Hydrologic Conditions in Massachusetts 

During Water Year 2014

Open-File Report 2015–1056

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Hydrologic Conditions in Massachusetts 

During Water Year 2014

By Richard J. Verdi

Open-File Report 2015–1056

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

SALLY JEWELL, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2015

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Suggested citation:

Verdi, R.J., 2015, Hydrologic conditions in Massachusetts during water year 2014: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 2015–1056, 10 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151056.

ISSN 2331-1258 (online)
iii

Contents

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Funding for Hydrologic Data Collection in Massachusetts ....................................................................1

Hydrologic Conditions in Massachusetts..................................................................................................3

Precipitation...........................................................................................................................................3

Surface-Water Discharge ...................................................................................................................3

Groundwater Levels .............................................................................................................................3

Summary..........................................................................................................................................................3

Acknowledgments.........................................................................................................................................3

Tables

2. Record-minimum monthly mean discharges in Massachusetts during water year

2014 compared with the previous records for the period of record ....................................7

1. Mean annual discharge of selected streams in Massachusetts for water years

2014 and 2013 and for the period of record ..............................................................................7

Figures

1. Map and table showing Massachusetts monitoring stations referenced

in this report...................................................................................................................................2

2. Graphs showing average annual cumulative precipitation versus cumulative

precipitation during water year 2014 for A–F, regions and G, the entire State of

Massachusetts..............................................................................................................................4

3. Graphs showing discharge hydrographs for the six representative streams in

Massachusetts..............................................................................................................................6

4. Graph showing groundwater hydrographs for the eight representative wells in

Massachusetts..............................................................................................................................8

By Richard J. Verdi

Abstract

Hydrologic data and conditions throughout Massachusetts 

during water year 2014 (October 1, 2013, to September 30, 2014) 

are presented in this report. Stream discharge and groundwater 

levels during water year 2014 varied geographically across the 

State. The data are described as being above, below, or near normal in relation to long-term averages for the period of record.

Introduction

Before 1960, hydrologic data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Massachusetts were published in various 

water-supply papers and included water-related data collected by 

USGS during a water year1. In 1961, a series of annual reports 

titled “Water-Resources Data for Massachusetts” was introduced; 

these reports contained only surface-water data. In 1964, a similar 

report was introduced for the purpose of publishing water-quality 

data. In 1975, surface-water data, water-quality data, and groundwater levels were published in a single volume annual report. Formal publication of the annual report series was discontinued at the 

end of water year 2004. Reports describing data collected after 

water year 2004 through water year 2013 are available as site 

data sheets from the annual data report Web site (http://wdr.water.

usgs.gov/), which facilitates the retrieval of reports for stations 

throughout the United States. Beginning with water year 2014, 

reports describing data collected during the water year are being 

published as annual water summaries and are available from the 

USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) Water Data 

for the Nation Web site (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ma/nwis/nwis).

Current and historical data, including site information, daily 

values, statistics, and field measurements, are available for all 

monitoring stations on the USGS NWIS Web site. In this report, 

monitoring station refers to a streamgage, groundwater well, or 

precipitation gage. Instantaneous time-series data for the past 

10 to 15 years are available for many characteristics, including 

gage height, discharge, water temperature, specific conductance, 

and other parameters, through the Instantaneous Data Archive 

(http://ida.water.usgs.gov/ida/index_usgs.cfm). As a result of the 

1

A water year is the 12-month period beginning October 1 and ending September 30. It is designated by the year in which it ends.

evolution of electronic data loggers, computer systems have made 

it possible to store and provide access to such data for many USGS 

monitoring stations. These instantaneous time-series data are typically recorded at intervals of 60 minutes or less and are the basis 

for computations of daily values for discharge, water level, and 

other hydrologic variables.

This report summarizes hydrologic data and conditions at 

representative wells and stream sites throughout Massachusetts for 

water year 2014. Precipitation, discharge, and water-level values 

are shown in figures. Discharge values are listed in tables.

