Testing ground-water-management alternatives in the Upper Charles River Basin, eastern Massachusetts

Ground water pumped from municipal wells supplies most of the drinking water used in the Upper Charles River Basin. This area, along the Interstate 495 corridor in eastern Massachusetts, has undergone rapid land development and population growth in recent years. The increased water demand associated with this growth has created concerns about the effects of current and future withdrawals on streamflow and pond levels in the basin. To aid water-resource planning in the basin, a computer model of the hydrologic system was developed to test the effects of current and hypothetical ground-water withdrawals and other water-management practices. The model is applied using optimization methods that can help balance water-supply and environmental needs.