Water use research in the New England Water Science Center serves both regional and national interests. USGS works with our New England partners in all six states to address questions about water demand, availability, and sustainability. Additionally, the New England Water Science Center contributes to national water use research and ensures that New England is well and accurately represented in national estimates and compilations of water use.
Regional research on water use in New England includes topics such as water demand forecasts, sustainable water availability, and domestic well locations and water withdrawals. The New England Water Science Center also engages in research on impacts of groundwater pumping for water quantity and water quality, and socioeconomic factors affecting water availability and the quality of water availability. More information on specific projects can be found under the Science Tab on this page.
Beginning in 1950, the USGS compiled snapshots of the nation’s water usage every 5 years by state, county, and intermittently by regional watershed. In 2020, the USGS moved away from compiling reported water use data and began developing computer models that produce estimates of water use that are more consistent across state lines. The reported data from states are still used though – these data are used as inputs to the models and allow researchers to check that the model estimates are accurate. The more data that is available in a region, the more accurate the model estimates can be as a result. Modelled water use estimates for 2020 and other years are available for public supply, crop irrigation, thermoelectric power generation, self-supplied industrial, self-supplied domestic, livestock, and aquaculture, and are summarized by the USGS Integrated Water Availability Assessments chapter “Water use across the conterminous United States, water years 2010 – 20”. Estimates for mining are anticipated to be available by the end of 2026.
Related Information
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Water Withdrawal, Use, and Return Flows by Providence Water from the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island Water Withdrawal, Use, and Return Flows by Providence Water from the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island
Water use is defined as how humans interact with the hydrologic cycle, and includes water withdrawal, delivery, consumptive use, wastewater release, and reclaimed wastewater. This schematic shows how these elements are interconnected.
Below are links to the USGS national water-use website and water-use web pages for the New England states.
Water Use in the United States
Accessing Water Use Data
Assessing Sustainable Water Use in Connecticut
Enhancing Water and Sewer Utility Mapping in Massachusetts
Estimating Nitrogen Loading from Groundwater and Potential Effects of Sea-Level Rise in Rhode Island's Salt Ponds Region
USGS to Improve Water Use Data Management for State of Massachusetts
Withdrawals for Bottled Water
Investigating Connections Between Socioeconomic Data and Populations Susceptible to Private Well-Water Concerns in New Hampshire
Predictive Analysis of Water Demand for Providence, Rhode Island
Assessment of Nutrient Transport and Discharge to Coastal Embayments, Wickford, Rhode Island
The Connecticut Streamflow and Sustainable Water Use Estimator: A Decision-Support Tool to Estimate Streamflow and Water Availability at Ungaged, User-Defined Stream Locations in Connecticut
Estimation of Daily Streamflow and Water Availability in the Massachusetts Sustainable-Yield Estimator, Version 2.0
Water use research in the New England Water Science Center serves both regional and national interests. USGS works with our New England partners in all six states to address questions about water demand, availability, and sustainability. Additionally, the New England Water Science Center contributes to national water use research and ensures that New England is well and accurately represented in national estimates and compilations of water use.
Regional research on water use in New England includes topics such as water demand forecasts, sustainable water availability, and domestic well locations and water withdrawals. The New England Water Science Center also engages in research on impacts of groundwater pumping for water quantity and water quality, and socioeconomic factors affecting water availability and the quality of water availability. More information on specific projects can be found under the Science Tab on this page.
Beginning in 1950, the USGS compiled snapshots of the nation’s water usage every 5 years by state, county, and intermittently by regional watershed. In 2020, the USGS moved away from compiling reported water use data and began developing computer models that produce estimates of water use that are more consistent across state lines. The reported data from states are still used though – these data are used as inputs to the models and allow researchers to check that the model estimates are accurate. The more data that is available in a region, the more accurate the model estimates can be as a result. Modelled water use estimates for 2020 and other years are available for public supply, crop irrigation, thermoelectric power generation, self-supplied industrial, self-supplied domestic, livestock, and aquaculture, and are summarized by the USGS Integrated Water Availability Assessments chapter “Water use across the conterminous United States, water years 2010 – 20”. Estimates for mining are anticipated to be available by the end of 2026.
Related Information
-
-
Water Withdrawal, Use, and Return Flows by Providence Water from the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island Water Withdrawal, Use, and Return Flows by Providence Water from the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island
Water use is defined as how humans interact with the hydrologic cycle, and includes water withdrawal, delivery, consumptive use, wastewater release, and reclaimed wastewater. This schematic shows how these elements are interconnected.
Below are links to the USGS national water-use website and water-use web pages for the New England states.
Water Use in the United States
Accessing Water Use Data
Assessing Sustainable Water Use in Connecticut
Enhancing Water and Sewer Utility Mapping in Massachusetts
Estimating Nitrogen Loading from Groundwater and Potential Effects of Sea-Level Rise in Rhode Island's Salt Ponds Region
USGS to Improve Water Use Data Management for State of Massachusetts
Withdrawals for Bottled Water
Investigating Connections Between Socioeconomic Data and Populations Susceptible to Private Well-Water Concerns in New Hampshire
Predictive Analysis of Water Demand for Providence, Rhode Island
Assessment of Nutrient Transport and Discharge to Coastal Embayments, Wickford, Rhode Island
The Connecticut Streamflow and Sustainable Water Use Estimator: A Decision-Support Tool to Estimate Streamflow and Water Availability at Ungaged, User-Defined Stream Locations in Connecticut