MassDEP Watershed Planning

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Surface Water Quality Standards +

Develops and adopts standards to protect public health, aquatic life, and enhance the quality and value of surface waters in the Commonwealth.

314 CMR 4: The Massachusetts Surface Water Quality Standards  Regulatory review & standards development activities 

Surface Water Quality Monitoring +

Conducts biological and physico-chemical surface water sampling in support of multiple water quality management programs.

Surface Water Quality Monitoring 

Open PDF file, 1.28 MB,  Water Quality Monitoring Strategy 2016-2025 (English, PDF 1.28 MB)

Annual monitoring summaries  Volunteer monitoring opportunities  Historical water quality and biomonitoring technical memoranda 

Data Management & Water Quality Assessments +

Manages biological and physico-chemical surface water quality data and performs biennial water quality assessments.

Data management  Water quality assessment  Integrated Reports [305(b) / 303(d)]  Quality Assurance  External data submittals 

Total Maximum Daily Loads +

Develops plans to restore the quality of impaired surface waters.

Total Maximum Daily Loads  Reports by watershed  The Massachusetts Estuaries Project and Reports  Watershed planning vision process 

Nonpoint Source Pollution +

Administers grants to assist the restoration of surface and groundwater impaired by nonpoint source pollution and protect water quality.

Nonpoint source pollution  Grants and financial assistance  Watershed-based planning  S. 319 Nonpoint Source Grant  2021 Section 319 Grant Projects  S. 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Grant  2020 Section 604(b) Grant Projects