Regulations last checked for updates: Feb 11, 2026

Title 40 - Protection of Environment last revised: Dec 22, 2026
§ 131.48 - Water quality standards to protect aquatic life in the Delaware River.

(a) Scope. (1) The designated use in paragraph (b) of this section applies to river miles 108.4 to 70.0 of the mainstem Delaware River for the States of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

(2) The aquatic life criteria in paragraph (c) of this section apply to river miles 108.4 to 70.0 of the mainstem Delaware River for the States of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

(b) Aquatic life designated use. The aquatic life designated use is protection and propagation of resident and migratory aquatic life.

(c) Dissolved oxygen criteria. The applicable dissolved oxygen criteria are shown in table 1 to this paragraph (c).

Table 1 to Paragraph (c)—Dissolved Oxygen Criteria

Season Magnitude
(percent oxygen
saturation)
Duration Exceedance frequency
Spawning and Larval Development (March 1-June 30)66Daily Average12 Days Cumulative (10% of the 123-day season).
Juvenile Development (July 1-October 31)66Daily Average12 Days Cumulative (10% of the 123-day season).
74Daily Average61 Days Cumulative (50% of the 123-day season).
Overwintering (November 1-February 28/29)66Daily Average12 Days Cumulative (10% of the 123-day season).

(d) Applicability. (1) The aquatic life designated use in paragraph (b) of this section applies concurrently with other applicable designated uses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania for river miles 108.4 to 70.0 of the mainstem Delaware River.

(2) The dissolved oxygen aquatic life water quality criteria in paragraph (c) of this section are the applicable dissolved oxygen criteria in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania for river miles 108.4 to 70.0 of the mainstem Delaware River and apply concurrently with other applicable water quality criteria.

(3) The designated use and criteria established are subject to Delaware's, New Jersey's, and Pennsylvania's general rules of applicability in the same way and to the same extent as are other federally promulgated and State-adopted water quality standards in those States.

[90 FR 46508, Sept. 29, 2025]
authority: 33 U.S.C. 1251
source: 48 FR 51405, Nov. 8, 1983, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 40 CFR 131.48