1996 Water Quality Assessment report summary

The 1996 Water Quality Assessment report describes the water quality conditions in the Commonwealth of Virginia between April 1, 1993, and March 31, 1995. Virginia has nine major river basins with an estimated 49,220 miles of perennial rivers and streams, and approximately 2,500 square miles of estuaries. Overall, water quality is good with the majority of Virginia's surface water meeting the 1972 Clean Water Act's designated fishable and swimmable uses.

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Public health and aquatic life concerns

Increasingly, DEQ is recognizing the role toxicants play in reducing the water quality. DEQ supports programs to monitor, evaluate and alleviate toxicity to aquatic life and human health. This report describes numerous programs now in place that address toxicity in state waters. DEQ is increasing the number of stations within the ambient water quality monitoring network where water column and sediment samples are collected for toxics analysis.

The Virginia Department of Health Bureau of Toxic Substances has established four health advisories and one restriction currently in effect for fish consumption on 369 miles of the Commonwealth's streams and waterways, and on an undetermined number of miles of tidal tributaries to the James River, to protect human health. One advisory covering 89 miles of the Jackson River and upper James River due to dioxin, has been lifted. The remaining advisories and bans are:

113 miles of the tidal James River are under a fish consumption advisory due to the presence of the pesticide Kepone in the sediments.
above is ann excerpt updating current status of kepone contamination in the James River
Updated 4/23/96