Prepared in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Water Withdrawals, Use, and Wastewater Return Flows in the Concord River Basin, Eastern Massachusetts, 1996–2000 Public Self- supply supply Domestic water use Commercial water use Industrial water use Agricultural water use Unaccounted-for water Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5158 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Water Withdrawals, Use, and Wastewater Return Flows in the Concord River Basin, Eastern Massachusetts, 1996–2000 By Lora K. Barlow1, Linda M. Hutchins2, and Leslie A. DeSimone1 1 U.S. Geological Survey 2 Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Prepared in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5158 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2009 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 material contained within this report. Suggested citation: Barlow, L.K., Hutchins, L.M., and DeSimone, L.A., 2009, Water withdrawals, use, and wastewater return flows in the Concord River Basin, eastern Massachusetts, 1996–2000: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5158, 123 p. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2 Previous Investigations........................................................................................................................2 Description of the Study Area ............................................................................................................2 Water-Use Terms ...........................................................................................................................................8 Population Estimates for Water Withdrawals, Use, and Wastewater Return Flows .........................8 Water Withdrawals and Use ......................................................................................................................20 Water Withdrawals ...........................................................................................................................20 Water Use ............................................................................................................................................29 Domestic......................................................................................................................................29 Public Supply .....................................................................................................................29 Self-Supply .........................................................................................................................37 Commercial .................................................................................................................................37 Public Supply .....................................................................................................................37 Self-Supply .........................................................................................................................40 Industrial......................................................................................................................................41 Public Supply .....................................................................................................................41 Self-Supply .........................................................................................................................41 Agricultural .................................................................................................................................42 Public Supply .....................................................................................................................42 Self-Supply .........................................................................................................................42 Unaccounted-For .......................................................................................................................43 Consumptive ...............................................................................................................................43 Summary of Water Use and Withdrawals ......................................................................................44 Water Imports and Exports for Public Supply ................................................................................44 Wastewater Return Flows ..........................................................................................................................53 Wastewater Discharges from Treatment Facilities .....................................................................53 Wastewater Return Flows from Self-Disposal ..............................................................................53 Wastewater Imports and Exports ....................................................................................................56 Summary of Water Withdrawals, Use, and Wastewater Return Flows .............................................64 Data and Analysis Limitations....................................................................................................................64 Withdrawal Data .................................................................................................................................64 Wastewater Return-Flow Data .........................................................................................................66 Commercial and Industrial Water-Use Data ..................................................................................66 Analysis Methods ...............................................................................................................................66 Summary........................................................................................................................................................67 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................68 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................68 Appendix 1. Monthly average withdrawals for community public-supply sources by subbasin and year in the Concord River Basin in eastern Massachusetts, 1996–2000 .....................................................................................................................................72 iv Appendix 2. Monthly average purchases from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority by municipal community public-supply systems in the Concord River Basin in eastern Massachusetts, 1996–2000 .......................................................................112 Appendix 3. Monthly average withdrawals regulated by the Massachusetts Water Management Act for commercial, industrial, and agricultural users in the Concord River Basin in eastern Massachusetts, 1996–2000 .............................................................114 Figures 1. Map showing location, subbasins, and towns of the Concord River Basin in eastern Massachusetts ..............................................................................................................................3 2. Graphs showing long-term average and 1996–2000 cumulative monthly precipitation at weather stations in and near the Concord River Basin in eastern Massachusetts .....5 3–6. Maps showing— 3. Land use in the Concord River Basin in eastern Massachusetts ...............................7 4. Public water-distribution and wastewater-collection systems in the Concord River Basin in eastern Massachusetts ..........................................................................12 5. Population densities and percentages of total population on public water and wastewater systems in subbasins of the Concord River Basin in eastern Massachusetts ................................................................................................18 6. Water-withdrawal locations for public supply and large commercial, industrial, and agricultural users in the Concord River Basin in eastern Massachusetts ......21 7. Graph showing total monthly withdrawals for public supply in the Concord River Basin in eastern Massachusetts, 1996–2000 .........................................................................27 8–10. Graphs