Estimated Water Use and Availability in the Pawtucket and Quinebaug
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Estimated Water Use and Availability in the Pawtuxet and Quinebaug River Basins, Rhode Island, 1995–99 By Emily C. Wild and Mark T. Nimiroski Prepared in cooperation with the Rhode Island Water Resources Board Scientific Investigations Report 2006–5154 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2007 For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Wild, E.C., and Nimiroski, M.T., 2007, Estimated water use and availability in the Pawtuxet and Quinebaug River Basins, Rhode Island, 1995–99: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006–5154, 68 p. iii Contents Abstract . 1 Introduction . 2 Purpose and Scope . 2 Previous Investigations . 2 Climatological Setting . 6 The Pawtuxet River Basin . 6 Land Use . 7 Pawtuxet River Subbasins . 7 Minor Civil Divisions . 17 The Quinebaug River Basin . 20 Estimated Water Use . 20 New England Water-Use Data System . 20 Public Water Supply and Interbasin Transfers . 22 Domestic Water Use . 29 Public-Supply Use in the Pawtuxet and Quinebaug River Basins . 29 Self-Supply Use in the Pawtuxet and Quinebaug River Basins . 34 Commercial and Industrial Water Use . 34 Public-Supply Use in the Pawtuxet River Basin . 34 Self-Supply Use in the Pawtuxet and Quinebaug River Basins . 34 Agricultural Water Use . 34 Return Flow and Interbasin Transfers . 40 Site-Specific Return Flow in the Pawtuxet River Basin . 40 Aggregate Return Flow in the Pawtuxet and Quinebaug River Basins . 43 Interbasin Transfers in the Pawtuxet River Basin . 43 Estimated Water Availability in the Summer . 47 Pawtuxet River Basin . 50 Quinebaug River Basin . 50 Water Budget . 50 Pawtuxet River Basin . 50 Quinebaug River Basin . 51 Summary . 61 Acknowledgments . 62 Selected References . 62 Glossary . 67 iv Figures 1. Map showing towns and climatological stations in the Pawtuxet River Basin, central Rhode Island, and Quinebaug River Basin, western Rhode Island . 3 2–3. Diagrams showing: 2. The hydrologic cycle . 4 3. The components of water use . 5 4–10. Maps showing: 4. Subbasins in the Pawtuxet and Quinebaug River Basins . .9 5. Aquifers and selected production wells for the subbasins in the Pawtuxet and Quinebaug River Basins . 10 6. The 8-, 10-, and 12-digit Watershed Boundary Dataset delineations for the Pawtuxet and Quinebaug River Basins . 13 7. Scituate Reservoir Complex subbasin with selected partial-record stream-gaging stations and surficial deposits, Pawtuxet River Basin . 15 8. Stream-gaging stations, Rhode Island Pollutant Discharge Elimination System sites, and wastewater-treatment plants associated with the Pawtuxet and Quinebaug River Basins . 16 9. The Quinebaug River Basin in western Rhode Island, northeastern Connecticut, and south-central Massachusetts . 21 10. Public water-supply districts associated with the Pawtuxet River Basin and in the northern Narragansett Bay area, Rhode Island . 23 11–16. Diagrams showing: 11. Johnston Water District interconnections, purchases, distribution, exports, and estimated water uses in the Pawtuxet River Basin, 1995–99 . 27 12. Kent County Water Authority withdrawals, interconnections, purchases, distribution, exports, and estimated water uses, central Rhode Island, 1995–99 . ..