Dissolved oxygen
Overview
The dissolved oxygen concentration in surface water is related primarily to atmospheric reaeration and respiration by aquatic organisms. DO is a significant factor in chemical reactions in water and the survival of aquatic organisms.
Water-quality standards and criteria are developed by the States, approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and then promulgated (passed into law) as standards by each State. Graphs on this website allow comparison of measured and computed data to these standards and criteria by plotting them as straight lines. When evaluating data to decide whether water quality is suitable for the intended use, viewers are cautioned to consider the uncertainty associated with these computed data.
Water-quality Standards and Criteria
Maryland minimum recreation and aquatic life criterion: 5 mg/L
A minimum water-quality criterion of 5.0 milligrams per liter has been defined by Maryland Department of the Environment. This criterium is for contact recreation and protection of nontidal warmwater aquatic life.
Source: Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 26.28.02.03-3 (view online)
Stations That Measure or Compute Continuous Diss. oxygen
Click a station to view measurements of diss. oxygen.