Funding for Hydrologic Data Collection 

in Massachusetts

Funding to provide hydrologic data to the public primarily 

comes from four sources: (1) the USGS Cooperative Water Program, in which the USGS, State, local, and municipal agencies 

share in the costs of the monitoring stations; (2) Federal, State, 

and local agencies and private entities without cost sharing; 

(3) the National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP); and 

(4) the Collection of Basic Records (CBR) Program. The USGS 

Cooperative Water Program funds most of the monitoring stations in Massachusetts through cost-sharing agreements with 

several State agencies and many local, county, and municipal 

governments. The NSIP provides some Federal funding for 

streamgages with one or more of the following critical interests: 

interstate and international waters, flood forecasts, large riverbasin outflows, sentinel watersheds, and water quality. The CBR 

program provides some Federal funding for a basic network of 

groundwater monitoring wells across the Nation.

During water year 2014, funding was received for the 

collection of hydrologic data from 97 continuous-discharge 

streamgages, 13 stage-only streamgages and lake stations, 

29 continuous-monitoring groundwater stations, 57 month-end 

groundwater-level stations in the USGS Climate Response 

Network, and 72 month-end groundwater-level stations in the 

USGS Active Water Level Network. Continuous water-quality 

data were collected at three stations. Real-time data for all of 

the continuous-record stations are available through NWIS 

(http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ma/nwis/rt/). The locations of the 

monitoring streamgages and groundwater stations referenced 

in this report are identified in figure 1.

Hydrologic Conditions in Massachusetts During 

Water Year 2014
2 Hydrologic Conditions in Massachusetts During Water Year 2014 42°30' 73°00' 72°00' 71°00' 70°00'

41°30'

42°00'

0 10 20 30 40 50 KILOMETERS

0 10 20 30 40 50 MILES

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

Massachusetts Bay

8 7 10

6

9

8 5

Springfield

Lowell

7

1

1

2

3

5

6 4

4

3

2

1

1

Cape Cod

BOSTON

Martha’s Vineyard

Nantucket

Worcester

Identifier Identifier 

1 411555070021901 MA–NBW 228 Nantucket, MA

2 412346070353403

3 414630070014901 MA–BMW 22 Brewster, MA

4 415228070554601 MA–LKW 14 Lakeville, MA

5 422341071464901 MA–WSW 26 West Boylston, MA

6 422745073112001 MA–PTW 51 Pittsfield, MA

7 423401071093801 MA–XMW 78 Wilmington, MA

8 424204072015201 MA–XNW 13 Winchendon, MA

Ground

water station and identifier 

1 01102000 Ipswich River near Ipswich, MA

2 01102345 Saugus River at Saugus Ironworks at Saugus, MA3 01103500 Charles River at Dover, MA4 01105600 Old Swamp River near South Weymouth, MA

5 01109000 Wading River near Norton, MA

6 01109060 Threemile River at North Dighton, MA

7 01170100 Green River near Colrain, MA

8 01174500 East Branch Swift River near Hardwick, MA

9 01197500 Housatonic River near Great Barrington, MA

10 01332500 Hoosic River near Williamstown, MA

Streamgage and identifier

Base map from Massachusetts Office of Geographic Information, 2014

MA–ENW 52 Edgertown, MA

Number Number Name Name

EXPLANATION

Rivers

Groundwater stationa Streamgages

Figure 1. Massachusetts monitoring stations referenced in this report.
Acknowledgments 3

Hydrologic Conditions in 

Massachusetts

The hydrologic conditions in Massachusetts during water 

year 2014 are described in detail below, and comparisons are 

made to normal conditions. Normal conditions are defined in 

this report as the long-term average for the period of record. 

Analyses of data are made for precipitation, surface-water 

discharge, and groundwater levels.

Precipitation

The graphs in figures 2A–F show average annual cumulative precipitation and cumulative precipitation for water year 

2014 in regions of Massachusetts. Figure 2G shows average 

annual cumulative precipitation and cumulative precipitation 

for water year 2014 for the State as a whole. The data presented in these figures were provided by the Massachusetts 

Department of Conservation and Recreation, Office of Water 

Resources (Linda Hutchins, written commun., 2014).

