OAR 340-041-0007: Statewide Narrative Criteria

(1) Notwithstanding the water quality standards contained in this Division, the highest and best practicable treatment and/or control of wastes, activities, and flows must in every case be provided so as to maintain dissolved oxygen and overall water quality at the highest possible levels and water temperatures, coliform bacteria concentrations, dissolved chemical substances, toxic materials, radioactivity, turbidities, color, odor, and other deleterious factors at the lowest possible levels. (2) Where a less stringent natural condition of a water of the State exceeds the numeric criteria set out in this Division, the natural condition supersedes the numeric criteria and becomes the standard for that water body. However, there are special restrictions, described in OAR 340-041-0004(9)(a)(D)(iii), that may apply to discharges that affect dissolved oxygen. NOTE: On August 8, 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency disapproved rule section OAR 340-041-0007(2). Consequently, section (2) is no longer effective as a water quality criterion for purposes of CWA Section 303(c) and it cannot be used for issuing certifications under CWA Section 401, permits under CWA Section 402, or total maximum daily loads under CWA section 303(d). (3) For any new waste sources, alternatives that utilize reuse or disposal with no discharge to public waters must be given highest priority for use wherever practicable. New source discharges may be approved subject to the criteria in OAR 340-041-0004(9). (4) No discharges of wastes to lakes or reservoirs may be allowed except as provided in section OAR 340-041-0004(9). (5) Log handling in public waters must conform to current Commission policies and guidelines. (6) Sand and gravel removal operations must be conducted pursuant to a permit from the Division of State Lands and separated from the active flowing stream by a watertight berm wherever physically practicable. Recirculation and reuse of process water must be required wherever practicable. Discharges or seepage or leakage losses to public waters may not cause a violation of water quality standards or adversely affect legitimate beneficial uses. (7) Road building and maintenance activities must be conducted in a manner so as to keep waste materials out of public waters and minimize erosion of cut banks, fills, and road surfaces. (8) In order to improve controls over nonpoint sources of pollution, federal, State, and local resource management agencies will be encouraged and assisted to coordinate planning and implementation of programs to regulate or control runoff, erosion, turbidity, stream temperature, stream flow, and the withdrawal and use of irrigation water on a basin-wide approach so as to protect the quality and beneficial uses of water and related resources. Such programs may include, but not be limited to, the following: (a) Development of projects for storage and release of suitable quality waters to augment low stream flow; (b) Urban runoff control to reduce erosion; (c) Possible modification of irrigation practices to reduce or minimize adverse impacts from irrigation return flows; (d) Stream bank erosion reduction projects; and (e) Federal water quality restoration plans. (9) The development of fungi or other growths having a deleterious effect on stream bottoms, fish or other aquatic life, or that are injurious to health, recreation, or industry may not be allowed; (10) The creation of tastes or odors or toxic or other conditions that are deleterious to fish or other aquatic life or affect the potability of drinking water or the palatability of fish or shellfish may not be allowed; (11) The formation of appreciable bottom or sludge deposits or the formation of any organic or inorganic deposits deleterious to fish or other aquatic life or injurious to public health, recreation, or industry may not be allowed; (12) Objectionable discoloration, scum, oily sheens, or floating solids, or coating of aquatic life with oil films may not be allowed; (13) Aesthetic conditions offensive to the human senses of sight, taste, smell, or touch may not be allowed; (14) Radioisotope concentrations may not exceed maximum permissible concentrations (MPC's) in drinking water, edible fishes or shellfishes, wildlife, irrigated crops, livestock and dairy products, or pose an external radiation hazard; (15) Minimum Design Criteria for Treatment and Control of Wastes. Except as provided in OAR 340-041-0101 through 340-041-0350, and subject to the implementation requirements set forth in 340-041-0061, prior to discharge of any wastes from any new or modified facility to any waters of the State, such wastes must be treated and controlled in facilities designed in accordance with the following minimum criteria. (a) In designing treatment facilities, average conditions and a normal range of variability are generally used in establishing design criteria. A facility once completed and placed in operation should operate at or near the design limit most of the time but may operate below the design criteria limit at times due to variables which are unpredictable or uncontrollable. This is particularly true for biological treatment facilities. The actual operating limits are intended to be established by permit pursuant to ORS 468.740 and recognize that the actual performance level may at times be less than the design criteria. (A) Sewage wastes: (i) Effluent BOD concentrations in mg/l, divided by the dilution factor (ratio of receiving stream flow to effluent flow) may not exceed one unless otherwise approved by the Commission; (ii) Sewage wastes must be disinfected, after treatment, equivalent to thorough mixing with sufficient chlorine to provide a residual of at least 1 part per million after 60 minutes of contact time unless otherwise specifically authorized by permit; (iii) Positive protection must be provided to prevent bypassing raw or inadequately treated sewage to public waters unless otherwise approved by the Department where elimination of inflow and infiltration would be necessary but not presently practicable; and (iv) More stringent waste treatment and control requirements may be imposed where special conditions make such action appropriate. (B) Industrial wastes: (i) After maximum practicable in-plant control, a minimum of secondary treatment or equivalent control (reduction of suspended solids and organic material where present in significant quantities, effective disinfection where bacterial organisms of public health significance are present, and control of toxic or other deleterious substances); (ii) Specific industrial waste treatment requirements may be determined on an individual basis in accordance with the provisions of this plan, applicable federal requirements, and the following: (I) The uses that are or may likely be made of the receiving stream; (II) The size and nature of flow of the receiving stream; (III) The quantity and quality of wastes to be treated; and (IV) The presence or absence of other sources of pollution on the same watershed. (iii) Where industrial, commercial, or agricultural effluents contain significant quantities of potentially toxic elements, treatment requirements may be determined utilizing appropriate bioassays; (iv) Industrial cooling waters containing significant heat loads must be subjected to off-stream cooling or heat recovery prior to discharge to public waters; (v) Positive protection must be provided to prevent bypassing of raw or inadequately treated industrial wastes to any public waters; (vi) Facilities must be provided to prevent and contain spills of potentially toxic or hazardous materials.