Reference water definition
Reference water means a waterbody that exhibits a range of physical, chemical and biological characteristics approximating the natural background conditions of the same, or similar, type of waterbody within an ecologically similar region. A reference water may be representative of the water quality and structure and function of biological communities of natural background conditions even if there is evidence of limited human disturbance in the waterbody or watershed, as long as anthropogenic sources do not produce a significant measurable or predicted effect on the parameter of concern in the waterbody.