The Clean Water Act requires that states "shall from time to time (but at least once each three year period beginning with October 18,1972) hold public hearings for the purpose of reviewing applicable water quality standards and, as appropriate, modifying and adopting standards." In addition, EPA's Water Quality Standards Handbook encourages states to actively involve the public in the triennial review process. In Idaho, each new rulemaking to develop surface water quality standards or modify an existing surface water quality standard is part of its triennial review. The public review associated with rulemakings constitutes the public review required by the Clean Water Act. Idaho's rulemaking process has a number of opportunities for public participation, often in the form of negotiated rulemaking, a public hearing and comment period, Idaho Board of Environmental Quality adoption, and legislative review.

The regulatory framework described above has provided the foundation for the several triennial review processes that have occurred to date in Idaho. Administrative Bulletin notices demonstrate DEQ's previous triennial review periods, which include 1992-1994 (notice in 1993 bulletin with changes becoming final in 1994), 1995-1997 (notice in 1995 bulletin with changes proposed in 1996), 1998-2000 (notice in 1997 bulletin of upcoming negotiated rulemaking, which spanned almost two years), and 2001-2003 (notice in 2002 bulletin of annual updates to standards as part of triennial review). Brief descriptions of these review processes are below.