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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03-1" citation="COMAR 26.08.02.03-1" title_num="26" subtitle_num="08" chapter_num="02" heading="Toxic Substance Water Quality Criteria for Surface Waters.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>General.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Numerical toxic substance criteria for ambient surface waters are established to protect human health or aquatic life.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Four types of numerical toxic substance criteria shall be adopted. The purpose of these criteria is to protect:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Human health through ingestion of public water supplies;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The wholesomeness of fish for human consumption;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Fresh, estuarine, and salt water aquatic life from acute toxicity impacts; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Fresh, estuarine, and salt water aquatic life from chronic toxicity impacts.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Fresh Water, Estuarine, and Salt Water Boundaries.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>For any toxic substance for which no estuarine criteria appear in Regulation .03-2G, Table 1, the salt water criteria apply in estuarine waters.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Fresh water and estuarine or salt water boundaries begin at specific points for the purpose of applying the numerical toxic substance criteria for aquatic life protection. These points are:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The stream segment and all tributaries which confluence with the stream segment upstream from the boundaries specified in §B(3) of this regulation are assumed to be fresh water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Except for Sub-Basin 02-13-01—Coastal Area, the stream segment and all tributaries which confluence with the stream segment downstream from the boundaries specified in §B(3) of this regulation are assumed to be estuarine water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>In Sub-Basin 02-13-01—Coastal Area, the stream segment and all tributaries which confluence with the stream segment downstream from the boundaries specified in §B(3) of this regulation are assumed to be salt water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Tributary headwaters. Since the headwaters of some tributaries to stream segments designated as estuarine or salt water may be fresh, the Department may:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Require the discharger to provide site specific salinity measurements or accept site specific salinity measurements provided voluntarily by the applicant; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Review the information provided in §B(2)(d)(i) of this regulation, and determine that the area is more appropriately designated as fresh water.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>For the purpose of applying numerical toxic substance criteria, the following are designated as the boundaries between fresh waters and estuarine or salt waters:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Lower Susquehanna River Area (Sub-Basin 02-12-02)—All waters are fresh waters.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Coastal Area (Sub-Basin 02-13-01) boundaries are:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Bishopville Prong—State boat ramp at Daye Road;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Birch Branch—Route 113;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Middle Branch—Route 113;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Church Branch—Route 113;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>Turville Creek—Route 589;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>Ayer Creek—Route 376;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vii)">
          <text>Newport Creek—Hayes Landing Road; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(viii)">
          <text>Poplartown Creek—Beaverdam Creek Road.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Pocomoke River Area (Sub-Basin 02-13-02) boundaries are:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Pocomoke River—A line connecting the mouth of Bullbegger Creek and the east entrance of Fair Hill Channel; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Manokin River—Sharps Point.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Nanticoke River Area (Sub-Basin 02-13-03) boundaries are:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Nanticoke River—A line connecting Newfoundland Point and Hat Crown Point (includes Marshyhope Creek);</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Wicomico River—A line connecting Pine Beach and Holland Point;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Blackwater River—Mouth at Snake Island; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Transquaking River—Mouth at Fishing Bay.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Choptank River Area (Sub-Basin 02-13-04) boundary is a line connecting Bow Knee Point and Wrights Wharf.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>Chester River Area (Sub-Basin 02-13-05) boundaries are:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Chester River—A line connecting Piney Grove and Primrose Point;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Grays Inn Creek—A line crossing the creek at Cherry Tree Point;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Herringtown Creek—All waters are fresh;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>West Fork Langford Creek—A line crossing creek at Fox Point;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>East Fork Langford Creek—A line connecting Piney Point and Longmarsh Point;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>Philip Creek—All waters are fresh;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vii)">
          <text>Reed Creek—Tilghmans Neck Road;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(viii)">
          <text>Corsica Creek—A line crossing the creek at Jacobs Nose;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ix)">
          <text>Emory Creek—All waters are estuarine water; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(x)">
          <text>All tributaries to the Chester River upstream from Deep Point.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(g)">
        <text>Elk River Area (Sub-Basin 02-13-06)—All waters are fresh water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(h)">
        <text>Bush River Area (Sub-Basin 02-13-07)—All waters are fresh water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(i)">
        <text>Gunpowder River Area (Sub-Basin 02-13-08)—All waters are fresh water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(j)">
        <text>Patapsco River Area (Sub-Basin 02-13-09) boundaries are:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Patapsco River—A line connecting Lazaretto Point and the southern terminus of the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Back River—a line connecting Rocky Point and Cuckhold Point.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(k)">
        <text>West Chesapeake Bay Area (Sub-Basin 02-13-09) boundaries are:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Severn River—Bridge on State Highway 3;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>All tributaries to the Severn River upstream from MD Route 648;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Magothy River—A line connecting Henderson Point and Pea Patch Point;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>All tributaries to the Magothy River are fresh water; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>South River—A line drawn due north from Beards Point.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(l)">
        <text>Patuxent River Area (Sub-Basin 02-13-11) boundary is a line connecting Chalk Point and God's Grace Point.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(m)">
        <text>Lower Potomac River Area (Sub-Basin 02-14-01) boundaries are:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Potomac River—A line connecting Upper Cedar Point and Chotank Creek; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>All Maryland tributaries of the Potomac River upstream from St. Catherine Island are fresh water.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(n)">
        <text>Washington Metropolitan Area (Sub-Basin 02-14-02)—All waters are fresh water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(o)">
        <text>Middle Potomac River Area (Sub-Basin 02-14-03)—All waters are fresh water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(p)">
        <text>Upper Potomac River Area (Sub-Basin 02-14-05)—All waters are fresh water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(q)">
        <text>North Branch Potomac River Area (Sub-Basin 02-14-10)—All waters are fresh water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(r)">
        <text>Youghiogheny River Area (Sub-Basin 05-02-02)—All waters are fresh water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(s)">
        <text>Conewago Creek Area (Sub-Basin 02-05-03)—All waters are fresh water.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(t)">
        <text>Chesapeake Bay Proper (Sub-Basin 02-13-99) boundary is a line connecting Booby Point (39.284206 north latitude, -76.381400 west longitude) with Handy's Point (39.291944 north latitude, -76.181388 west longitude).</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>