Hydrogeology And Simulation Of Groundwater Flow In The Plymouth Carver Kingston Duxbury Aquifer System Southeastern Massachusetts

Download or read book Hydrogeology and Simulation of Groundwater Flow written by U. S. Department Of The Interior and published by . This book was released on 2009-12-01 with total page 118 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The region of southeastern Massachusetts where the Towns of Plymouth, Carver, Kingston and Duxbury are located is known for its abundant water resources, its cranberry agriculture, and its unique ecosystems. Rapid population growth in this region, however, has resulted in increased competition among agricultural, commercial, ecological, and residential demands for water resources. Continued population growth has created the potential for increased groundwater withdrawals that could deplete streamflow and lower surface-water levels in streams, ponds, and wetlands and increase the loading of nonpoint-source septic contamination. These potential effects may contribute to habitat destruction, degradation of water quality, and loss of wetlands. The unconfined aquifer that underlies this region is composed mostly of glacially deposited sediments ranging in size from clay to boulders and is the second largest aquifer system in Massachusetts (Hansen and Lapham, 1992). It ranges in thickness from less than 20 to more than 200 ft, and contains more than 500 billion gallons of freshwater (Williams and Tasker, 1974). Groundwater discharge from the aquifer supports numerous kettle ponds and coastal streams (fig. 1). The aquifer was designated as a Sole Source Aquifer by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recognizing that groundwater is a vital source of drinking water for many of the communities in the area. The population in this region has nearly tripled in the past 30 years; as a result, nearly 40 percent of agricultural lands in the region have been lost to development (Woods Hole Research Center, 2007). Over the next 20 years, the overall population of southeastern Massachusetts is projected to increase by more than 200,000, making this part of southeastern Massachusetts the fastest growing region in the State (The Nature Conservancy, 2002). Large increases in population and the conversion of open space to residential development creates concerns for potential effects on the quality and quantity of the region's water supply. Historically, the Plymouth-Carver area has been one of the most important centers of cranberry production in the United States. Cranberries produced in this region account for most of the Massachusetts harvests, and in 2001 were about one-third of the Nation's harvest (New England Agricultural Statistics Service, 2002). In recent years, a variety of economic factors, including out-of-state competition and declining cranberry prices, has led some cranberry growers to convert upland portions of their land holdings to residential development (Flint, 2002).The Nature Conservancy has recognized this area as one of the most significant ecosystems in the northeastern United States. The region contains unique ecosystems such as the Plymouth Pinelands, an approximately 30-mi2 area in the northeastern portion of the region, a large state forest (Myles Standish State Forest), and two State-designated Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (Ellisville Harbor and the Herring River Watershed) (fig. 1). Current and predicted growth in population and residential development and the reliance in this area on groundwater for water supply created the need for a reexamination of the water resources of the Plymouth-Carver-Kingston-Duxbury (PCKD) aquifer system. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, has conducted previous hydrologic studies of the aquifer system, including hydrologic assessments of aquifer yield and water quality (Williams and Tasker, 1974; Persky, 1993) and a regional modeling study (Hansen and Lapham, 1992). Advances in computing capabilities, numerical groundwater-flow models, and geographic information system (GIS) tools developed since the previous studies were conducted have allowed for the development of a more sophisticated groundwater-flow model that builds upon those earlier efforts.