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Show III. WATER RESOURCES ISSUES, MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES, AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Several work sessions were held at Glen Canyon NRA to identify and consolidate management concerns, problems, and conflicts involving water resources in the recreation area. The 15 water resource issues identified as needing management action are discussed below in a standard format. Specifically, the problem statement introduces the water resource issue and provides background information. The section on management alternatives presents the courses of action that might be followed in response to the problem and the impacts associated with each alternative. The recommended action is noted as the " preferred alternative." All management alternatives would comply with existing laws and regulations. 111. A. Identification of Outstanding National Resource Waters III. A. 1. Statement of the problem. The Clean Water Act provides a nationwide strategy for the management of surface- water quality generally to be administered by each state. The strategy contains three major elements: 1. the uses to be made of waters ( recreation, drinking water, fish and wildlife propagation, industry, or agriculture); 2. criteria to protect these uses; and 3. an anti- degradation statement to protect existing high- quality waters from degradation by the addition of pollutants. The Environmental Protection Agency's ( EPA) guidance to the states for water quality management program development requires state water quality standards to include the following key elements: • protection of existing beneficial instream uses; • maintenance of high- quality waters unless the state decides to allow limited degradation where economically or socially justified ( limited degradation is permitted to the extent that national water quality goals are maintained); • identification and protection of outstanding national resource waters; and • limitation of thermal discharge. 20 |