Water Resources of Massachusetts (-G---+ U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 90-4144 Prepared in cooperation with the ’ ~ALTHOF.~SSACHUSETTS . DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, DIVISION 6~ WATER RESOURCES WATER RESOURCES OF MASSACHUSETTS By Alison C. Simcox U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 90-4144 Prepared in cooperation with the COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, DMSION OF WATER RESOURCES Boston, Massachusetts 1992 i . L U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MANUEL LUJAN, JR., Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director For additional information Copies of this report can he write to: purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Division Books and Open-File Reports Section U.S. Geological Survey Federal Center, Bldg 8 10 Massachusetts - Rhode Island District Box 25425 28 Lord Rd., Suite 280 Denver, Colorado 80225 Marlborough, MA 01752 . -1 CONTENTS Page Abstract ..................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................. 1 PurposeandScope ......................................................... 1 Physiographic setting ....................................................... 2 Glacialhistory ............................................................. 2 Geohydrologic setting .......................................................... 2 Hydrologiccycle .............................................................. 4 Surfacewater ............................................................. 4 Groundwater ............................................................. 8 Stratified-drift aquifers .................................................. 8 Bedrockaquifers ....................................................... 8 Wateruse ................................................................... 9 Waterquality ................................................................ 10 Surfacewater ............................................................. 10 Groundwater ............................................................. 11 Stratifieddrift.. ....................................................... 11 Bedrock .............................................................. 12 Crystalline bedrock .................................................. 12 Sedimentarybedrock ................................................ 12 Carbonate bedrock .................................................. 13 Sources of contamination .................................................... 13 Water-resourcesmanagement ................................................... 14 River basins in Massachusetts .................................................. 16 MerrimackRiverbasin ...................................................... 16 NashuaRiverbasin ..................................................... 16 Surfacewater ...................................................... 18 Groundwater ...................................................... 20 ConcordRiverbasin .................................................... 20 Surfacewater ...................................................... 21 Groundwater ...................................................... 23 ShawsheenRiverbasin .................................................. 23 Surfacewater ...................................................... 24 Groundwater ...................................................... 24 MerrimackRiverbasin .................................................. 24 Surfacewater ...................................................... 26 Groundwater ...................................................... 26 CoastalRiverbasins.. ...................................................... 28 ParkerRiverbasin ..................................................... 28 Surfacewater ...................................................... 28 Groundwater ...................................................... 31 IpswichRiverbasin ..................................................... 31 Surfacewater ...................................................... 32 Groundwater ...................................................... 32 . 111 < . _.’ ,. / :,B CONTENTS (Continued) Page North Coastal basin .................................................... 34 Surfacewater ...................................................... 34 Groundwater ...................................................... 34 Boston Harbor (Mystic River) basin ........................................ 34 Surfacewater ...................................................... 36 Groundwater ...................................................... 36 CharlesRiverbasin ..................................................... 38 Surfacewater ...................................................... 40 Groundwater ...................................................... 40 Boston Harbor (Neponset, Weymouth and Weir Rivers) basin .................. 40 Surfacewater ...................................................... 41 Groundwater ...................................................... 43 South Coastal (North and South Rivers) basin ............................... 43 Surfacewater ...................................................... 44 Groundwater ...................................................... 44 South Coastal (South Coastal Shore) basin .................................. 44 Surfacewater ...................................................... 46 Groundwater ...................................................... 46 BuzzardsBaybasin ..................................................... 46 Surfacewater ...................................................... 46 Ground water ...................................................... 49 Cape Cod and the Islands ................................................ 49 Surfacewater ...................................................... 50 Groundwater ...................................................... 50 Taunton River basin .................................................... 53 Surfacewater ...................................................... 54 Groundwater.....: ................................................ 56 BlackstoneRiverbasin .................................................. 56 Surface water ...................................................... 57 Groundwater ...................................................... 59 Ten Mile River and Narragansett Bay and Mount Hope Bay Shore basins ........ 59 Surfacewater ...................................................... 60 Ground water ...................................................... 60 ThamesRiverbasin ........................................................ 63 French and Quinebaug River basins ....................................... 63 Surfacewater ...................................................... 65 Groundwater ...................................................... 65 ConnecticutRiverbasin ..................................... ............... 67 MillersRiverbasin ..................................................... 67 Surface water ...................................................... 69 Ground water ...................................................... 69 DeerfieldRiverbasin ................................................... 71 Surfacewater ...................................................... 71 Groundwater ...................................................... 73 Chicopee River basin .................................................... 73 Surfacewater ...................................................... 76 iv CONTENTS (Continued) Page Groundwater ...................................................... ‘76 Westfield and Farmington River basins .................................... 76 Surfacewater ...................................................... 79 Groundwater..............................................., ...... 79 Connecticut River basin ................................................. 80 Surfacewater ...................................................... 81 Groundwater ...................................................... 81 HousatonicRiverbasin ...................................................... 83 HousatonicRiverbasin .................................................. 85 Surfacewater ...................................................... 85 Groundwater ...................................................... 85 HudsonRiverbasin ......................................................... 87 HoosicRiverbasin ...................................................... 87 Surfacewater ...................................................... 87 Groundwater ...................................................... 89 Summary ................................................................... 89 Referencescited .............................................................. 91 ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure 1. Physiographical provinces and subdivisions in Massachusetts . 3 2-4. Maps showing: 2. Average annual precipitation in Massachusetts . 5 3. Average annual runoff in Massachusetts . 6 4. Location of planning basins in Massachusetts . , 7 5. Graph showing average instantaneous discharge as a function of drainage area for selected streamflow-gaging stations in Massachusetts with 20 or more years of continuous record. 9 6. Photograph showing the Connecticut River, Deerfield, Massachusetts . 15 7. Map showing location of Massachusetts planning basins within the MerrimackRiverbasin. 17 8-11. Maps showing location of principal streams and