal designated uses across states
“Technical” components of a Baywide UAA

32. EPA Publication
Need to adhere to basic format of EPA national ecoregion nutrient criteria
Internal EPA review of criteria
Headquarters: ORD, OJC, OWOW, OST, OWM
Regional Offices: Regions 2,3 as well as Regions 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10 with coastal waters
Peer review process adhering to EPA guidelines

33. EPA Publication (Con’t)
Publication in the federal register
30-60 day period
“Provide for scientific views”
Final Bay criteria published as EPA 304(a) criteria

34. EPA Publication (Con’t)
“EPA invites the public to provide scientific views on these criteria. EPA will review and consider information submitted by the public on significant scientific issues and site-specific data that might not have otherwise been identified by the Agency during development of these criteria. After EPA reviews the submitted significant scientific information, the Agency may publish revised nutrient water quality criteria, or publish a notice informing the public that the submitted information does not warrant revision of the criteria.”

35. Proposed Schedule
March - draft criteria, uses presented to Steering Committee
May - complete work on chlorophyll criteria, water clarity application depths
June - criteria packages distributed for partners, stakeholders, and scientific peer review
June/August - work proceeds on details of designated use application/implem. Guidelines
August - compilation of review comments; distribution to criteria teams

36. Proposed Schedule
August/September - criteria team meet to respond to review comments
September - revised Bay criteria package to WQ Steering Committee for approval
October - federal register notice published
November - compilation of federal register, EPA review comments
Nov/December - criteria teams meet to finalize the Bay criteria in response to comments rec’ed

37. Proposed Schedule
December - final Bay criteria presented to WQ Steering Committee for approval
January - EPA publishes the Bay criteria as EPA 304(a) criteria
February….Alan Pollock escorts Batiuk to a padded room for a long recovery period