Photograph of the Dam and Fish Ladder at the Hunt River Near East Greenwich, Rhode Island
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Cover: Photograph of the dam and fish ladder at the Hunt River near East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Water Use and Availability in the West Narragansett Bay Area, Coastal Rhode Island, 1995–99 By Mark T. Nimiroski and Emily C. Wild In cooperation with the Rhode Island Water Resources Board Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5256 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior Gail A. Norton, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2006 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: Nimiroski, M.T., and Wild, E.C., 2006, Water use and availability in the West Narragansett Bay area, coastal Rhode Island, 1995–99: Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5256, 54 p. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2 Previous Investigations........................................................................................................................2 Description of the Study Area .....................................................................................................................4 Population ..............................................................................................................................................4 Sand and Gravel Aquifers and Ground-Water Reservoirs .............................................................4 Climate ....................................................................................................................................................8 Land Use .................................................................................................................................................9 Surface Water .......................................................................................................................................9 Minor Civil Divisions ...........................................................................................................................13 Subbasins .............................................................................................................................................13 Annaquatucket River Subbasin ..............................................................................................13 Greenwich Bay Subbasin .........................................................................................................15 Hunt River Subbasin .................................................................................................................16 Pettaquamscutt River Subbasin .............................................................................................16 Providence and Seekonk Rivers Subbasin ...........................................................................16 Conanicut Island Subbasin .....................................................................................................17 Water Use .....................................................................................................................................................17 New England Water-Use Data System ...........................................................................................17 Public Water Supply and Interbasin Transfers ..............................................................................17 Domestic Water Use ..........................................................................................................................19 Public-Supply Use .....................................................................................................................19 Self-Supply Use ..........................................................................................................................21 Commercial and Industrial Water Use ............................................................................................21 Public-Supply Use .....................................................................................................................21 Self-Supply Use ..........................................................................................................................25 Agricultural Water Use ......................................................................................................................25 Return Flow and Interbasin Transfers .............................................................................................33 Site-Specific Return Flow .........................................................................................................33 Aggregate Return Flow .............................................................................................................33 Interbasin Transfers ..................................................................................................................33 Water Availability .........................................................................................................................................37 Summer Water Availability By Subbasin ...............................................................................38 Water Budget .............................................................................................................................40 Summary and Conclusions .........................................................................................................................41 Selected References ...................................................................................................................................46 Glossary .........................................................................................................................................................53 iv Figures 1–3. Maps showing: 1. Streamflow-gaging stations, USGS wells, and climatological stations in the West Narragansett Bay area .............................................................................................3 2. Towns, counties, subbasins, hydrography, and sand and gravel deposits in the West Narragansett Bay area, coastal Rhode Island ....................................................5 3. Water-supply districts, RIPDES sites, and wastewater-treatment plants in the West Narragansett Bay area ...........................................................................................14 4–13. Diagrams showing: 4. Jamestown Water Division withdrawals, distribution, and estimated use, West Narragansett Bay area ...........................................................................................18 5. Kent County Water Authority withdrawals, distribution, and estimated use, West Narragansett Bay area ...........................................................................................20 6. Narragansett Water Department distribution and estimated use, West Narragansett Bay area .....................................................................................................21 7. North Kingstown Water Department withdrawals, distribution, and estimated use, West Narragansett Bay area ..................................................................................22 8. Providence Water Supply Board distribution and estimated use, West Narragansett Bay area .....................................................................................................23 9. Pawtucket Water Supply Board distribution and estimated use, West Narragansett Bay area .....................................................................................................24 10. Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation withdrawals, distribution, and estimated use, West Narragansett Bay area ........................................................25 11. South Kingstown Water Department withdrawals, distribution, and estimated use, West Narragansett Bay area ..................................................................................30 12. United Water of Rhode Island distribution and estimated use, West Narragansett Bay area .....................................................................................................31 13. Warwick Water Authority distribution and estimated use, West Narragansett Bay area .....................................................................................................32 14. Map showing ratio of withdrawals (1995–99) to estimated availability (1957–99) during August and graphs showing availability for June, July, August, and September for the West Narragansett Bay area ....................................................................................................39