On This Page
- Delaware Assessment Summary
- Water Quality by Waterbody Type
- Causes of Impairment
- Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
- Previously Impaired Waters Now Attaining All Uses
- TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment
- Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
- Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
- Cumulative Number of TMDLs
Data are also available for these years: 2002 2004
Waterbody Changes from Prior Cycle
Comparison Summary by Reporting Year
For More Information:
Delaware Assessment Report
State Water Quality Program
Delaware 2006 Water Quality Assessment Report
NOTE: The data provided in this report differs slightly from the information provided in the original Delaware 2006 305(b) report. This is a result of differences between the Delaware State assessment database and the summary data provided in Delaware's 2006 Integrated Report, which is available at http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/water2000/Sections/Watershed/TMDL/2006%20305(b)Final.pdf
Delaware Assessment Summary for Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table| Size of Water | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Coastal Shoreline (Miles) |
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| Good Waters | 8.8 | 90.0 | 25.0 | ||||||||||||
| Previously impaired waters now attaining all uses |
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| Threatened Waters | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL completed | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL alternative | |||||||||||||||
| Non-pollutant impairment | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL needed | |||||||||||||||
| Impaired Waters | 2,497.3 | 2,863.9 | 29.5 | ||||||||||||
| TMDL completed | 476.3 | 1,427.5 | 3.0 | ||||||||||||
| TMDL alternative | |||||||||||||||
| Non-pollutant impairment | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL needed | 2,020.9 | 1,436.4 | 26.5 | ||||||||||||
| New TMDLs completed | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | |||||||||||
| Remaining TMDLs needed | 2,020.9 | 1,436.4 | 26.5 | ||||||||||||
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| Total Assessed Waters | 2,506.1 | 2,953.9 | 29.5 | 25.0 | |||||||||||
| Total Waters | 2,509.0 | 2,954.0 | 448.5 | 25.0 | |||||||||||
| Percent of Waters Assessed | 99.9 | 100.0 | 6.6 | 100.0 | |||||||||||
Summary of Water Quality Assessments for Each Waterbody Type
for Reporting Year 2006
Delaware Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2006
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Delaware Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2006*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Water Supply | 1,928.1 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Cold Water Fish | 66.6 | 80.8 | .0 | 19.2 | |
| Fish, Aquatic Life, And Wildlife | 2,478.2 | 2.9 | .0 | 97.1 | |
| Harvestable Shellfish Waters | 5.2 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Industrial Water Supply | 2,448.7 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Primary Contact Recreation | 2,479.4 | 11.6 | .0 | 88.4 | |
| Public Water Supply | 204.5 | 97.1 | .0 | 2.9 | |
| Secondary Contact Recreation | 2,475.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Waters Of Exceptional Recreational Or Ecological Significance | 867.3 | 21.9 | .0 | 78.1 |
Delaware Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus, Total | Nutrients | |
| Nitrogen, Total | Nutrients | |
| Enterococcus Bacteria | Pathogens | |
| Habitat Assessment (Streams) | Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota | |
| Nitrate/Nitrite (Nitrite + Nitrate as N) | Nutrients | |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | |
| Total Kjehldahl Nitrogen (TKN) | Nutrients | |
| Organic Enrichment (Sewage) Biological Indicators | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| Dioxin (Including 2,3,7,8-TCDD) | Dioxins | |
| Dieldrin | Pesticides | |
| Chlordane | Pesticides | |
| Mercury | Mercury | |
| Ammonia, Un-ionized | Ammonia | |
| DDT in Fish Tissue | Pesticides | |
| DDT | Pesticides | |
| Zinc | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Temperature, Water | Temperature | |
| Solids (Suspended/Bedload) | Sediment | |
| Cause Unknown | Cause Unknown |
Delaware Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Agriculture | |
| Natural Sources | Natural/Wildlife | |
| Source Unknown | Unknown | |
| On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decencentralized Systems) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Municipal Point Source Discharges | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Industrial Point Source Discharge | Industrial | |
| Rcra Hazardous Waste Sites | Industrial | |
| Combined Sewer Overflows | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment) | Construction | |
| Construction Stormwater Discharge (Permitted) | Construction | |
| Landfills | Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks |
Delaware Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2006
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Delaware Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2006*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Acres Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Water Supply | 2,764.6 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Fish, Aquatic Life, And Wildlife | 2,953.9 | 11.3 | .0 | 88.7 | |
| Industrial Water Supply | 2,953.9 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Primary Contact Recreation | 2,953.9 | 55.6 | .0 | 44.4 | |
| Public Water Supply | 295.6 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Secondary Contact Recreation | 2,942.0 | 82.4 | .0 | 17.6 | |
| Waters Of Exceptional Recreational Or Ecological Significance | 757.8 | 33.9 | .0 | 66.1 |
Delaware Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus, Total | Nutrients | |
| Nitrogen, Total | Nutrients | |
| Enterococcus Bacteria | Pathogens | |
| Nitrate/Nitrite (Nitrite + Nitrate as N) | Nutrients | |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | |
| Mercury | Mercury | |
| Dioxin (Including 2,3,7,8-TCDD) | Dioxins | |
| Total Kjehldahl Nitrogen (TKN) | Nutrients | |
| DDT in Fish Tissue | Pesticides |
Delaware Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Agriculture | |
| Source Unknown | Unknown | |
| Natural Sources | Natural/Wildlife |
Delaware Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2006
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Delaware Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2006*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Square Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish, Aquatic Life, And Wildlife | 29.0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Harvestable Shellfish Waters | 14.5 | 4.1 | .0 | 95.9 | |
| Industrial Water Supply | 29.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Primary Contact Recreation | 29.5 | 50.8 | .0 | 49.2 | |
| Secondary Contact Recreation | 29.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Waters Of Exceptional Recreational Or Ecological Significance | 29.5 | 10.2 | .0 | 89.8 |
Delaware Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Square Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Organic Enrichment (Sewage) Biological Indicators | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| Total Kjehldahl Nitrogen (TKN) | Nutrients | |
| Nitrate/Nitrite (Nitrite + Nitrate as N) | Nutrients | |
| Enterococcus Bacteria | Pathogens | |
| Phosphorus, Total | Nutrients | |
| Solids (Suspended/Bedload) | Sediment | |
| Nitrogen, Total | Nutrients | |
| Temperature, Water | Temperature |
Delaware Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Square Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal Point Source Discharges | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decencentralized Systems) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Agriculture | Agriculture | |
| Natural Sources | Natural/Wildlife | |
| Source Unknown | Unknown |
Delaware Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2006
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Delaware Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2006*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish, Aquatic Life, And Wildlife | 25.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Industrial Water Supply | 25.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Primary Contact Recreation | 25.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Secondary Contact Recreation | 25.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 |
Delaware Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2006
No causes of impairment reported.
