WATER-QUALITY STANDARDS - SENSE AND NONSENSE

The functions and utility of emission and immission standards are disc ussed as instruments in the management of water quality. Especially th e intrinsic a-priori trade-off associated with setting immission stand ards, the complexity of the cause-effect relationships and the variabi lity of water quality are used as an argument to rely less heavily on such standards. It is argued that simulation, systems analysis, Habita t Suitability Criteria and plan effect matrices are tools that can be implemented and used more effectively.