NR 102.22(1) (1) “Acute effects” means any effect resulting in death or immobilization. For temperature, the acute criteria of this subchapter are based on Upper Incipient Lethal Temperature (UILT) values that are not representative of immediate lethality.

NR 102.22(2) (2) “cfs” means cubic feet per second, usually pertaining to stream or effluent flow.

NR 102.22(3) (3) “Cold shock” means exposure of aquatic organisms to a rapid decrease in temperature and a sustained exposure to low temperature that induces abnormal behavioral or physiological performance and may lead to death.

NR 102.22(4) (4) “Daily maximum temperature” means the highest allowed water temperature for a calendar day, outside a mixing zone allowed in this subchapter.

NR 102.22(5) (5) “Great Lakes” means the open Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Green Bay and Chequamegon Bay, as well as adjoining open waters that exhibit characteristics of Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Green Bay or Chequamegon Bay, or in other ways are determined by the department to be equivalent to these waters.

NR 102.22(6) (6) “Maximum weekly average temperature” means the highest allowed arithmetic mean of all daily maximum temperatures during a calendar week, outside mixing zone allowed in this subchapter.

NR 102.22(7) (7) “mgd” means million gallons per day.

NR 102.22(8) (8) “Sub-lethal effects” means effects resulting in inadequate gonad development, gamete production and viability, spawning or growth.

NR 102.22 History History: CR 07-111: cr. Register September 2010 No. 657, eff. 10-1-10.

NR 102.23 NR 102.23 Categories of standards applicable to temperature. The department shall establish water quality standards for temperature to protect the following:

NR 102.23(1) (1) Public health and welfare uses, as established in s. NR 102.04 (7) and (8).

NR 102.23(2) (2) Fish and other aquatic life uses as established in s. NR 102.04 (3). For exclusive purpose of the application of water quality standards for temperature, the warm water sport fish and warm water forage fish communities, as defined in s. NR 102.04 (3) (b) and (c), are treated together as warm water communities.

NR 102.23(3) (3) Great Lakes communities as defined in s. NR 102.22 (6). This use exists only for the regulation of discharges of heat.

NR 102.23 History History: CR 07-111: cr. Register September 2010 No. 657, eff. 10-1-10.

NR 102.24 NR 102.24 General water quality criteria for temperature.

NR 102.24(1) (1) There may be no temperature changes that may adversely affect aquatic life.

NR 102.24(2) (2) Natural daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations shall be maintained.

NR 102.24 History History: CR 07-111: cr. Register September 2010 No. 657, eff. 10-1-10.

NR 102.245 NR 102.245 Temperature criteria for limited aquatic life communities.

NR 102.245(1) (1) For the purposes of temperature criteria, all surface waters classified as diffused surface waters, wetlands and wastewater effluent channels, as defined in s. NR 104.02 (1), shall be characterized as limited aquatic life communities.

NR 102.245(2) (2) The department may, as appropriate, characterize other surface waters not identified in sub. (1) as limited aquatic life communities.

NR 102.245(3) (3) The temperature in waters classified as limited aquatic life shall be restricted as follows:

NR 102.245(3)(a) (a) Temperatures at any point in waters classified as wastewater effluent channels may not exceed 120°F.

NR 102.245(3)(b) (b) Temperatures at any point in waters classified as wetlands shall not exceed the standards in ch. NR 103.

NR 102.245(3)(c) (c) Temperatures at any point in waters not identified in par. (a) or (b) may not exceed 86°F. Additionally, all conditions of ch. NR 103 shall be met.

NR 102.245 Note Note: The department recognizes there are legitimate concerns that not all wetlands and ephemeral streams are the biological equivalents of other limited aquatic life waters, and is in the process of re-evaluating the wetland and ephemeral stream classifications to determine if and when full fish and aquatic life conditions should be applied.

NR 102.245 History History: CR 07-111: cr. Register September 2010 No. 657, eff. 10-1-10.

NR 102.25 NR 102.25 Ambient temperatures and water quality criteria for the protection of fish and other aquatic life.

NR 102.25(1) (1) General. In the absence of site-specific ambient temperature data or water quality criteria as determine in s. NR 102.26 or 102.27, respectively, the applicable ambient temperatures, sub-lethal water quality criteria, and acute water quality criteria shall be as specified in subs. (2) to (5). For determinations made in subs. (2) to (5), all of the following conditions shall apply: