EPA has approved the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ (MDNR) new and revised recreational use designations for 102 water bodies and disapproved MDNR’s designations for 41 water bodies. These designated uses protect Missouri’s waters for purposes of recreational activities.
MDNR submitted these new and revised water quality standards to EPA for review and approval, as required by the Clean Water Act (CWA). The state based its recommendations on site-specific field data gathered from streams and rivers across Missouri. States must assign fishable and swimmable uses to their waters unless science-based studies show that these uses cannot be attained. According to EPA, the disapprovals occurred when the studies failed to demonstrate that lowering the use was appropriate.