Designated use

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-007747",
  "term": "Designated use",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. Classification specified in water quality standards for each waterbody or segment describing the level of protection from perturbation afforded by the regulatory programs. The designated aquatic life uses established by the state or authorized tribes set forth the goals for restoration and/or baseline conditions for maintenance and prevention from future degradation of the aquatic life in specific waterbodies.\n\n2. The description of an appropriate intended use by humans and/or aquatic life for a water body. Designated uses for a water body may include recreation, shellfishing, water supply and/or aquatic life habitat.\n\n3. Those uses specified in water quality standards for each waterbody or segment. Recreational uses; the propagation and growth of a balanced, indigenous population of aquatic life; wildlife; and the production of edible and marketable natural resources are generally stated as \"fishable and swimmable\" uses. Other uses may be industrial water supply, irrigation, and navigation.\n\n4. Terminology used in the Clean Water Act to describe classes of expectations for waterbodies, including their ability to support aquatic life.\n\n5. Simple narrative description of water quality expectations or water quality goals. A designated use is a legally recognized description of a desired use of the waterbody, such as (1) support of communities of aquatic life, (2) body contact recreation, (3) fish consumption, and (4) public drinking water supply. These are uses that the state or authorized tribe wants the waterbody to be healthy enough to fully support. The Clean Water Act requires that waterbodies attain or maintain the water quality needed to support designated uses.\n\n6. Those uses specified in water quality standards for each waterbody or segment whether they are being attained (§ 131.3). Examples of designated uses include cold and warm water fisheries, public water supply, and irrigation.\n\n7. Those uses specified in water quality standards for each water body or segment whether or not they are being attained. [40 CFR 131.3 (CFR 2016)]\n\n8. Terminology used in the Clean Water Act to describe classes of expectations for water bodies. The classification of water bodies must take into consideration the use and value of water for public water supplies, protection and propagation of fish, shellfish and wildlife, recreation in and on the water, agricultural, industrial, and other purposes including navigation.\n\n9. A beneficial use type established by a State for each water resource and specified in water quality standards, whether or not it is being attained.\n\n10. Classification designated in water quality standards for each waterbody or segment that defines the optimal purpose for that waterbody. Examples - drinking water use and aquatic life use.",
  "subject": "Water",
  "see_also": [
    "Beneficial uses"
  ],
  "references": [
    "Aquatic Biodiversity Glossary; Biocriteria Glossary",
    "Chesapeake Bay Glossary",
    "Total Maximum Daily Loads (303d) Glossary; Impaired Waters and Total Maximum Daily Loads Glossary",
    "CADDIS Glossary",
    "Watershed Planning Glossary of Terms",
    "NPDES Permit Writers Glossary",
    "Adapted from How's Your Waterway which quotes 40 CFR 131.3(f).",
    "NSTEPS Online Glossary; N-STEPS Online Glossary of Terms",
    "NPS Agriculture Glossary; Nonpoint Pollution Source from Agriculture Glossary",
    "Glossary of Wetland Bioassessment Terms"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/designated-use/"
}