Water Quality | 2026 Call for Data and Surface Water Assessment Requests | Public Notice Ends January 13, 2026
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is beginning work on the 2026 Integrated Report Cycle update.
DEQ monitoring teams collect data during the interim to update the water quality assessments for planned projects. Many other organizations also collect water quality data and information across the state, which may be very useful for DEQ’s assessments. DEQ will consider all readily available data along with requests for assessment of specific waterbodies during the call for data. Any nutrient assessment requests made during the 2022-2024 Integrated Report Cycle will be assessed in the 2026 Integrated Report Cycle update.
What and How to Submit
Call for Data: DEQ seeks credible physical, chemical, and biological data relating to the current condition of streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs in the state acquired during the past 10 years and not previously submitted. Data and information relating to the use and condition of riparian areas may also be relevant. Older data is likely to be of less value as it may not reflect current conditions.
Submitting data: All water chemistry, sediment chemistry and biological measurement data, along with quality assurance documentation, must be submitted using DEQ’s database called the EQuIS Water Quality Exchange and found on DEQ’s Lake’s, Streams & Wetlands webpage.
If submitted data meet database requirements, data will be uploaded to EPA’s Water Quality Portal (Water Quality Data Home). Photos, physical stream channel measurements, habitat measurements, continuous (sonde) data, reports and other data that is not housed by these databases may be submitted directly to DEQMTeWQX@mt.gov . Please contact Deanna Tarum at DEQMTeWQX@mt.gov if you need assistance submitting data. If the requester would like DEQ to consider water quality, stream discharge or biological data contained in a report, the data must also be submitted via DEQ’s database with quality assurance documentation.
Surface Water Assessment Requests: In association with data submittal, a person or organization may request that the department add or remove a water body or reprioritize a water body for the 303(d) list. Assessment requests must identify the waterbody and the specific assessment unit (AU), (e.g., Yellowstone River, Yellowstone Park Boundary to Reese Creek, MT43B001_010). A mapping service of existing assessment units is provided in Montana’s Clean Water Act Information Center. If no AU is currently defined for the waterbody of interest, please identify the stream segment, lake, or reservoir with a brief description of location (e.g.; Beaver Creek - Tributary to the Milk River south of Havre – from Beaver Creek Reservoir to mouth).
To request a surface water assessment, the applicant must provide the data or information necessary to support the request or indicate it is already submitted to DEQ through prior efforts. For data to be considered, they must be submitted using the EQuIS Water Quality Exchange, as described above, or already available in appropriate databases and have credible quality assurance components (Sampling Plans, Quality Assurance Project Plans, or equivalency).
Please send surface water assessments requests with required supporting data documentation via email to DEQWQIR@mt.gov .
Montana’s Beneficial Use Assessment Methods: DEQ is currently completing additional pollutant assessment methods and may update some of the existing methods for use in determining the 2026 303(d) list. Beneficial use assessments are located on DEQ’s Monitoring & Assessment webpage. (Select “How Do We Assess Beneficial Use Support?” and scroll down to the bottom of the section.)
The deadline for submittal of water quality data, other materials, and surface water assessment requests is January 13, 2026. All data and materials received on or before January 13, 2026, will be considered for review in developing the 2026 Water Quality Integrated Report.
For any questions about the 2026 Call for Data or surface water assessment requests, please contact Gabrielle Metzner at DEQWQIR@mt.gov
Submittal Period Ends: January 13, 2026
Submit Data To:
EQuIS Water Quality Exchange found on DEQ’s Lake’s, Streams & Wetlands webpage for all water chemistry, sediment chemistry and biological measurement data, along with quality assurance documentation.
Or
DEQMTeWQX@mt.gov for photos, physical stream channel measurements, habitat measurements, sonde data, reports and other data that is not housed by the above databases.
Send Requests for Assessments To:
DEQ Water Quality Division
Water Quality Planning Bureau
Attn: Gabrielle Metzner
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 January 3rd, 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) 444-2709; or e-mail gabrielle.metzner@mt.gov.Tags: Water and Public Notice