Fact Sheet

Summary of Biological Assessment and Programs and Biocriteria Development for States, Tribes, Territories and Interstate Commissions: Streams and Wadeable Rivers

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through the Offices of Water and Environmental Information, published a document describing the status of state and tribal biological assessments and biological criteria development for rivers and streams. Compiled from states, tribes, territories and interstate commissions, the information illustrates the great progress states and tribes have made over the last six years in using biological assessments and criteria to manage our Nation's waterbodies.

What are Biological Assessments and Biological Criteria?
Biological assessments (often called "bioassessments") are the primary tool to measure the biological condition of a waterbody. Bioassessments use surveys and other direct measurements to determine the presence, condition and numbers of types of aquatic life – fish, insects, algae and plants – in the water. Bioassessment information is used with assessments of nutrients, chemicals and temperature to determine the overall health of a waterbody and help environmental managers plan and set program goals and targets.

Biological criteria (called "biocriteria") are narrative descriptions or numeric values that describe the qualities necessary to support a desired condition in a waterbody. They are the standard against which bioassessment results are compared.

How do states, tribes and others use bioassessments and biocriteria?
Under the Clean Water Act, states and tribes must develop and adopt water quality standards to protect designated aquatic life uses or achieve use goals. Biocriteria are a way to assess and help protect the biological resources and to document compliance with regulatory requirements. States, tribes and others use bioassessments in setting aquatic life goals and describing acceptable biological conditions for their streams and rivers. These goals not only protect aquatic communities in their waters. Bioassessments and biocriteria can also be used to establish restoration goals where the condition of aquatic ecosystems are less than desired.

Many people now use the biological information gathered from these bioassessments to report on the status of waterbodies nationwide. The information helps determine what waters meet or do not meet their designated aquatic life use goals and what waterbodies are impaired. Bioassessments and biocriteria help states, tribes and others develop and implement effective protection and restoration strategies.

Why did EPA create this document?
In 1996, EPA conducted an inventory of state bioassessment programs for streams and wadeable rivers (Summary of State Biological Assessment Programs for Streams and Rivers, EPA 230-R096-007). The inventory helped us determine how many states were using bioassessments and biocriteria in their water management programs and how they were using them. EPA used the information to evaluate state bioassessment and biocriteria capabilities and estimate state and tribal needs for technical support.

In the second half of the 1990s, EPA made it a national priority for state and tribal water quality standards programs to adopt biocriteria so they could better protect aquatic life in all waters. By 2001, momentum to adopt biocriteria had grown, and EPA decided a second inventory was needed to re-assess the progress that states had made in developing and adopting bioassessments and criteria since 1995.

The new summary document illustrates changes and improvements in bioassessment capabilities over the past six years. It is important evidence for advancement of the program and EPA's successful transfer of bioassessment techniques. The information will help EPA better focus water quality standards and criteria development efforts for the next several years, target new program priorities to achieve greater environmental results, and provide for the technical support needs of environmental managers.

How do I get a copy of the document?
You can get copies of the complete document, titled Summary of Biological Assessment Programs and Biocriteria Development for States, Tribes, Territories, and Interstate Commissions: Streams and Wadeable Rivers (EPA-822-R-02-048), by calling EPA's Water Resource Center by phone at (202) 566-1729, or by sending an e-mail to center.water-resource@epa.gov . You can also make your request by conventional mail addressed:

EPA Water Resource Center, RC-4100
1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20460

You can also visit EPA's web site on the Internet to learn more. Go to http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/biocriteria/ for information on the biocriteria program or to download the summary document.

| Biological Indicators |

EPA Home | Privacy and Security Notice | Contact Us