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Biological Criteria: National Program Guidance for Surface Waters (EPA-440-5-90-004) - April 1990

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Definitions
Executive Summary

Part I: Program Elements

1. Introduction
Value of Biological Criteria
Process for Implementation
Independent Application of Biological Criteria
How to Use This Document

2. Legal Authority
Section303
Section304
Potential Applications Under the Act
Potential Applications Under Other Legislation

3. The Conceptual Framework
Premise for Biological Criteria
Biological Integrity
Biological Criteria
Narrative Criteria
Numeric Criteria
Refining Aquatic Life Use Classifications
Developing and Implementing Biological Criteria

4. Integrating Biological Criteria in Surface Water Management
Implementing Biological Criteria
Biological Criteria in State Programs
Future Directions

Part II: The Implementation Process

5. The Reference Condition
Site-specific Reference Condition
The Upstream-Downstream Reference Condition
The Near Field-Far Field Reference Condition
The Regional Reference Condition
Paired Watershed Reference Condition
Ecoregional Reference Condition

6. The Biological Survey
Selecting Aquatic Community Components
Biological Survey Design
Selecting the Metric
Sampling Design

7. Hypothesis Testing: Biological Criteria and the Scientific Method
Hypothesis Testing
Diagnosis

References

Appendix A: Common Questions and Their Answers
Appendix B: Table of Contents; Biological Criteria-Technical Reference Guide
Appendix C: Table of Contents; Biological Criteria-Development By States
Appendix D: Contributors and Reviewers

Biological Indicators | Aquatic Biodiversity | Statistical Primer

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