At the request of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the DNR conducts a thorough review of the Water Quality Standards every three years. This is known as the Triennial Review. During the Triennial Review, the DNR considers comments from the EPA, the public, and new scientific information. These comments are used to develop a set of issues to be addressed. Each Triennial Review may be split into several phases, and each phase addresses specific issues. Some examples of issues are the evaluation of the numeric criteria for toxic chemicals, new stream and lake use designations, and new approaches to developing waste load allocations.

Currently, the DNR is proceeding with the 2000 Triennial Review. When a change to the Water Quality Standards is proposed, it is first published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin (IAB) as a Notice of Intended Action. When the change has been approved by the Environmental Protection Commission, it is published in the IAB as a Final Rule. Below are the recent rulemaking activities that have been proposed or adopted by the DNR.

Prior to Final Rules becoming usable in the DNR's permitting programs, the EPA must approve the rule change. Until receiving EPA approval, the DNR must continue using the original rules when possible.

Timelines for WQS Modifications

• Timelines for WQS Modification, Revised 6-14-06 (*.pdf file)
• Appendix (*.pdf file)

Nutrient Science Advisory Committee:

• Roster (*.pdf file)
• Meeting Agenda - November 5, 2007 (*.pdf file)
  • Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2007 (*.pdf file)
• Meeting Agenda - October 15, 2007 (*.pdf file)
  • Meeting Minutes - October 15, 2007 (*.pdf file)
• Meeting Agenda - August 9, 2007 (*.pdf file)
  • Meeting Minutes - August 9, 2007 (*.pdf file)
• Meeting Agenda - July 19, 2007 (*.pdf file)
  • Meeting Minutes - July 19, 2007 (*.pdf file)
• Meeting Agenda - June 26, 2007 (*.pdf file)
  • Meeting Minutes - June 26, 2007 (*.pdf file)
• Meeting Agenda - June 13, 2007 (*.pdf file)
  • Meeting Minutes - June 13, 2007 (*.pdf file)
  
  
  
• Nutrients and Water Quality

Technical Advisory Committee for Chemical Criteria (TAC):

• Numeric Chemical Criteria Review (TAC)
  
  
  • Roster (*.pdf file)
  • Meeting Minutes, (*.pdf file)
  • Numeric Chemical Criteria Review, (*.pdf file)
  • Presentation - Designated Use Overview, (*.pdf file)
  • Presentation - Aquatic Life Criteria Review, (*.pdf file)
  • Aquatic Life Use Designation Discussion, (*.pdf file)
  • Chemical Criteria Change in Approach Letter to TAC, (*.pdf file)

Technical Advisory Committee for Chloride:

• Roster (*.pdf file)
• November 26, 2007 Meeting Agenda, (*.pdf file)
  • November 26, 2007 Meeting Notes, (*.pdf file)
  • Chloride Recalculation Presentation, (*.pdf file)
  • Chloride Recalculation Summary, (*.pdf file)
• December 14, 2007 Meeting Agenda

Notices of Intended Action (NOIA):

• NOIA: Recreational Use Protocol,*.pdf file
• Fiscal Impact Statement - "Recreational Use Protocol", August 28, 2007,*.pdf file

• NOIA: ARC 5898B - Chemical Criteria,*.pdf file
• Fiscal Impact Statement - "Chemical Criteria", April 30, 2007,*.pdf file

• NOIA: ARC 6351B – Stream Use Designation Revisions,*.pdf file
• Fiscal Impact Statement - "Stream Use Designation Revisions," Sept. 10, 2007,*.pdf file
• Stream Use Designations Revisions Spreadsheet,*.pdf file

Responsiveness Summary

• Chemical Criteria (ARC 5898B) Responsiveness Summary, Sept. 10, 2007 (*.pdf)

Issue Papers:

• TDS Issue Paper (*.pdf file)
  
  
• Chloride Issue Paper (*.pdf file)
  
  
• Iron Issue Paper (*.pdf file)

Recently Adopted Final Rules:

• Final Rule: ARC 6352B – Chemical Criteria – Effective November 28, 2007 (*.pdf file)
  
  
• Final: ARC 4897B - Protected Flow, General Use, Rebuttable Presumption Approach, effective March 22, 2006 (*.pdf file)
  
  
• Final: ARC 4895B - Warm Water Protocol and stream use designations, effective March 22, 2006 (*.pdf file)

• Fiscal Impact Statement - "Rebuttable Presumption," August 16, 2005 (*.pdf file)