Cumulative precipitation throughout Massachusetts 

during water year 2014 ended below normal for the State as 

a whole (fig. 2G). Average annual cumulative precipitation 

in the Connecticut River Basin and the central and western 

regions of Massachusetts was about normal at the end of the 

water year (figs. 2A–C). The northeastern and southeastern 

regions of the State and Cape Cod ended the year below normal, cumulatively (figs. 2D–F). The effects of several consecutive months of lower than normal precipitation in these parts 

of the State recorded at numerous streamgages are discussed 

in the “Surface-Water Discharge” section.

Surface-Water Discharge

Discharge hydrographs for six representative streams in 

Massachusetts are shown in figures 3A–F. Each hydrograph 

shows the monthly mean discharge for water year 2014 and 

the monthly maximum, minimum, and mean discharges for the 

period of record for the station. Table 1 presents mean annual 

discharge for water years 2014 and 2013 (for comparison), 

expressed in units of cubic feet per second and as a percentage 

of the mean annual average for the period of record, for the six 

representative streams.

Monthly and annual rates of discharge in streams varied 

from below normal to above normal in Massachusetts during 

water year 2014 (figs. 3A–F; table 1). A new maximum 

monthly mean discharge, mostly caused by snowmelt and 

heavy localized precipitation, was recorded at East Branch 

Swift River near Hardwick during May 2014. The new record 

of 191 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) exceeds the previous record 

of 189 ft3/s set in 1984.

New minimum monthly mean discharges, caused by 

below normal precipitation, were recorded at four streamgages 

in the northeastern and southeastern regions of the State and 

Cape Cod (table 2). For example, a new minimum monthly 

mean discharge was recorded at Wading River near Norton 

during the month of September 2014. The new record of 

0.84 ft3/s exceeds the previous record of 1.76 ft3/s set in 1930.

Groundwater Levels

Groundwater hydrographs for eight representative wells 

in Massachusetts are shown in figures 4A to H. Each hydrograph shows the water year 2014 month-end water level and 

the maximum, minimum, and monthly median water levels for 

the period of record at that site.

Groundwater levels across the State ranged from below 

normal to above normal. No new record water levels were 

reported for any well in the State. Daily mean groundwaterlevel data for the 29 continuous-recording wells in the State 

can be obtained by visiting the USGS annual data report 

Web site (http://wdr.water.usgs.gov/). Month-end water 

levels, water-level statistics, and well characteristics for the 

57 wells in the State that are part of the Climate Response 

Network can be obtained from the USGS groundwater watch 

Web site (http://groundwaterwatch.usgs.gov/NetMapT1L2.

asp?ncd=crn&sc=25). This information can also be obtained 

for the 72 wells in the State that are part of the Active Water 

Level Network (http://groundwaterwatch.usgs.gov/statemap.

asp?sc=25&sa=MA).

Summary

Precipitation and water-level conditions varied across 

Massachusetts. Annual cumulative precipitation was below 

normal for the State as a whole. Stream discharges ranged 

from below normal to normal to above normal with several 

sites reaching record-minimum monthly mean discharges 

and one reaching record-maximum monthly mean discharge. 

Groundwater levels ranged from below normal to above 

normal with no sites reaching new records during the year.

Acknowledgments

The author acknowledges the contributions of senior 

hydrologist Roy Socolow, senior hydrographer Linda Comeau, 

and hydrographers Robert Bradley, Christopher Bruet, Josh 

Combs, Emilie Nobles, Steve O’Brien, and Lance Ramsbey 

of the U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Surveillance Unit 

in Northborough, Massachusetts, for their efforts in data 

collection and record computations.
4 Hydrologic Conditions in Massachusetts During Water Year 2014

