Idaho Admin. Code r. 58.01.02.287

Current through September 2, 2024
Section 58.01.02.287 - SITE-SPECIFIC AQUATIC LIFE CRITERIA FOR SELENIUM

Site-specific water column values (30-day average) are based on dissolved total selenium in water and are derived using a performance-based approach from fish tissue values via either the mechanistic modeling or empirical bioaccumulation factor (BAF) method in Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criterion for Selenium - Freshwater, EPA-822-R-16-006, Appendix K: Translation of a Selenium Fish Tissue Criterion Element to a Site-Specific Water Column Value (June 2016).

01.Subsection of Blackfoot Subbasin. Blackfoot River - confluence of Lanes and Diamond Creeks to Blackfoot Reservoir (unit US-10), and all tributaries thereof. Site-specific egg-ovary, whole-body, and muscle criterion elements for these water bodies are set out in the following table. The lentic and short-term exposure water column criterion elements set out in Subsection 210.01., table footnote l., are also applicable to the water bodies identified in this subsection.

Chronic

Egg-Ovary (mg/kg dw)

Fish Tissue (mg/kg dw)

Water Column (µg/L)

Egg-Ovary

Whole-Body

Muscle

Water Lotic

24.51

12.52

12.82

11.93,4,5

mg/kg dw - milligrams per kilogram dry weight, µg/L - micrograms per liter

1. Egg-ovary supersedes any whole-body, muscle, or water column element when fish egg-ovary concentrations are measured. Single measurement of an average or composite sample of at least five (5) individuals of the same species. Not to be exceeded; DEQ will evaluate all representative egg-ovary data to determine compliance with this criterion element.

2. Fish whole-body or muscle tissue supersedes water column element when both fish tissue and water concentrations are measured. Single measurement of an average or composite sample of at least five (5) individuals of the same species where the smallest individual is no less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the total length (size) of the largest individual. Not to be exceeded; DEQ will evaluate all representative whole-body or muscle data to determine compliance with this criterion element.

3. Water column values are derived using the empirical BAF method. For comparative purposes only, the example value displayed in this table represents the lotic water column value for Sheep Creek based on the average BAF for Cutthroat Trout among all sampling locations and years.

4. Lotic Water Column Equation=

Click here to view image

where Tissue criterion is the fish tissue element (whole-body), and BAF is the bioaccumulation factor derived by dividing site-specific field-collected samples of fish tissue (whole-body) by site-specific field-collected samples of water.

5. Water column values are the applicable criterion element in the absence of steady-state condition fish tissue data. In fishless waters, surface water from the fishless waters and fish tissue from the nearest downstream waters are used for bioaccumulation modeling. Fish tissue supersedes any site-specific water column values when fish are sampled downstream of fishless waters.

02.Subsection of Bear Lake Subbasin. Georgetown Creek - source to mouth (unit B-22), and all tributaries thereof. Site-specific egg-ovary, whole-body, and muscle criterion elements for these water bodies are set out in the following table. The lentic and short-term water column criterion elements set out in Subsection 210.01., table footnote l., are also applicable to the water bodies identified in this subsection.

Chronic

Egg-Ovary (mg/kg dw)

Fish Tissue (mg/kg dw)

Water Column (µg/L)

Egg-Ovary

Whole-Body

Muscle

Water Lotic

21.01

12.52

12.82

3.83,4,5

mg/kg dw - milligrams per kilogram dry weight, µg/L - micrograms per liter

1. Egg-ovary supersedes any whole-body, muscle, or water column element when fish egg-ovary concentrations are measured. Single measurement of an average or composite sample of at least five (5) individuals of the same species. Not to be exceeded; DEQ will evaluate all representative egg-ovary data to determine compliance with this criterion element.

2. Fish whole-body or muscle tissue supersedes water column element when both fish tissue and water concentrations are measured. Single measurement of an average or composite sample of at least five (5) individuals of the same species where the smallest individual is no less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the total length (size) of the largest individual. Not to be exceeded; DEQ will evaluate all representative whole-body and muscle data to determine compliance with this criterion element.

3. Water column values are derived using the empirical BAF method. For comparative purposes only, the example displayed in this table represents the lotic water column value for Georgetown Creek, upstream of the intermittent reach, based on the average BAF for Brook Trout in all sampling locations and years.

4. Lotic Water Column Equation=

Click here to view image

where Tissue criterion is the fish tissue element (whole-body), and BAF is the bioaccumulation factor derived by dividing site-specific field-collected samples of fish tissue (whole-body) by site-specific field-collected samples of water.

5. Water column values are the applicable criterion element in the absence of steady-state condition fish tissue data. In fishless waters, surface water from the fishless waters and fish tissue from the nearest downstream waters are used for bioaccumulation modeling. Fish tissue supersedes any site-specific water column values when fish are sampled downstream of fishless waters.

03.Subsection of Salt Subbasin - Sage Creek. Sage Creek - source to mouth (unit US-9) including, Hoopes Spring channel downstream of the spring complex, South Fork Sage Creek downstream of the spring complex, Sage Creek downstream of the confluence of Hoopes Spring with Sage Creek to its confluence with Crow Creek, and tributaries; excluding North Fork Sage Creek, Pole Canyon Creek, and their tributaries. Site-specific egg-ovary and whole-body criterion elements for these water bodies are set out in the following table. The muscle, lentic water column, and short-term water column criterion elements set out in Subsection 210.01., table footnote l., are also applicable to the water bodies identified in this subsection.

