The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will release the draft 2022 Water Quality Assessment Guidance Manual on January 19, 2021 for public comment. Virginia’s 2022 Water Quality Assessment Guidance Manual contains the assessment procedures and methods to be used for the development of Virginia’s 2022 §305(b)/ §303(d) Integrated (i.e. combined Water Quality Assessment and Impaired Waters) Report. The assessment guidance seeks to address all key elements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2006 Assessment Guidance and subsequent updates current to December 2020, in addition to the assessment methodology for Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Standards established by EPA and adopted by Virginia (Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Dissolved Oxygen, Water Clarity, and Chlorophyll a for the Chesapeake Bay and Its Tidal Tributaries).

By the release date, a copy of the draft 2022 Water Quality Assessment Guidance Manual will be available for download from the DEQ Water Quality Assessment webpage at: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quality/water-quality-assessments/wqa-guidance-manual (link updated).

Section 62.1-44.19:5 C of the Code of Virginia requires DEQ to develop and publish the procedures used for defining and determining impaired waters and provide for public comment on the procedures. The public is invited to submit written comments from January 19, 2021 through February 18, 2021.  Comments should include the name, address, telephone number, and, if applicable, the e-mail address of each person and/or organization submitting comments.  Comments and related correspondence should be addressed to Amanda Shaver (see contact information below).  Responses to comments received will be made collectively, via a response document.  The response document will be posted on the assessment webpage along with the final guidance manual.

Updates have been made to the guidance document since 2020.  A complete list of significant guidance modifications are described in Part II of the manual. A public webinar to review these updates will be held on Thursday, February 11, 2021 from 2pm to 4pm. Registration link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1154243528623510029 Webinar ID: 917-343-155

DEQ accepts water quality data to be reviewed and evaluated for assessment purposes on a continual basis. However, in order to be used for the 2022 IR, all data must be submitted by March 5, 2021. DEQ will hold a public webinar for citizen monitoring groups to discuss strategies for submitting their data. Data submitted after this date will be reviewed in preparation of the 2024 IR.