Wisconsin Administrative Code

NR 102.03 Definitions. In this chapter, the following definitions apply: NR 102.245 NR 102.25 NR 102.26 NR 102.27 NR 102.28 NR 102.29 NR 102.30 Temperature criteria for limited aquatic life communities. Ambient temperatures and water quality criteria for the protection of fish an…

NR 102.04 Categories of surface water uses and criteria. (1) GENERAL. To preserve and enhance the quality of waters, surface water uses and criteria are established to govern water management decisions. Practices attributable to municipal, industrial, commercial, domestic, agricu…

NR 102.045 Antidegradation policy. NR 102.05 Application of standards. NR 102.06 Phosphorus. NR 102.07 Assessing phosphorus concentration. NR 102.10 Outstanding resource waters. NR 102.11 Exceptional resource waters. NR 102.12 Great Lakes system. NR 102.14 Taste and odor criteria…

NR 102.05 Application of standards. (2) STREAMWater quality standards will not be maintained under all natural occurrences of flow, temperature, or other water quality characteristics. The determination of water quality based effluent limitations or other management practices sha…

NR 102.06 Phosphorus. (1) GENERAL. This section identifies the water quality criteria for total phosphorus that shall be met in surface waters. Assessment procedures for waterbodies are specified in ss. NR 102.07 and 102.60. (2) DEFINITIONS. In this section, the following definit…

NR 102.07 Assessing phosphorus concentration. (1) DATA REQUIREMENTS. (a) Lakes and reservoirs. The total phosphorus criteria specified in s. NR 102.06 (4) apply to samples taken near a lake or reservoir’s deepest point, within 2 meters of the surface. For assessment purposes samp…

NR 102.10 Outstanding resource waters. (1) The following surface waters are designated as outstanding resource waters: (a) National wild and scenic rivers. All rivers designated under the national wild and scenic rivers act, as amended, 16 USC 1271 to 1287, except those portions …

NR 102.11 Exceptional resource waters. (1) Surface waters which provide valuable fisheries, hydrologically or geologically unique features, outstanding recreational opportunities, unique environmental settings, and which are not significantly impacted by human activities may be c…

NR 102.12 Great Lakes system. (2) For the purpose of administering ch. NR 207 and consistent with chs. NR 105 and 106, waters of the Great Lakes system, as defined under NR 102.03 (1pr), are to be protected from the impacts of persistent, bioaccumulating toxic substances by avoid…

NR 102.13 Fish and aquatic life waters. All surface waters not included in s. NR 102.05 (1) (b) 1., 2., 3. or 5. are fish and aquatic life waters. Note: This section is repealed eff. 7-1-26 by CR 23-010. 18 part undesirable taste or odor to water or aquatic organisms ingested by …

NR 102.14 Taste and odor criteria. (1) At certain concentrations, substances may not be toxic to humans, but may impart undesirable taste or odor to water or aquatic organisms ingested by humans. The taste and odor criterion is derived to prevent substances from concentrating in …

NR 102.20 Purpose. The purpose of this subchapter is to establish water quality standards for temperature pursuant to s. 281.15 (1), Stats. Water quality standards for temperature shall protect fish and other aquatic life from mortality, immobilization, loss of equilibrium, impai…

NR 102.22 Definitions. In this subchapter, the following definitions are applicable to terms used: (1) “Acute effects” means any effect resulting in death or immobilization. For temperature, the acute criteria of this subchapter are based on Upper Incipient Lethal Temperature (UI…

NR 102.23 Categories of standards applicable to temperature. The department shall establish water quality standards for temperature to protect the following: (1) Public health and welfare uses, as established in s. NR 102.04 (7) and (8). (2) Fish and other aquatic life uses as es…

NR 102.24 General water quality criteria for tem(b) Sub-lethal water quality criteria are to be applied as maxiperature. (1) There may be no temperature changes that may mum weekly average temperatures. adversely affect aquatic life. (c) Acute water quality criteria are to be app…

NR 102.245 Temperature criteria for limited aquatic (e) Final acute and sub-lethal water quality criteria for temlife communities. (1) For the purposes of temperature crite- perature specified in or developed pursuant to ss. NR 102.24 to ria, all surface waters classified as diff…