Chronic

Egg-Ovary (mg/kg dw)

Fish Tissue (mg/kg dw)

Water Column (µg/L)

Egg-Ovary

Whole-Body

Water Lotic

20.51

13.62

16.73

mg/kg dw - milligrams per kilogram dry weight, µg/L - micrograms per liter

1. Egg-ovary supersedes any whole-body, muscle, or water column element when fish egg-ovary concentrations are measured. Single measurement of an average or composite sample of at least five (5) individuals of the same species. Not to be exceeded; DEQ will evaluate all representative egg-ovary data to determine compliance with this criterion element.

2. Fish tissue supersedes water column element when both fish tissue (whole-body) and water concentrations are measured. Fish tissue elements are expressed as a single arithmetic average of tissue concentrations from at least five (5) individuals of the same species where the smallest individual is no less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the total length (size) of the largest individual. Not to be exceeded; DEQ will evaluate all representative whole-body data to determine compliance with this criterion element.

3. Water column values are derived using the empirical BAF method. Water column values are the applicable criterion element in the absence of steady-state condition fish tissue data. In fishless waters, selenium concentrations in fish from the nearest downstream waters may be used to assess compliance.

04.Subsection of Salt Subbasin - Crow Creek. Crow Creek - Downstream of Sage Creek confluence to Wyoming state line (US-8). Site-specific egg-ovary and whole-body criterion elements for these water bodies are set out in the following table. The muscle, lentic water column, and short-term water column criterion elements set out in Subsection 210.01., table footnote l., are also applicable to the water bodies identified in this subsection.

Chronic

Egg-Ovary (mg/kg dw)

Fish Tissue (mg/kg dw)

Water Column (µg/L)

Egg-Ovary

Whole-Body

Water Lotic

20.51

12.52

4.23

mg/kg dw - milligrams per kilogram dry weight, µg/L - micrograms per liter

1. Egg-ovary supersedes any whole-body, muscle, or water column element when fish egg-ovary concentrations are measured. Single measurement of an average or composite sample of at least five (5) individuals of the same species. Not to be exceeded; DEQ will evaluate all representative egg-ovary data to determine compliance with this criterion element.

2. Fish tissue supersedes water column element when both fish tissue (whole-body) and water concentrations are measured. Fish tissue elements are expressed as a single arithmetic average of tissue concentrations from at least five (5) individuals of the same species where the smallest individual is no less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the total length (size) of the largest individual. Not to be exceeded; DEQ will evaluate all representative whole-body data to determine compliance with this criterion element.

3. Water column values are derived using the empirical BAF method. Water column values are the applicable criterion element in the absence of steady-state condition fish tissue data. In fishless waters, selenium concentrations in fish from the nearest downstream waters may be used to assess compliance.

05.Portions of Idaho.
a. This site-specific criterion applies in the HUC subbasins set out in the following table.

HUC

Subbasin

HUC

Subbasin

16010102

Central Bear

17040208

Portneuf

16010201

Bear Lake

17040209

Lake Walcott

16010202

Middle Bear

17040210

Raft

16010203

Little Bear-Logan

17040211

Goose

16010204

Lower Bear-Malad

17040214

Beaver-Camas

16020309

Curlew Valley

17040215

Medicine Lodge

17010302

South Fork Coeur d Alene

17040216

Birch

17010306

Hangman

17040218

Big Lost

17010308

Little Spokane

17040220

Camas

17040104

Palisades

17040221

Little Wood

17040105

Salt

17050104

Upper Owyhee

17040201

Idaho Falls

17050105

South Fork Owyhee

17040202

Upper Henrys

17050106

East Little Owyhee

17040203

Lower Henrys

17050107

Middle Owyhee

17040204

Teton

17050108

Jordan

17040205

Willow

17060109

Rock

17040206

American Falls

17040207

Blackfoot

b. Site-specific egg-ovary, whole-body, and muscle criterion elements for the water bodies identified in Subsection 287.05.a. are set out in the following table. The water column criterion elements set out in Subsection 210.01., table footnote l., are also applicable to the water bodies identified in Subsection 287.05.a.

Chronic

Egg-Ovary (mg/kg dw)

Fish Tissue (mg/kg dw)

Egg-Ovary

Whole-Body

Muscle

19.01

9.52

13.12

mg/kg dw - milligrams per kilogram dry weight, µg/L - micrograms per liter

1. Egg-ovary supersedes any whole-body, muscle, or water column element when fish egg-ovary concentrations are measured. Single measurement of an average or composite sample of at least five (5) individuals of the same species. Not to be exceeded; DEQ will evaluate all representative egg-ovary data to determine compliance with this criterion element.

2. Fish whole-body or muscle tissue supersedes water column element when both fish tissue and water concentrations are measured. Single measurement of an average or composite sample of at least five (5) individuals of the same species where the smallest individual is no less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the total length (size) of the largest individual. Not to be exceeded; DEQ will evaluate all representative whole-body or muscle data to determine compliance with this criterion element.

Idaho Admin. Code r. 58.01.02.287

Effective March 31, 2022