Haw. Code R. § 11-54-5.2

Current through November, 2024

Section 11-54-5.2 - Inland water criteria

(a) Criteria for springs and seeps, ditches and flumes, natural freshwater lakes, reservoirs, low wetlands, coastal wetlands, saline lakes, and anchialine pools. Only the basic criteria set forth in section 11-54-4 apply to springs and seeps, ditches and flumes, natural freshwater lakes, reservoirs, low wetlands, coastal wetlands, saline lakes, and anchialine pools. Natural freshwater lakes, saline lakes, and anchialine pools will be maintained in the natural state through Hawaii's "no discharge" policy for these waters. Waste discharge into these waters is prohibited, except as provided in section 11-54-4(e)(see section 11-54-3(b)(1)).

(b) Specific criteria for streams. Water column criteria for streams shall be as provided in the following table:

Parameter	Geometric mean not to exceed the given value	Not to exceed the given value more than ten per cent of the time	Not to Exceed the given value more than two per cent of the time
Total Nitrogen	250.0*	520.0*	80,0.0*
(µg N/L)	180.0**	380.0**	600.0**
Nitrate + Nitrite	70.0*	180.0*	300.0*
Nitrogen	30 .0**	90.0**	170.0**
(µg [N0₃+N0₂]-N/L)
Total Phosphorus	50.0*	100.0*	150.0*
(µg P/L)	30.0**	60.0**	80.0**
Total	20.0*	50.0*	80.0*
Suspended Solids	10.0**	30.0**	55.0**
(mg/L)
Turbidity	5.0*	15.0*	25.0*
(N.T.U.)	2.0**	5.5**	10.0**

* Wet season - November 1 through April 30.

** Dry season - May 1 through October 31.

L = liter

N.T.U. = Nephelometric Turbidity Units. A comparison of the intensity of light scattered by the sample under defined conditions with the intensity of light scattered by a standard reference suspension under the same conditions. The higher the intensity of scattered light, the higher the turbidity. µg = microgram or 0.000001 grams pH Units - shall not deviate more than 0.5 units from ambient conditions and shall not be lower than 5.5 nor higher than 8.0

Dissolved Oxygen - Not less than eighty per cent saturation, determined as a function of ambient water temperature.

Temperature - Shall not vary more than one degree Celsius from ambient conditions. Specific Conductance - Not more than three hundred micromhos/centimeter.

(1) Bottom criteria for streams:

(A) Episodic deposits of flood-borne soil sediment shall not occur in quantities exceeding an equivalent thickness of five millimeters (0.20 inches) over hard bottoms twenty-four hours after a heavy rainstorm.

(B) Episodic deposits of flood-borne soil sediment shall not occur in quantities exceeding an equivalent thickness of ten millimeters (0.40 inches) over soft bottoms twenty-four hours after a heavy rainstorm.

(C) In soft bottom material in pool sections of streams, oxidation-reduction potential (EH) in the top ten centimeters (four inches) shall not be less than +100 millivolts.

(D) In soft bottom material in pool sections of streams, no more than fifty per cent of the grain size distribution of sediment shall be smaller than 0.125 millimeters (0.005 inches) in diameter.

(E) The director shall prescribe the appropriate parameters, measures, and criteria for monitoring stream bottom biological communities including their habitat, which may be affected by proposed actions. Permanent benchmark stations may be required where necessary for monitoring purposes. The water quality criteria for this subsection shall be deemed to be met if time series surveys of benchmark stations indicate no relative changes in the relevant biological communities, as noted by biological community indicators or by indicator organisms which may be applicable to the specific site.

(c) Specific criteria for elevated wetlands: pH units shall not deviate more than 0.5 units from ambient conditions and shall not be lower than 4.5 nor higher than 7.0.

(d) Specific criteria for estuaries.

(1) The following table is applicable to all estuaries except Pearl Harbor:

Parameter	Geometric mean not to exceed the given value	Not to exceed the given value more than ten per cent of the time	Not to Exceed the given value more than two per cent of the time
Total Nitrogen (µg N/L)	200.00	350.00	500.00
Ammonia Nitrogen (µg NH₄-N/L)	6.00	10.00	20.00
Nitrate + Nitrite Nitrogen	8.00	25.00	35.00
(µg [NO₃+N0₂]-N/L) Total Phosphorus (µg P/L)	25.00	50.00	75.00
Chlorophyll a (µg/L)	2.00	5.00	10.00
Turbidity (N.T.U.)	1.5	3.00	5.00

L = liter

µg = microgram or 0.000001 grams

pH Units - shall not deviate more than 0.5 units from ambient conditions and shall not be lower than 7.0 nor higher than 8.6.

Dissolved Oxygen - Not less than seventy-five per cent saturation, determined as a function of ambient water temperature and salinity.

Temperature - Shall not vary more than one degree Celsius from ambient conditions.

Salinity - Shall not vary more than ten per cent from ambient conditions.

Oxidation - reduction potential (EH) - Shall not be less than -100 millivolts in the uppermost ten centimeters (four inches) of sediment.

(2) The following table is applicable only to Pearl Harbor Estuary.

Parameter	Geometric mean not to exceed the given value	Not to exceed the given value more than ten per cent of the time	Not to exceed the given value more than two per cent of the time
Total Nitrogen (µg N/L)	300.00	550.00	750.00
Ammonia Nitrogen (µg NH₄-N/L)	10,00	20.00	30.00
Nitrate + Nitrite Nitrogen (µg [N0₃+N0₂]-N/L)	15.00	40.00	70.00
Total Phosphorus (µg P/L)	60,00	130.00	200.00
Chlorophyll a (µg/L)	3.50	10.00	20.00
Turbidity (N.T.U.)	4.00	8.00	15.00

L = liter

µg = microgram or 0.000001 grams.

pH Units - shall not deviate more than 0.5 units from ambient conditions and shall not be lower than 6.8 nor higher than 8.8.

Dissolved Oxygen - Not less than sixty per cent saturation, determined as a function of ambient water temperature and salinity.

Temperature - Shall not vary more than one degree Celsius from ambient conditions.

Salinity - Shall not vary more than ten per cent from ambient conditions.

Oxidation - Reduction potential (EH) - Shall not be less than -100 millivolts in the uppermost ten centimeters (four inches) of sediment.

Haw. Code R. § 11-54-5.2

[Eff 11/12/82; am and comp 10/6/84; am and comp 04/14/88; am and comp 01/18/90; am and comp 10/29/92, am and comp 04/17/00; am and comp 10/2/04; comp 06/15/09; am and comp 10/21/12; am and comp 12/6/13; comp 11/15/2014 ] (Auth: HRS SS342D-1, 342D-4, 342D-5, Ch. 342E) (Imp: HRS §§ 342D-4, 342D-5, Ch. 342E)