FEBRUARY 23; AUGUST 2; SEPTEMBER 20, 22; OCTOBER 18, 19, 20;
NOVEMBER 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 1983
SALINITY AND SUSPENDED SOLIDS
The Commission recognizes that excessive salinity and suspended solids
levels can be detrimental to the water use classifications. The Can-
mission has established salinity standards for the Colorado River Basin
("Water Quality Standards for Salinity including Numeric Criteria and
Plan of Implementation for Salinity Control", Commission Regulation 3.9)
but has not established or assigned other standards for salinity or sus-
pended solids. This section is reserved for additional salinity and sus-
pended solids control practices to be developed through 208 plans, co-
ordination with agricultural agencies, and further studies of existing
water quality.
STATE USE CLASSIFICATIONS
Waters are classified according to the uses for which they are presently
suitable or intended to become suitable. When the term "waters" is used
without the modifiers "surface" or "ground", it includes both surface
and groundwater. In addition to the classifications, one or more of the
qualifying designations described in paragraph 3.1.13(2), may be appended.
These waters are suitable or intended to become suitable for irrigation of crops usually grown in Colorado and which are not hazardous as drinking water for livestock.
suitable for the protection and maintenance of aquatic
life forms as described below:
(i) Class 1 - Cold Water Aquatic Life
These waters provide, or could provide, a habitat
consisting of water quality levels and other con-
siderations such as flow and stream bed character-
istics which do or could protect and maintain a
wide variety of cold water biota, including sensi-
tive species. Cold water biota are considered to
be life forms, including trout, in water where
temperatures do not normally exceed 20° C.
If
there are limitations to the potential variety
of life forms, they are due primarily to un-
correctable water quality conditions. This
information will be considered in assigning
specific standards.
Class 1 Warm Water Aquatic Life
These waters provide, or could provide, a habitat consisting of water quality levels and other considerations such as flow and stream bed characteristics which do or could protect and maintain a wide variety of warm water biota, including sensitive species. Warm water biota are considered to be the life forms in waters with temperatures frequently exceeding 20° C. If there are limitations to the potential variety of life forms, they are due primarily to uncorrectable water quality conditions. This information will be considered in assigning specific standards.
Class 2 Cold and Warm Water Aquatic Life
These are waters where the potential variety of life forms is presently limited primarily by flow and strear bed characteristics. Standards will be assigned to protect existing species and encourage the establishment of more sensitive species which are compatible with the flow and stream bed characteristics.
These waters are suitable or intended to become suitable for
potable water supplies. There may be waters which do
not fit into either the Class 1 or Class 2 classifica-
tions but which may be suitable for domestic water sup-
plies after special treatment.
These are groundwaters which receive a high de-
gree of natural protection and meet, without
treatment, all Colorado drinking water regula-
tions and any revision, amendments, or supple-
ments thereto. Colorado drinking water regula-
tions require disinfection of all domestic water
supplies regardless of source unless a waiver has
been obtained.
Class 2 Waters Requiring Disinfection and/or Standard Treatment
These are waters which, after receiving approved
disinfection such as simple chlorination or its
equivalent or which after receiving standard treat-
ment (defined as coagulation, flocculation, sedi-
mentation, filtration, and disinfection with
chlorine or its equivalent) will meet Colorado
drinking water regulations and any revisions,
amendments, or supplements thereto. This class
may include groundwaters which, due to natural or
human causes, do not meet the requirement for Class 1
(e) Existing High Quality Waters
Waters currently of a quality higher than necessary to support primary contact recreation and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and are generally suitable for agriculture and domestic water supply may be classified as high quality waters. This classification precludes the necessity to classify for other beneficial uses.
(i) Class 1
These are high quality waters which con-
stitute an outstanding state or national resource
such as waters in national and state parks and
forests, wildlife refuges, and waters of excep-
tional recreational and ecological significance.
|