Period of record (normal)

 precipitation

Cumulative 2014 water year 

precipitation

EXPLANATION

Oct.-13

Nov.-13Dec.-13

Jan.-14

Feb.-14

Mar.-14

Apr.-14

May-14

June-14

July-14

Aug.-14

Sept.-14

Year

0

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

Precipitation, in inches

A. Western region (period of record 1906–2014)

Oct.-13

Nov.-13Dec.-13

Jan.-14

Feb.-14

Mar.-14

Apr.-14

May-14

June-14

July-14

Aug.-14

Sept.-14

Year

0

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

Precipitation, in inches

B. Connecticut River region (period of record 1838–2014)

Oct.-13

Nov.-13Dec.-13

Jan.-14

Feb.-14

Mar.-14

Apr.-14

May-14

June-14

July-14

Aug.-14

Sept.-14

Year

0

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

Precipitation, in inches

C. Central region (period of record 1872–2014)

Oct.-13

Nov.-13Dec.-13

Jan.-14

Feb.-14

Mar.-14

Apr.-14

May-14

June-14

July-14

Aug.-14

Sept.-14

Year

0

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

Precipitation, in inches

D. Northeastern region (period of record 1873–2014)

Figure 2. Average annual cumulative precipitation versus cumulative precipitation during water year 2014 for A–F, regions and G, the 

entire State of Massachusetts.
Acknowledgments 5

Figure 2. Average annual cumulative precipitation versus cumulative precipitation during water year 2014 for A–F, regions and G, the 

entire State of Massachusetts.—Continued

verdi-hydroloic_fig 02b

Period of record (normal)

 precipitation

Cumulative 2014 water year 

precipitation

EXPLANATION

Oct.-13

Nov.-13Dec.-13

Jan.-14

Feb.-14

Mar.-14

Apr.-14

May-14

June-14

July-14

Aug.-14

Sept.-14

Year

0

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

Precipitation, in inches

E. Southeastern region (period of record 1887–2014)

Oct.-13

Nov.-13Dec.-13

Jan.-14

Feb.-14

Mar.-14

Apr.-14

May-14

June-14

July-14

Aug.-14

Sept.-14

Year

0

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

Precipitation, in inches

F. Cape Cod region (period of record 1919–2014)

Oct.-13

Nov.-13Dec.-13

Jan.-14

Feb.-14

Mar.-14

Apr.-14

May-14

June-14

July-14

Aug.-14

Sept.-14

Year

0

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

Precipitation, in inches

G. Entire State (period of record 1838–2014)
6 Hydrologic Conditions in Massachusetts During Water Year 2014

Monthly mean discharge for period of station record

Monthly mean discharge during 2014 water year

Annual mean discharge, 2014 water year

Unshaded area shows range between highest and lowest 

monthly mean discharge for period of station record

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

2013 2014

0.5

0.7

1

3

5

7

10

30

50

70

100

300

500

700

1,000

C. 01109000 Wading River near Norton, MA;

drainage area, 43.3 mi2

 (period of record 1925–2014)

64.8 cfs

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

2013 2014

30

50

70

100

300

500

700

1,000

3,000

5,000

E. 01197500 Housatonic River near Great Barrington, MA;

drainage area, 282 mi2 (period of record 1913–2014)

609 cfs

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

2013 2014

1

3

5

7

10

30

50

70

100

300

500

700

1000

3,000

A. 01102000 Ipswich River near Ipswich, MA; 

drainage area, 125 mi2; (period of record 1938–2014)

137 cfs

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

2013 2014

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

D. 01174500 East Branch Swift River near Hardwick, MA; 

drainage area, 43.7 mi2

; (period of record 1937–2014)

96.0 cfs

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

2013 2014

20

30

50

70

100

300

500

700

1,000

2,000

292 cfs

F. 01332500 Hoosic River near Williamstown, MA; 

drainage area, 126 mi2 (period of record 1940–2014)

EXPLANATION

Discharge, in cubic feet per second

2014

1

3

5

7

10

30

50

70

100

300

500

700

1,000

3,000

B. 01103500 Charles River at Dover, MA;

drainage area, 183 mi2; (period of record 1938–2014)

2013

242 cfs

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

Figure 3. Discharge hydrographs for the six representative streams in Massachusetts. Each hydrograph shows the monthly mean 

discharge for water year 2014 compared with the monthly maximum, minimum, and mean discharges for the period of record for the 

site. mi2, square miles.
Acknowledgments 7

Table 1. Mean annual discharge of selected streams in Massachusetts for water years 2014 and 2013 and for the period of record.

