Turbidity is the amount of solid particles that are suspended in water that cause light rays shining through the water to scatter. Turbidity makes the water cloudy, or even opaque, in extreme cases.
USGS.gov
Tag: quality
What is turbidity?
Total Daily Maximum Load, or TMDL, is the calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant allowed to enter a waterbody so that the waterbody will meet and continue to meet water quality standards for that particular pollutant.
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
What is Total Maximum Daily Load?
What is the Clean Water Act?
The Clean Water Act (CWA) is legislation for two things.
- It establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States.
- It regulates quality standards for surface waters.
History: The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948 and was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. “Clean Water Act” became the Act’s common name with amendments in 1972.
Outcomes: Under the CWA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implemented pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry. EPA has also developed national water quality criteria recommendations for pollutants in surface waters.
Water Literacy Primer 