IMPLEMENTATION OF ACUTE CRITERIA FOR CONSERVATIVE SUBSTANCES

Acute criteria are assigned to the fish and wildlife propagation benef icial use in Oklahoma's water quality standards. Dye studies are analy zed to show that these criteria can be implemented through acute regul atory mixing zones. Acute regulatory mixing zones may be defined as ar eas in receiving streams where acute numerical criteria may be exceede d without causing acute toxicity. Acute regulatory mixing zones are us ed to obtain acute waste load allocations. If effluent loading does no t exceed acute waste load allocation, acute criteria exceedance is con fined to the acute regulatory mixing zone and there is no acute toxici ty in the receiving stream. Waste load allocations for acute and chron ic criteria are compared to determine which is appropriate to develop permit limits for the dye studies.