NR 102.25 Ambient temperatures and water quality criteria for the protection of fish and other aquatic life. (1) GENERAL. In the absence of site-specific ambient temperature data or water quality criteria as determine in s. NR 102.26 or 102.27, respectively, the applicable ambien…

NR 102.26 Site-specific ambient temperatures. (1) DEVELOPMENT OF SITE-SPECIFIC AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. An owner or operator of a facility with a discharge subject to regulation under this chapter may submit a request to the department for the determination of a site-specific ambien…

NR 102.27 Site-specific water quality criteria. (1) GENERAL. A water quality criterion developed pursuant to this subchapter may be modified by the department for a particular surface water segment or waterbody. The site-specific water quality criterion shall only be applicable t…

NR 102.28 Cold shock standard. Water temperatures of discharges shall be controlled in a manner as to protect fish and aquatic life uses from the deleterious effects of cold shock.

NR 102.29 Rate of temperature change standard. Temperature of a water of the state or a discharge to a water of the state may not be artificially raised or lowered at such a rate that it causes detrimental health or reproductive effects to fish or aquatic life of the water of the…

NR 102.30 Variances to water quality standards for temperature. The provisions of ss. 283.15 and 283.17, Stats., are applicable to the water quality standards in this subchapter. Subchapter III — Waterbody Assessments and Reporting

NR 102.50 Waterbody assessments and reporting. As required under sections 303 (d) and 305 (b) of the Clean Water Act, 33 USC 1313 (d) and 1315 (b), the department shall report to U.S. EPA on the status of the state’s waterbodies and attainment of water quality standards every two…

NR 102.51 Assessment types. The department may conduct different types of assessments to determine the status of waterbody health and attainment of water quality standards, depending on availability of data or methods used to collect the data. The department shall, at a minimum, …

NR 102.52 Assessment protocols. (1) GENERAL. The department’s protocols for assessing waterbodies shall be consistent with the state’s water quality standards and federal regulations and be based on relevant scientific information. The department’s protocols may include component…

NR 102.53 Reporting, public participation, and approvals. (1) REPORT DEVELOPMENT. For development of the biennial assessment report and section 303 (d) list, the department shall assemble, evaluate, and submit water quality-related data, information, and assessment protocols to U…

NR 102.54 Biological assessment of designated uses. Biological assessments conducted under this subchapter are used to determine attainment of designated uses by documenting the health of aquatic biological communities and any observed effects of degradation as described under s.…

NR 102.55 Narrative biological assessment thresholds for aquatic life uses. (1) GENERAL. This section establishes narrative biological assessment thresholds that characterize the biological community condition and that are used to measure attainment of aquatic life designated use…

NR 102.56 Numeric biological assessment thresholds for lakes, reservoirs and impounded flowing waters. This section contains numeric biological assessment thresholds for evaluating the biological condition of lakes, reservoirs, and impounded flowing waters and determining whether…

NR 102.60 Combined assessment procedure for phosphorus. (1) GENERAL. (a) This section establishes a combined assessment approach for making total phosphorus attainment determinations for surface waters in cases specified in par. (b). This approach is designed to account for varia…

NR 103.01 Purpose.

NR 103.02 Definitions.

NR 103.03 Wetland water quality standards.

NR 103.04 Wetlands in areas of special natural resource interest. Subchapter II — Implementation

NR 103.05 Purpose.

NR 103.06 Applicability.

NR 103.07 Definitions.

NR 103.08 Department determinations. Note: Chapter NR 103 as it existed on July 31, 1991 was repealed and a new chapter NR 103 was created effective August 1, 1991. Corrections made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, August, 1997, No. 500. and other surface or ground w…

NR 104.01 General.

NR 104.02 Surface water classifications and effluent limitations.

NR 104.04 Provision for changes.

NR 104.05 Variances and additions applicable in the southern district.

NR 104.06 Variances and additions applicable in the southeast district.

NR 104.07 Variances and additions applicable in the Lake Michigan district.

NR 104.08 Variances and additions applicable in the north central district.

NR 104.09 Variances and additions applicable in the west central district.

NR 104.10 Variances and additions applicable in the northwest district. Subchapter II — Interstate Waters