Existing and Readily Available Data
The Bureau of Clean Water’s Water Quality Division is seeking data for consideration in the 2026 303(d) assessment process. Data will be accepted through June 30, 2025.
As part of ongoing efforts to develop Pennsylvania’s Integrated Water Quality Report (Integrated Report), the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) utilizes existing and readily available data and information from groups, agencies, and organizations outside DEP. If you believe that your data or information could be utilized by DEP in the Integrated Report development process, we encourage you to submit it. Please carefully read through the ‘Existing and Readily Available Data’ information document. For data or information to be considered, the completed Data Submission Forms and detailed maps (or study plan) should be submitted. Data and information submitted to DEP by close of business on the last day of the deadline listed above will be considered for inclusion in the upcoming Integrated Report. Data submitted after the deadline will be considered for the next Integrated Report. Please feel free to distribute this information to all interested partners.
Once DEP receives the data, it will be placed into tiers described below. DEP then creates the Data Solicitation Report (as part of the Integrated Report) so that data submitters know how DEP has used the data.
Tier 1: educational or environmental screening data that has known quality and a study plan but does not follow DEP or EPA quality assurance plans. These data will not be used for regulatory assessment purposes but can be used by DEP to highlight areas of interest for future monitoring efforts.
Tier 2: data have clearly defined quality assurance plans and procedures but may not have followed approved DEP data collection protocols. These data may not be used for assessment purposes but can be used for other purposes such as trend or performance analysis.
Tier 3: assessment level data that have approved quality assurance plans, follow appropriate study designs, and followed DEP data collection protocols. Individuals seeking to provide DEP with tier 3 data must also be audited by DEP staff before submitting data.
Data Submission Information and Forms: