Information on Bioassessment and Biocriteria Programs for Streams and Wadeable Rivers

Select a state from the map to be linked to the most up to date information on bioassessment and biocriteria programs for streams and wadeable rivers. Additionally, we have information for the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. You can learn about whether these states and territories have adopted biocriteria for purposes of the Clean Water Act, whether they are relying on narrative or numeric biocriteria, and how their biocriteria are implemented.

Individual Bioassessment and Biocriteria Program Pages

The individual program pages also contain information on the biological assemblages used in bioassessments as well as how bioassessment and biocriteria are used within water quality programs. In addition to this information, each page provides links to the state or territorial technical support documents and information relevant to how to define, describe or implement reference, biocriteria, stressor identification, and/or causal analysis.

• Table 1. Summary of State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and USVI Bioassessment and Biocriteria Programs
• Table 2. Biocriteria Adoption Status and Use of Assemblages in Bioassessment Programs
• Table 3. Application of Biocriteria and/or Bioassessment Data on Water Quality Programs

This online information database is not a detailed summary of each technical program, but highlights key topics and areas of interest. This online resource will be updated periodically.

For additional information or questions, contact Susan Jackson (Jackson.susank@epa.gov) and Janice Alers-Garcia (alers-garcia.janice@epa.gov) at the EPA’s Office of Water, Office of Science and Technology.