On This Page
- Delaware Assessment Summary
- Water Quality by Waterbody Type
- Causes of Impairment
- Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
- TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment
- Previously 303(d)-Listed Waters Now Attaining All Applicable Water Quality Standards
- Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
- Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
- Cumulative Number of TMDLs
Data are also available for these cycles:
2002
2004
Waterbody Changes from Prior Cycle
For More Information:
Delaware Assessment Report
State Water Quality Program
Delaware 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
Features
- About This Database (Integrated Report)
- Assessing Water Quality (Questions and Answers)
- Integrated Reporting Guidance
- Previous National Water Quality Reports
- EnviroMapper for Water
- AskWATERS
- EPA WATERS Homepage
- Exchange Network
- Assessment Database
- Statewide Statistical Surveys
- How's My Waterway Local Search tool
- Pollution Categories Summary Document
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Summary Results
Delaware (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) |
||||||||||||
| Good Waters | 8.8 | 90.0 | 25.0 | ||||||||||||
| Previously impaired waters now attaining all uses |
|||||||||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||
| 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
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Delaware Rivers and Streams 2006
Description of this table
|
|
Description of this table
|
|
Description of this table
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Individual Designated Use Support
Delaware Rivers and Streams 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 |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Causes of Impairment
Delaware Rivers and Streams 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 |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Probable Sources
Delaware Rivers and Streams 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 Discharges/Sewage | |
| Municipal Point Source Discharges | Municipal Discharges/Sewage | |
| Industrial Point Source Discharge | Industrial | |
| Rcra Hazardous Waste Sites | Industrial | |
| Combined Sewer Overflows | Municipal Discharges/Sewage | |
| Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment) | Construction | |
| Construction Stormwater Discharge (Permitted) | Construction | |
| Landfills | Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Delaware Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2006
Description of this table
|
|
Description of this table
|
|
Description of this table
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Individual Designated Use Support
Delaware Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 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 |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Causes of Impairment
Delaware Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 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 |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Probable Sources
Delaware Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2006
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Agriculture | |
| Source Unknown | Unknown | |
| Natural Sources | Natural/Wildlife |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Delaware Bays and Estuaries 2006
Description of this table
|
|
Description of this table
|
|
Description of this table
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Individual Designated Use Support
Delaware Bays and Estuaries 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 |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Causes of Impairment
Delaware Bays and Estuaries 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 | |
| Nitrate/Nitrite (Nitrite + Nitrate as N) | Nutrients | |
| Total Kjehldahl Nitrogen (TKN) | Nutrients | |
| Enterococcus Bacteria | Pathogens | |
| Phosphorus, Total | Nutrients | |
| Solids (Suspended/Bedload) | Sediment | |
| Nitrogen, Total | Nutrients | |
| Temperature, Water | Temperature |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Probable Sources
Delaware Bays and Estuaries 2006
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Square Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal Point Source Discharges | Municipal Discharges/Sewage | |
| On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decencentralized Systems) | Municipal Discharges/Sewage | |
| Agriculture | Agriculture | |
| Natural Sources | Natural/Wildlife | |
| Source Unknown | Unknown |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Delaware Coastal Shoreline 2006
Description of this table
|
|
Description of this table
|
|
Description of this table
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Individual Designated Use Support
Delaware Coastal Shoreline 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 |
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Causes of Impairment
Delaware Coastal Shoreline 2006
No causes of impairment reported.
Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results
Probable Sources
Delaware Coastal Shoreline 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. See also Pollution categories summary document (PDF) (20 pp, 557K, About PDF) for brief, non-technical descriptions of general cause categories. | |||||||||||||||
| 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) |
||||||||||||
| 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) |
||||||||||||
| Agriculture | 847.9 | 403.6 | 12.0 | ||||||||||||
| Construction | 8.2 | ||||||||||||||
| Industrial | 105.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks | 5.2 | ||||||||||||||
| Municipal Discharges/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) |
||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 303(d)-Listed Waters Now Attaining All Applicable Water Quality Standards
No previously 303(d)-listed waters reported as now attaining all applicable water quality standards.
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 | |
| Cause Unknown | |
| Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| 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 | 173 | |
| Bacteria | 149 | |
| Nitrogen | 114 | |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 87 | |
| Ammonia | 17 | |
| Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) | 15 | |
| Carbonaceous Bod | 6 | |
| Nutrients | 3 | |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 3 | |
| Zinc | 3 | |
| Habitat | 2 | |
| Nitrogen, Total | 2 | |
| Phosphorus, Total | 2 | |
| Temperature | 2 | |
| Total Suspended Solids (TSS) | 2 | |
| Escherichia Coli (E. Coli) | 1 | |
| Fecal Coliform | 1 | |
| NH3-N | 1 | |
| Phosphates | 1 | |
Total: 576 TMDLs; 584 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 | 15 | |
| 2005 | 64 | |
| 2006 | 103 | |
| 2007 | 271 | |
| 2010 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 6 | |
Total: 576 TMDLs; 584 Causes of Impairment Addressed
![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif)
