Freshwater Use and Withdrawals
![USGS scientists in the field](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20080916020042im_/http://md.water.usgs.gov/images/homepage_images/gaging2.jpg)
Maryland has abundant surface-water and ground-water resources. Nearly one-fifth of the total area of the State is covered by water. Since the early 1600s, water has been important in the economic and cultural development of Maryland. Rivers, bays, and harbors gave early settlers ports and access to inland trade. Freshwater streams, wells, and springs also became sources for water supply.
During 2000, about 1,500 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of freshwater was withdrawn from surface-water and ground-water sources in Maryland for a variety of uses including public-supply distribution (PS), commercial (CO), self-supplied domestic (DO), industrial (IN), mining (MI), thermoelectric power generation (TE), livestock watering (LV), aquaculture (AQ), and irrigation (IR).
To find out more about how much water is withdrawn and for what uses in each Maryland county, click on a county in the map below.
![Map of Maryland, with counties shown](maryland.gif)
Allegany County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 1.51 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 47.37 | |
Total Withdrawals | 48.88 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.40 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.06 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 46.76 | ||
MI | 0.01 | ||
LV | 0.06 | ||
AQ | 0.01 | ||
IR | 0.07 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.33 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.15 | ||
DO | 0.93 | ||
IN | 0.04 | ||
MI | 0.01 | ||
LV | 0.02 | ||
AQ | 0.00 | ||
IR | 0.03 | ||
Anne Arundel County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 46.14 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 2.43 | |
Total Withdrawals | 48.57 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 2.18 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.01 | ||
MI | 0.03 | ||
LV | 0.03 | ||
AQ | 0.00 | ||
IR | 0.18 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 29.05 | ![]() |
|
CO | 3.48 | ||
DO | 10.93 | ||
IN | 1.77 | ||
MI | 0.52 | ||
LV | 0.01 | ||
AQ | 0.01 | ||
IR | 0.37 | ||
Baltimore County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 10.04 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 272.09 | |
Total Withdrawals | 282.13 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 270.95 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.02 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.45 | ||
MI | 0.02 | ||
LV | 0.12 | ||
AQ | 0.13 | ||
IR | 0.40 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.10 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.64 | ||
DO | 4.08 | ||
IN | 4.60 | ||
MI | 0.07 | ||
LV | 0.11 | ||
AQ | 0.00 | ||
IR | 0.44 | ||
Baltimore City
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 0.22 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 0.01 | |
Total Withdrawals | 0.23 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
CO | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
IN | 0.01 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
CO | 0.11 | ![]() |
|
IN | 0.00 | ||
Calvert County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 7.01 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 0.02 | |
Total Withdrawals | 7.03 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
TE | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.02 | ||
IR | 0.00 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 2.30 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.50 | ||
DO | 3.69 | ||
IN | 0.05 | ||
TE | 0.41 | ||
LV | 0.00 | ||
IR | 0.06 | ||
Caroline County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 15.63 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 5.75 | |
Total Withdrawals | 21.38 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
MI | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.04 | ||
IR | 5.71 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 1.04 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.16 | ||
DO | 1.57 | ||
IN | 0.33 | ||
MI | 2.16 | ||
LV | 0.60 | ||
IR | 9.77 | ||
Carroll County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 10.43 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 5.10 | |
Total Withdrawals | 15.53 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 4.17 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.49 | ||
TE | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.37 | ||
IR | 0.07 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 2.54 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.43 | ||
DO | 6.54 | ||
IN | 0.24 | ||
TE | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.44 | ||
IR | 0.24 | ||
Cecil County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 7.30 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 3.00 | |
Total Withdrawals | 10.30 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 2.05 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.47 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.01 | ||
MI | 0.18 | ||
LV | 0.13 | ||
AQ | 0.02 | ||
IR | 0.14 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 1.61 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.69 | ||
DO | 3.79 | ||
IN | 0.09 | ||
MI | 0.09 | ||
LV | 0.13 | ||
AQ | 0.00 | ||
IR | 0.90 | ||
Charles County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 13.18 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 1.15 | |
Total Withdrawals | 14.33 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
TE | 0.00 | ||
MI | 1.09 | ||
LV | 0.04 | ||
IR | 0.02 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 7.48 | ![]() |
|
CO | 1.69 | ||
DO | 3.29 | ||
IN | 0.01 | ||
TE | 0.60 | ||
MI | 0.04 | ||
LV | 0.01 | ||
IR | 0.06 | ||
