John P. Masterson

Scientific information in support of water resource management of the Big River area, Rhode Island

Introduction The Rhode Island Water Resources Board (RIWRB) is concerned that the demand for water may exceed the available public water supply in central and southern Rhode Island. Although water is often assumed to be plentiful in Rhode Island because of abundant rainfall, an adequate supply of water is not always available everywhere in the state during dry periods. Concerns that water demand may exceed supply are greatest during the summer, when lower water levels and increased drought potential combine with seasonal increases in peak water demand (Rhode Island Water Resources Board, 2012). High summer water demands are due to increases in outdoor water use, such as lawn watering and agricultural irrigation, and to increased summer population in coastal areas. Water-supply concerns are particularly acute in central and southern Rhode Island, where groundwater is the primary source of drinking water. The Big River and Mishnock River Basins (fig. 1) are subbasins of the South Branch of the Pawtuxet River Basin in central and southern Rhode Island. These basins—referred to together as “the Big River area” for the purposes of this report— are undeveloped relative to other nearby areas and provide a potential source of high-quality public drinking water for central and southern Rhode Island.

Effects of Water-Management Strategies on Water Resources in the Pawcatuck River Basin, Southwestern Rhode Island and Southeastern Connecticut

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