In the 1997 Water Quality Monitoring, Information and Restoration Act (WQMIR), the Virginia General Assembly directed the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to develop the EPA-required 303(d) and 305(b) reports in consultation with experts from the state’s universities. Also, the WQMIR requires the DEQ to "develop and publish a procedure governing its process for defining and determining impaired waters and shall provide for public comment on the procedure” with the assumption that these 303(d) procedures will be developed after consultation with scientists from the state’s universities. To meet the WQMIR academic consultation requirements, DEQ asked the Virginia Water Resources Research Center (VWRRC) to organize and coordinate a Water Quality Academic Advisory Committee (AAC) as an independent advisory body.

In 1997-1998, the AAC reviewed and evaluated the scientific merits of the DEQ’s existing and evolving water quality assessment procedures for the 305(b) and 303(d) reports. The AAC’s 1997-1998 findings submitted to DEQ are documented in VWRRC Special Report No. SR-8-1998. In 1999-2000, the AAC addressed topics of concern to the DEQ in three general areas: issues relating to biological monitoring protocols; modeling techniques and other methods relating stressor to benthic degradation and fecal contamination; and water quality goals and setting water quality standards. The report of the AAC to DEQ for years 1999 and 2000 is VWRRC Special Report No. SR18-2000. Electronic copies of the special reports are available from the VWRRC Website: www.vwrrc.vt.edu.

The Water Quality Academic Advisory Committee work effort for 2001-2002 is a logical extension of the previous work efforts. The fiscal year 2002 work plan was organized around a review of, and report on water quality standards and the assessment of their attainment. This report summarizes the efforts of the AAC’s Bioassessment Subcommittee in addressing issues concerning bioassessments and their use with Virginia’s narrative General Standard.