Policy Planning & Standards Unit

The Policy Planning & Standards Unit is responsible developing and maintaining the statewide Surface Water Quality Standards, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL), water quality permit certifications, 303(d) impaired waters list and supporting documentation.

Triennial Review - Surface Water Quality Standards

Per state and federal requirements, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is required to hold public hearings at least once every three years to review applicable surface water quality standards and, as appropriate, adopt new or modified standards. This process is called the triennial review.

The 2021 Triennial Review was completed, and KDHE has prepared materials for the 2024 Triennial Review. To begin this process, KDHE is holding a hearing at 10:00 am (CST) on August 2, 2023, held virtually on Zoom. Register for the hearing.

Documents related to this hearing to begin the regulation revision process are included in this section and will include the presentation given during the hearing:


  1. Standards
  2. Variances
  3. Documents
  4. Archive

Effective Surface Water Quality Standards

Following the 2021 Triennial Review, these documents were compiled to present the Clean Water Act effective Kansas Surface Water Quality Standards as reviewed and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.