DANR presents 2026 surface water quality assessment: E. coli and algal indicators top concerns for streams and lakes

Josh Strobel, watershed program staff at the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, presented the 2026 Surface Water Quality Assessment report to the Board of Water and Natural Resources and answered board questions on June 25.

Strobel said the report — submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and newly published as an interactive story map — uses multi‑year sampling windows (five to ten years depending on waterbody type) to evaluate whether waters meet their designated beneficial uses. "E. coli has a bacteria limit of 235 colony forming units," Strobel said, describing the immersion‑recreation criterion and noting the public‑health risk basis for that number.

Key findings and context: The presentation highlighted that 63% of stream non‑support was attributable to E. coli and total suspended solids, while 83% of lake non‑support was attributed to chlorophyll a (algal response) and mercury/fish tissue. Strobel used Lake Pactola as an example of a waterbody listed as non‑supporting for temperature (aquatic life use) despite appearing suitable for some recreation. He emphasized that "non support does not necessarily mean that the water body is unusable" and described non‑support as indicating a pollutant of concern that merits follow‑up.

Strobel said the agency moved to the story‑map format to improve transparency and data access: the new product links to raw data behind assessments and removes a one‑page executive summary that staff worried readers would treat as a definitive statewide usability figure. "This is the first time we've been doing this report that we went with a new story map report format," he said.

On temperature impairment at Pactola, Paul Lorenz (DANR) explained that the upper water column can exceed cold‑water criteria and therefore the waterbody is listed as non‑supporting for temperature, but that deeper, colder habitat remains for trout. Lorenz noted that drought and lower water levels can exacerbate upper‑column warming.

What the board asked: Members pressed for trend analysis across the state and for clarity on why earlier reports flagged specific polluters in summary sections; Strobel said those source details remain in the body of the story map and that staff plan to add trend and basin‑level analyses in future cycles if data allow.

Next steps: The report is finalized and approved by EPA for the 2026 cycle; staff encouraged public review during the 30‑day comment period and said they plan continued improvements to the format and expanded public‑facing trend tools.

Ending: The board thanked staff for the presentation and moved to administrative items and scheduling.