Water Quality | Draft Eutrophication Assessment Method for Wadeable Streams and Medium Rivers | Comment Period Ends September 11, 2026
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking public comments on the Draft Eutrophication Assessment Method for Wadeable Streams and Medium Rivers.
Public comments on the Draft Eutrophication Assessment Method for Wadeable Streams and Medium Rivers document will be accepted until September 11, 2026. DEQ will use comments received to prepare the final document for assessing waterbodies for the next Integrated Report cycle.
DEQ assesses whether state surface waters are meeting applicable water quality standards for specific water quality characteristics, or parameters. The draft assessment method guides an assessor in determining if a waterbody is meeting Montana’s narrative water quality standard related to eutrophication and supporting aquatic life and recreation. If the outcome is that the waterbody is impaired, DEQ will add it to Montana’s list of impaired waters in the Water Quality Integrated Report. Water Quality Integrated Reports include a list of Montana waterbodies that are impaired and in need of water quality restoration, the subset of impaired waters that require development of specific total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), known as the 303(d) list, and a schedule for preparing those TMDLs. A TMDL is the total amount of a pollutant that a waterbody may receive from all sources without exceeding water quality standards. The report also includes a summary of state water quality program information, known as the 305(b) report.
Associated Materials:
Comment Period Ends: Sept. 11, 2026
Send Comments To:
DEQ Water Quality Division
Water Quality Planning Bureau
Attn: Abbie Ebert
PO Box 200901
Helena, MT 59620
Or electronically to: deqwqir@mt.gov
Accommodation statement
The department will make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities who wish to participate in this public participation process or need an alternative accessible format of this notice. If you require an accommodation, contact the department no later than 5:00 P.M. on September 1st, 2026, to advise us of the nature of the accommodation that you need. Please contact the Department of Environmental Quality at P.O. Box 200901, Helena, Montana 59620-0901; phone (406) 444-5390 or e-mail abbie.ebert@mt.gov.
Tags: Public Comment and Water