706
Opinion of the Court
standard for Class AA waters is set forth at 173-201-045(1). The standard identifies the designated uses of Class AA waters as well as the criteria applicable to such waters.1
1 WAC 173-201-045(1) (1986) provides in pertinent part: "(1) Class AA (extraordinary).
"(a) General characteristic. Water quality of this class shall markedly and uniformly exceed the requirements for all or substantially all uses.
"(b) Characteristic uses. Characteristic uses shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
"(i) Water supply (domestic, industrial, agricultural). "(ii) Stock watering. "(iii) Fish and shellfish: "Salmonid migration, rearing, spawning, and harvesting. "Other fish migration, rearing, spawning, and harvesting.
. . . . . "(iv) Wildlife habitat. "(v) Recreation (primary contact recreation, sport fishing, boating, and aesthetic enjoyment).
"(vi) Commerce and navigation. "(c) Water quality criteria "(i) Fecal coliform organisms. "(A) Freshwater—fecal coliform organisms shall not exceed a geometric mean value of 50 organisms/100 mL, with not more than 10 percent of samples exceeding 100 organisms/100 mL.
"(B) Marine water—fecal coliform organisms shall not exceed a geometric mean value of 14 organisms/100 mL, with not more than 10 percent of samples exceeding 43 organisms/100 mL.
"(ii) Dissolved oxygen [shall exceed specific amounts].
. . . . . "(iii) Total dissolved gas shall not exceed 110 percent of saturation at any point of sample collection.
"(iv) Temperature shall not exceed [certain levels].
. . . . . "(v) pH shall be within [a specified range]. "(vi) Turbidity shall not exceed [specific levels]. "(vii) Toxic, radioactive, or deleterious material concentrations shall be less than those which may affect public health, the natural aquatic environment, or the desirability of the water for any use.
"(viii) Aesthetic values shall not be impaired by the presence of materials or their effects, excluding those of natural origin, which offend the senses of sight, smell, touch, or taste."
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