Under the Clean Water Act, who must set designated uses for surface waters?

The designated uses for surface waters must be set by the individual states as per the Clean Water Act. This law was enacted to preserve and protect the integrity of the nation's waters, and it provides states with the authority to determine the appropriate uses for their surface waters. Each state is required to develop water quality standards that reflect these designated uses, which may include drinking water supply, recreation, aquatic life support, and agriculture, among others.

The role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to review and approve these state-designed standards to ensure they meet federal guidelines and provide adequate protection for water quality. However, the initial responsibility for establishing designated uses lies with the state governments. This local control allows states to tailor water quality standards to their specific environmental and community needs. The involvement of Congress is more about enacting the legislation and setting the framework for the Clean Water Act rather than determining specific designated uses, and the US Army Corps of Engineers primarily focuses on projects related to navigation and flood control rather than water quality standards.