Water Quality Research
The quality of the nation's water resources is vital to ecology, human health, and the economy. To meet our clean water goals under the Clean Water Act, EPA has developed rules and regulations to preserve and protect the quality of our water resources. Research by EPA provides the scientific knowledge and tools needed to make regulatory decisions and policies about water quality and to address future environmental issues concerning water quality.
The research focuses on particular aquatic ecosystem stressors that EPA most often cites as causing body impairments such as embedded and suspended sediment, nutrients, pathogens and pathogen indicators.
The program has three main long-term goals to address areas of research needed to protect and restore the nation's waters:
- Water Quality Protection Research
- Watershed Management Research
- Source Control Management Research
Water Quality Protection Research: To develop water quality criteria for the protection of human health and aquatic life
Water quality protection research provides research and expertise to inform the development and application of water quality criteria for protecting and restoring the biological, physical, and chemical integrity of water resources in the United States. Researchers are is developing the knowledge to set criteria for the protection of human health and aquatic life by maintaining the water quality that supports the associated designated uses. The goal of water quality research is to address concerns for health and aquatic life risks associated with pathogens, nutrients, and emerging contaminants exposures, either occurring separately or in combinations.
Watershed Management Research: To diagnose and predict the causes of water quality impairment; develop load limits; and select, apply, and evaluate the effectiveness of watershed management measures
Watershed management research provides research, tools, and expertise to diagnose and predict the causes of water quality impairment; develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs); and select, apply, and evaluate the effectiveness of watershed management measures. The watershed approach for protecting aquatic ecosystems and human health has been an EPA priority since it was described in 1991. Additional support at larger scales was gained through the initiation of ecosystem-based programs (e.g., Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes, Clean Lakes, and National Estuaries Programs). The foundation for the watershed approach is that it is believed to be more effective and efficient at addressing water quality problems, when compared to regulation of individual pollutants, pollutant sources, or independent regulatory or non-regulatory program implementation.
Source Control Management Research: To provide information and guidance on the design and implementation of control techniques and best management measuresSource control management research provides expertise, research, and tools to characterize, control and manage sources of water quality impairment in water resources in the United States. A “source” is defined as any activity, facility, structure, or other anthropogenic influence that creates potential or actual degradation of water quality or aquatic/estuarine/marine ecosystems. Source Control and Management (SCM) is the direct or indirect change in the characteristics of a source to prevent, reduce, or eliminate its detrimental effects.