DEP Issues Request for Water Quality Data

Every two years the DEP is required by the Clean Water Act  to report to EPA on the condition of state streams, list impaired waters, and generally compile all the information it can about state waters.  As part of that process it collects water quality data from a variety of sources, including citizens, industry, and government agencies.  Below is the DEP notice of the opportunity to submit data:

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is compiling water quality data on the state’s streams and lakes and is requesting data from other entities for its next Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report.


The report is developed by the DEP and submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency every two years as required by the federal Clean Water Act and includes the Section 303(d) list of impaired waters. The next report is due in April 2012 and will be based upon water quality data resulting from monitoring through June 30, 2011.

In addition to data collected directly by the DEP, the agency will compile and assess water quality data collected by other persons, agencies, watershed associations, or permitted facilities. All parties wishing to submit data will need to complete the form “Guidelines for Submission of Water Quality Data” and attach it to the submission. The form can be reviewed and downloaded from the following

link: http://www.dep.wv.gov/WWE/watershed/IR/Pages/303d_305b.aspx.

In addition, any submission containing data collected and evaluated under a quality assurance/quality control program should also include a copy of the QA/QC plan. For an example of a QA/QC plan, go to http://www.epa.gov/quality/qs-docs/g5-final.pdf.

The deadline to submit data for the 2012 report is Oct. 17, 2011. The agency will not evaluate data collected outside the reporting period or submitted after the Oct. 17, 2011 deadline. Any data submitted after the deadline will be retained for assessment in the 2014 reporting cycle. Data previously submitted for the 2010 Integrated Report that is applicable for the 2012 reporting period will be considered and doesn’t need to be resubmitted.

All data should be sent to Kim Smith at Kim.L.Smith@wv.gov,

(304) 926-0499, Ext. 1085. Questions regarding data format or options for electronic submission may be directed to Kim Smith or Chris Daugherty at Chris.A.Daugherty@wv.gov.

Electronic data submission is highly preferred. Non- electronic submissions may be sent to the DEP at the Division of Water and Waste Management, Attn: Kim Smith,

601 57th St. S.E., Charleston, WV 25304.