Massachusetts Water Use
Science Center Objects
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the nation's water-use data in Massachusetts and the rest of the United States at the county, state, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for Massachusetts is presented on this webpage.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-use data analysis is needed to quantify the stress on existing supplies, particullary during periods of drought.
Approach:
- USGS water-use compilations are one of the few sources of information about national and regional trends in water withdrawals.
- The New England Water Science Center (WSC) collects, reviews, and aggregates water withdrawal data in Massachusetts from different sources (groundwater and surface water in both fresh and saline settings) as a part of the national effort.
- Our WSC collects site-specific and aggregated water-use information for each county in Massachusetts.
- The New England WSC complies and estimates water use at the county level for eight water use categories: thermoelectric, public supply, domestic, livestock, mining, industrial, irrigation, and aquaculture.
Water Issues
Massachusetts is fortunate to have abundant freshwater resources.
Annual precipitation averages in Massachusetts place the state in the top half of the wettest states in the US.
However, as populations have grown (12.9 % between 1990 and 2015), freshwater resources have come under significant stress in many areas, particularly during periods of drought.
A graph showing Massachusetts population trends between 1985 and 2015. (Public domain)
A graph showing Massachusetts water withdrawal trends between 1990 and 2015. (Public domain)
Summary of 2015 Compilation
Core numbers for Massachusetts are presented in the Results tab.
How Much Water is Used in Massachusetts?
n 2015, approximately 1,406 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of water was withdrawn from groundwater and surface-water sources in Massachusetts. Total water withdrawals between 1990 and 2015 are on steady decline (-75%).
- Surface water withdrawals totaled 1,027 Mgal/d (73 percent of total)
- Groundwater withdrawals totaled 379 Mgal/d (27 percent of total)
- Fresh water withdrawals were 918 Mgal/d (65 percent of total)
- Saline water withdrawals were 488 Mgal/d (35 percent of total)
Massachusetts Total Water Withdrawals in 2015 by Category (Values in Mgal/day)
- Public Supply—648
- Thermoelectric—536
- Irrigation—139
- Domestic—35
- Industrial—28
- Mining—10
- Aquaculture—7
- Livestock—1
Massachusetts total water use by category in 2015. (Public domain)
Animation of 2015 Massachusetts water use by category, captured from the visualization of 2015 United States water use by category, by the USGS Vizlab. (Public domain)
Massachusetts Public Water Supply Withdrawals in 2015 by County
| MA County | Groundwater (Mgal/d) | Surface Water (Mgal/d) | Total (Mgal/d) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable | 29.84 | 2.00 | 31.84 |
| Berkshire | 2.97 | 11.36 | 14.33 |
| Bristol | 15.66 | 10.94 | 26.60 |
| Dukes | 3.07 | 0.00 | 3.07 |
| Essex | 7.47 | 69.68 | 77.15 |
| Franklin | 3.73 | 0.00 | 3.73 |
| Hampden | 8.18 | 37.20 | 45.38 |
| Hampshire | 6.06 | 12.03 | 18.09 |
| Middlesex | 37.72 | 32.54 | 70.26 |
| Nantucket | 2.00 | 0.00 | 2.00 |
| Norfolk | 28.33 | 7.55 | 35.88 |
| Plymouth | 28.00 | 40.09 | 68.09 |
| Suffolk | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Worcester | 23.63 | 228.01 | 251.64 |
| Total | 196.66 | 451.40 | 648.06 |
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Date published: March 4, 2019Status: ActiveWater Use in the United States
The USGS works in cooperation with local, State, and Federal agencies to collect water-use information, then compiles these data to produce water-use information aggregated at the county, state, and national levels. Every five years, data at the county level are compiled into a national water-use data system and State-level data are published in a national...
Contacts: National Water-Use Science ProjectAttribution: Water Resources, Water Availability and Use Science Program
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Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedNew England Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the nation's water-use data at the county, state, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for New England is presented on this webpage.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-use data analysis is needed to quantify the...
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Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedConnecticut Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the nation's water-use data in Connecticut and the rest of the United States at the county, state, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for Connecticut is presented on this webpage.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-...
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Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedMaine Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the nation's water-use data in Maine and the rest of the United States at the county, state, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for Maine is presented on this webpage.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-use data ...
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Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedNew Hampshire Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the nation's water-use data in New Hampshire and the rest of the United States at the county, state, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for New Hampshire is presented on this webpage.
The Issue: Comprehensive...
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Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedRhode Island Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the nation's water-use data in Rhode Island and the rest of the United States at the county, state, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for Rhode Island is presented on this webpage.
The Issue: Comprehensive...
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Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedVermont Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the nation's water-use data in Vermont and the rest of the United States at the county, state, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for Vermont is presented on this webpage.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-use data...
User guide for the Massachusetts Sustainable-Yield Estimator (MA SYE—version 2.0) computer program
This report is a user guide for the Massachusetts Sustainable-Yield Estimator (MA SYE) computer program (version 2.0). The MA SYE was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to provide a planning-level decision-support tool designed to help decision makers estimate daily...
Granato, Gregory E.; Levin, Sara B.
Methods used to estimate daily streamflow and water availability in the Massachusetts Sustainable-Yield Estimator version 2.0
The Massachusetts Sustainable-Yield Estimator is a decision support tool that provides estimates of daily unaltered streamflow, water-use-adjusted streamflow, and water availability for ungaged, user-defined basins in Massachusetts. Daily streamflow at the ungaged site is estimated for unaltered (no water use) and water-use scenarios. The...
Levin, Sara B. ; Granato, Gregory E.
Estimated water use and availability in the lower Blackstone River basin, northern Rhode Island and south-central Massachusetts, 1995-99
The Blackstone River basin includes approximately 475 square miles in northern Rhode Island and south-central Massachusetts. The study area (198 square miles) comprises six subbasins of the lower Blackstone River basin. The estimated population for the study period 1995?99 was 149,651 persons. Water-use data including withdrawals, use, and return...
Barolw, Lora K. Estimated withdrawals and use of freshwater in Massachusetts, 1990
Bratton, Lisa; Horn, M.A.; Medalie, Laura-
Date published: September 28, 2017Estimated Use of Water in the United States County-Level Data for 2015
This dataset contains water-use estimates for 2015 that are aggregated to the county level in the United States. The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS's) National Water Use Science Project is responsible for compiling and disseminating the Nation's water-use data.
Attribution: Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
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Date published: April 9, 2018Water Use Data for Massachusetts
The link provides access to the 5-year water-use compilations (between 1985 and 2015) data for Massachusetts on the National Water Information System (NWIS) web interface.
The presented data were compiled and published by the USGS's National Water Use Information Program (NWUIP).
Attribution: New England Water Science Center
Massachusetts population trends, 1990 - 2015
Massachusetts population trends between 1990 and 2015.
Animation of 2015 Massachusetts water use by category
Animation of 2015 Massachusetts water use by category, captured from the visualization of 2015 United States water use by category, by the USGS Vizlab.
Massachusetts Total Water Use by category in 2015
Massachusetts Total Water Use by category in 2015
Massachusetts water withdrawal trends, 1990 - 2015
A graph showing Massachusetts water withdrawal trends between 1990 and 2015
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Is saline water used for anything?
In the U.S., about 13 percent of all water used is saline water . But saline water can only be used for certain purposes. The main use is for thermoelectric power-plant cooling. About 5 percent of water used for industrial purposes is saline, and about 53 percent of all water used for mining purposes is saline. Saline water can be desalinated for...