Water Quality Standards

Program overview

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality uses water quality standards to assess whether the quality of Oregon's rivers and lakes is adequate for fish and other aquatic life, recreation, drinking, agriculture, industry and other uses. DEQ also uses the standards as regulatory tools to prevent pollution of the state's waters. The Clean Water Act requires states to adopt water quality standards designating beneficial uses of the state's waters and setting criteria designed to protect those uses. States submit their standards to the federal Environmental Protection Agency for approval.

Learn more about Water Quality Standards
Find the Water Quality Standards at Oregon Administrative Rules 340, Division 41

Current news

In February 2026, DEQ began rulemaking to adopt Outstanding Resource Water designation for two waterbodies in the Rogue River basin, including a portion of the Illinois River and Rough and Ready Creek.
In February 2026, DEQ posted guidance documents for interpreting the Cool Water Species narrative temperature criterion for Rickreall Creek, Long Tom River, and the Malheur River basin.
Oregon Environmental Quality Commission adopted amendments to the Three Basin Rule on Dec. 2, 2025. The rule amendments provide special conditions for issuing NPDES permits while protecting high quality waters of the Clackamas, North Santiam and McKenzie River basins.
DEQ has completed the 2024 Water Quality Standards Triennial Review and Workplan, which outlines the water quality standards projects DEQ will start or complete between July 2025 and June 2028. DEQ provided an informational presentation to the Environmental Quality Commission on May 9, 2025.

Staff contacts

Connie Dou
Water Quality Standards, Source Water Protection, and Assessments Manager

James McConaghie
Program Coordinator

Aron Borok
Antidegradation, Use Attainability Analyses, Site-Specific Criteria, Variances

Tatyana Isupov
GIS and Conventional Standards

Mailea Silvestre
Conventional Standards

Kaegan Scully-Engelmeyer
Toxics Standards, Implementation