The EPA released the Watershed Assessment, Tracking and Environmental Results (WATERS) integration web site. WATERS unites geographically specific water quality data from state websites and various EPA sites including EPA's new National Water Quality Standards Database and its Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) Database with the US Geological Survey's National Hydrographic Dataset. WATERS users can click on an interactive map to see, which waters are classified by states as impaired (those waters not attaining water quality standards), and to learn the purpose or use of each waterbody such as whether or not it is designated for protection as a drinking water supply, recreational use or fishing.
Although not yet complete, WATERS eventually will cover all 50 states and contain links to data on ambient water quality, drinking water quality,polluted runoff, fish consumption advisories, facility discharge outfalls and other information.
For more on WATERS, visit www.epa.gov/waters on the Internet.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