Delaware Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2006
No probable sources of impairments reported.
Delaware Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined Cause of Impairment Group to see a list of specific state causes of impairment making up the Cause of Impairment Group. | |||||||||||||||
| Cause of Impairment Group | Size of Assessed Waters with Listed Causes of Impairment | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Coastal Shoreline (Miles) |
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| Ammonia | 21.3 | ||||||||||||||
| Cause Unknown | 6.9 | ||||||||||||||
| Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota | 268.9 | ||||||||||||||
| Dioxins | 72.6 | 157.8 | |||||||||||||
| Mercury | 24.1 | 183.4 | |||||||||||||
| Metals (other than Mercury) | 12.8 | ||||||||||||||
| Nutrients | 2,211.4 | 2,594.3 | 29.0 | ||||||||||||
| Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 75.6 | 28.0 | |||||||||||||
| Pathogens | 1,898.3 | 983.6 | 26.5 | ||||||||||||
| Pesticides | 58.8 | 27.1 | |||||||||||||
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 114.6 | 210.5 | |||||||||||||
| Sediment | 9.4 | 12.0 | |||||||||||||
| Temperature | 9.4 | 1.0 | |||||||||||||
Delaware Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
for Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined Probable Source Group to see a list of specific state Probable Sources making up the Probable Source Group. | |||||||||||||||
| Probable Source Group | Size of Assessed Waters with Probable Sources of Impairments | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Coastal Shoreline (Miles) |
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| Agriculture | 847.9 | 403.6 | 12.0 | ||||||||||||
| Construction | 8.2 | ||||||||||||||
| Industrial | 105.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks | 5.2 | ||||||||||||||
| Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | 290.6 | 25.0 | |||||||||||||
| Natural/Wildlife | 423.5 | 237.4 | 3.0 | ||||||||||||
| Unknown | 247.5 | 253.4 | 3.0 | ||||||||||||
Delaware TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment 2006
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment " value to see a listing of those Causes of Impairment. | ||||||||||||||
| Cause of Impairment | Number of TMDL Alternatives |
Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate/Nitrite (Nitrite + Nitrate as N) | 11 | |||||||||||||
| Organic Enrichment (Sewage) Biological Indicators | 11 | |||||||||||||
| Phosphorus, Total | 11 | |||||||||||||
| Total Kjehldahl Nitrogen (TKN) | 11 | |||||||||||||
Total: 4 TMDL Alternatives
Delaware Previously Impaired Waters Now Attaining All Uses
No previously impaired waters reported as attaining all uses.
Delaware Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on a cause of impairment (e.g. pathogens) to see the specific state-reported causes that are grouped to make up this category. Click on the "Number of Causes of Impairment Reported" to see a list of waters with that cause of impairment. | |
| Cause of Impairment Group Name | Number of Causes of Impairment Reported |
|---|---|
| Nutrients | |
| Pathogens | |
| Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota | |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | |
| Pesticides | |
| Dioxins | |
| Mercury | |
| Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| Cause Unknown | |
| Turbidity | |
Total: 206 Causes of Impairment
Delaware Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
This chart includes TMDLs since October 1, 1995.
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Pollutant" value to see associated listed waters for which a TMDL was developed. Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs" value to see a listing of those TMDLs for the pollutant. | ||
| Pollutant | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | 172 | |
| Bacteria | 149 | |
| Nitrogen | 114 | |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 80 | |
| Ammonia | 17 | |
| Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) | 15 | |
| Carbonaceous Bod | 5 | |
| Nutrients | 3 | |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 3 | |
| Habitat | 2 | |
| Temperature | 2 | |
| Zinc | 2 | |
| Escherichia Coli (E. Coli) | 1 | |
| Phosphates | 1 | |
Total: 558 TMDLs; 566 Causes of Impairment Addressed
Delaware Cumulative Number of TMDLs
EPA Fiscal Year starts October 1 and ends September 30.
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs Completed" value for a detailed list of the TMDLs for the fiscal year. | ||
| Fiscal Year | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 3 | |
| 1999 | 10 | |
| 2000 | 2 | |
| 2001 | 72 | |
| 2003 | 37 | |
| 2004 | 14 | |
| 2005 | 57 | |
| 2006 | 100 | |
| 2007 | 271 | |
Total: 558 TMDLs; 566 Causes of Impairment Addressed
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