Indicators of Hydrologic Stress in Massachusetts

A recent study in Massachusetts (Massachusetts Water Resources Commission, 2001) developed stress designations for all rivers within the state based entirely on available streamflow data from gaged sites. (This was the only electronic streamflow data available statewide at that time). This imposed three significant limitations on the 2001 stress designations (as was noted in the MWRC 2001 document at the time). First, the relative contribution of natural basin characteristics and human factors—such as water use—to low flows could not be distinguished. Second, ungaged basins could not be assessed. Third, since streamflow gaging stations are generally located on larger streams, the effects of water use on headwater streams could not be determined. The goal of the present study is to reassess the potential effects of human water use on streamflows in Massachusetts using newly available data and methods which enable us to estimate these effects in ungaged and headwater basins at very small spatial scales.