WATER QUALITY: Technical Information--Briefing paper on lake classification schemes

In Reply Refer To:                             February 22, 1980
EGS-Mail Stop


QUALITY OF WATER BRANCH TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NO. 80.09

Subject: WATER QUALITY: Technical Information--Briefing paper on 
                        lake classification schemes

Within recent years, there has been a revived interest in the 
investigation and conservation of our Nation's lake resources. The 
interest has come about, in part, as a result of Section 314(a) of 
the Federal Water Pollution Act Amendments of 1972 (Public Law 92-
500), recently updated by Public Law 95-217 as the Clean Water Act 
of 1977. The 1977 Act states:

"Each State shall prepare or establish, and submit to the (EPA) 
Administration for his approval--

(l) An identification and classification according to eutrophic 
condition of all publicly owned fresh-water lakes in such State;

(2) Procedures, processes, and methods (including land-use 
requirements), to control sources of pollution of such lakes, and;

(3) Methods and procedures, in conjunction with appropriate 
Federal agencies, to restore the quality of such lakes.

To assist the States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) inaugurated the Clean Lakes Program which provides technical 
and financlal assistance for the activities listed above. As a 
result of this effort by the States, many WRD district offices 
have become involved either directly or indirectly with the lake 
classification element of the Act.

In order to provide you with an overview of lake classification 
schemes, the Quality of Water Branch requested Dennis A. Wentz 
(WRD, Madison, Wisconsin) to prepare a briefing paper on the 
topic. The paper, which is enclosed, is entltled "Lake 
Classification--Is There Method to This Madness?"

Please circulate the briefing paper widely to all district and 
project offices.



                             R. J. Pickering
                             Chief, Quality of Water Branch

Enclosure

WRD Distribution: A, B, FO-L, PO