[USGS, U.S. Geological Survey]

USGS

station 

number

USGS 

station name

Mean discharge Mean annual discharge 

Water year 2014 Water year 2013 for period of record

Discharge, 

in cubic feet 

per second

Percentage of 

mean annual 

discharge for 

period of 

record

Discharge, 

in cubic feet 

per second

Percentage of 

mean annual 

discharge for 

period of 

record

Period

 of record

Discharge, in 

cubic feet per 

second

01102000 Ipswich River near 

Ipswich, MA

138 71 167 86 1938–2014 195

01103500 Charles River at Dover, MA 242 78 330 106 1938–2014 311

01109000 Wading River near Norton, MA 64.8 87 87.0 116 1925–2014 74.7

01174500 East Branch Switft River near 

Hardwick, MA

96.0 131 71.8 98 1937–2014 73.4

01197500 Housatonic River near Great 

Barrington, MA

609 113 525 98 1913–2014 537

01332500 Hoosic River near 

Williamstown, MA

292 104 283 101 1940–2014 280

Table 2. Record-minimum monthly mean discharges in Massachusetts during water year 2014 compared with the previous records 

for the period of record.

[USGS, U.S. Geological Survey]

USGS station 

number

USGS 

station name

Period of 

record

Month of 

record 

minimum

Water year 2014 

minimum monthly 

mean discharge 

(cubic feet per 

second)

Year of previous 

record-minimum 

monthly mean 

discharge

Historical minimum monthly mean 

discharge 

(cubic feet per 

second)

01102345 Saugus River at Saugus 

Ironworks at Saugus, MA

1994–2014 October 1.57 1998 2.35

01105600 Old Swamp River near 

South Weymouth, MA

1966–2014 October 1.05 1998 1.14

Do. Do. Do. September 0.15 1980 0.18

01109000 Wading River near Norton, 

MA

1925–2014 September 0.84 1930 1.76

01109060 Threemile River at North 

Dighton, MA

1966–2014 September 5.83 1993 10.9
8 Hydrologic Conditions in Massachusetts During Water Year 2014

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

2014

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

2014

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

2014

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

2014

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

A. MA–NBW 228 Nantucket, MA (1976–2014)

C. MA–LKW 14 Lakeville, MA (1964–2014)

B. MA–ENW 52 Edgartown, MA (1976–2014)

D. MA–BMW 22 Brewster, MA (1962–2014)

2013

2013 2013

2013

Water level, in feet below land surface

Period of record monthly median water level

Month-end water level

Unshaded area shows range between highest and

lowest monthly median water level

EXPLANATION

Figure 4. Groundwater hydrographs for the eight representative wells in Massachusetts. Each hydrograph shows the water year 2014 

month-end water level compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly median water level for the period of record at that site.
Acknowledgments 9

2014

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

2014

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2014

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

Oct. Nov. Dec.

2014

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

E. MA–XMW 78 Wilmington, MA (1951–2014)

G. MA–XNW 13 Winchendon, MA (1939–2014)

F. MA–WSW 26 West Boylston, MA (1995–2014)

H. MA–PTW 51 Pittsfield, MA (1963–2014)

2013

2013 2013

2013

Water level, in feet below land surface

Period of record monthly median water level

Month-end water level

Unshaded area shows range between highest and

lowest monthly median water level

EXPLANATION

Figure 4. Groundwater hydrographs for the eight representative wells in Massachusetts. Each hydrograph shows the water year 

2014 month-end water level compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly median water level for the period of record at that 

site.—Continued
Prepared by the Pembroke Publishing Service Center.

For more information concerning this report, contact:

Director,

New England Water Science Center 

U.S. Geological Survey

10 Bearfoot Road

Northborough, MA 01532

dc_nweng@usgs.gov

or visit our Web site at:

http://ma.water.usgs.gov
Verdi—Hydrologic Conditions in Massachusetts During Water Year 2014—Open-File Report 2015–1056

Printed on recycled paper ISSN 2331-1258 (online)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151056