Reminder - DEP Collecting Water Quality Data for Report

 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Water and Waste Management wants to remind the public that it is collecting submissions of water quality data on the state's streams and lakes. Anyone with such data is asked to please submit it. The information is for the 2016 Integrated Report, which includes the 303(d) list of impaired streams. 

In addition to information collected by the division's Watershed Assessment Branch, the agency will be compiling submissions from state and federal agencies, watershed associations, permitted facilities and others with available water quality data.

The Integrated Report is compiled by DEP and submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency every two years as required by the federal Clean Water Act. Streams and lakes are included on the list of impaired waters if they fail to meet water quality standards.

If you have collected water quality data in West Virginia within the five-year period from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2015, and are willing to share that data with the agency, please send it to Chris.A.Daugherty@wv.gov. The deadline to submit data is Oct. 18.

A data submission form is available for download at www.dep.wv.gov/WWE/watershed/IR/Pages/Third-Party-Data-Guidelines.aspx. The form has all the required information necessary to ensure the data can be evaluated for use in the report. Documentation that specifically describes data collection and analysis will help the agency assess its applicability. If the data was subject to a quality assurance/quality control plan, please submit it with the data. For an example of a QA/QC plan, go to http://www.epa.gov/quality/qs-docs/g5-final.pdf.

Although electronic data submission is preferred and encouraged, non-electronic submissions may be sent to the Division of Water and Waste Management, Attn: Steve Young, 601 57th St. S.E., Charleston, WV 25304.

For more DEP news and information, go to www.dep.wv.gov. Also, be sure to connect with the agency on all social media platforms. Follow @DEPWV on Twitter and find us on YouTube by searching “Environment Matters.” For specific information about our REAP (Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan), West Virginia Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), West Virginia Watershed Improvement Branch, Youth Environmental Program and Human Resources initiatives, connect on Facebook.

Contact:

Kelley Gillenwater
304-926-0499, ext. 1331
Kelley.J.Gillenwater@wv.gov