The Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA EDP) is using a phased approach to developing and implementing numeric nutrient criteria (NNC) for lakes and reservoirs, streams and rivers, estuaries and coastal marine waters, and wetlands. Each water body type will be subdivided into subcategories, if appropriate, based on distinguishing characteristics shown to affect nutrient conditions. For example, lakes of more than 500 acres were identified as a subcategory because they have a higher level of human exposure than smaller lakes resulting from their use for public drinking water supplies and for fishing, boating, and other recreational activities.
GA EDP began its NNC development process with large public lakes (more than 500 acres). As Georgia works through refining the nutrient criteria for those lakes, other water body types will be phased into the process in the following sequence: minor lakes (definition to be determined), wadeable streams, nonwadeable streams, estuaries, and wetlands. This phased approach will allow the state to move forward in a timely manner and apply lessons learned as it progresses. During the process, the NNC development plan will be updated and modified to reflect new information and circumstances (Georgia DNR 2013).
Reference:
Georgia DNR (Georgia Department of Natural Resources). 2013. Georgia’s Plan for the Adoption of Water Quality Standards for Nutrients. Revision 2.0. Accessed October 2016. https://epd.georgia.gov/sites/epd.georgia.gov/files/related_files/site_page/GA_NutrientCriteria_Plan_Aug_2013_Rev.pdf.