Dorchester County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 13.09 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 0.76 | |
Total Withdrawals | 13.85 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
TE | 0.00 | ||
MI | 0.01 | ||
LV | 0.01 | ||
AQ | 0.00 | ||
IR | 0.74 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 2.47 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.34 | ||
DO | 0.94 | ||
IN | 0.99 | ||
TE | 0.02 | ||
MI | 0.01 | ||
LV | 0.32 | ||
AQ | 0.03 | ||
IR | 7.97 | ||
Frederick County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 14.33 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 25.11 | |
Total Withdrawals | 39.44 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 11.97 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.02 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.02 | ||
LV | 0.79 | ||
AQ | 12.06 | ||
IR | 0.25 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 3.21 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.68 | ||
DO | 6.99 | ||
IN | 1.86 | ||
LV | 1.01 | ||
AQ | 0.28 | ||
IR | 0.30 | ||
Garrett County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 3.52 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 6.04 | |
Total Withdrawals | 9.56 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 2.01 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.28 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
MI | 1.68 | ||
LV | 0.30 | ||
AQ | 1.75 | ||
IR | 0.02 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.95 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.39 | ||
DO | 1.80 | ||
IN | 0.11 | ||
MI | 0.03 | ||
LV | 0.21 | ||
AQ | 0.01 | ||
IR | 0.02 | ||
Harford County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 13.16 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 7.49 | |
Total Withdrawals | 20.65 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 3.82 | ![]() |
|
CO | 2.35 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.01 | ||
MI | 0.77 | ||
LV | 0.21 | ||
AQ | 0.00 | ||
IR | 0.33 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 5.05 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.60 | ||
DO | 6.13 | ||
IN | 0.97 | ||
MI | 0.13 | ||
LV | 0.19 | ||
AQ | 0.00 | ||
IR | 0.09 | ||
Howard County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 3.39 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 0.43 | |
Total Withdrawals | 3.82 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
CO | 0.01 | ![]() |
|
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.08 | ||
IR | 0.34 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
CO | 0.34 | ![]() |
|
DO | 2.81 | ||
IN | 0.02 | ||
LV | 0.05 | ||
IR | 0.17 | ||
Kent County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 4.30 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 0.41 | |
Total Withdrawals | 4.71 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
MI | 0.03 | ||
LV | 0.10 | ||
AQ | 0.00 | ||
IR | 0.28 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 1.11 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.29 | ||
DO | 0.88 | ||
IN | 0.45 | ||
MI | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.20 | ||
AQ | 0.02 | ||
IR | 1.35 | ||
Montgomery County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 4.84 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 703.97 | |
Total Withdrawals | 708.81 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 379.74 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.74 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.01 | ||
TE | 322.39 | ||
MI | 0.04 | ||
LV | 0.10 | ||
IR | 0.95 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.48 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.55 | ||
DO | 3.20 | ||
IN | 0.03 | ||
TE | 0.02 | ||
MI | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.07 | ||
IR | 0.49 | ||
Prince Georges County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 6.36 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 50.17 | |
Total Withdrawals | 56.53 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 49.77 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
TE | 0.00 | ||
MI | 0.06 | ||
LV | 0.04 | ||
AQ | 0.00 | ||
IR | 0.30 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 2.38 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.82 | ||
DO | 1.24 | ||
IN | 0.02 | ||
TE | 0.75 | ||
MI | 0.86 | ||
LV | 0.01 | ||
AQ | 0.01 | ||
IR | 0.27 | ||
Queen Annes County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 7.26 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 1.42 | |
Total Withdrawals | 8.68 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.07 | ||
IR | 1.35 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 1.47 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.49 | ||
DO | 2.40 | ||
IN | 0.33 | ||
LV | 0.22 | ||
IR | 2.35 | ||
St. Marys County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 9.94 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 0.29 | |
Total Withdrawals | 10.23 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
MI | 0.20 | ||
LV | 0.07 | ||
IR | 0.02 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 3.68 | ![]() |
|
CO | 1.44 | ||
DO | 4.40 | ||
IN | 0.01 | ||
MI | 0.24 | ||
LV | 0.03 | ||
IR | 0.14 | ||
Somerset County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 4.71 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 0.02 | |
Total Withdrawals | 4.73 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.02 | ||
IR | 0.00 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 1.71 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.78 | ||
DO | 1.16 | ||
IN | 0.02 | ||
LV | 0.64 | ||
IR | 0.40 | ||
Talbot County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 5.57 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 0.43 | |
Total Withdrawals | 6.00 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
MI | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.03 | ||
AQ | 0.00 | ||
IR | 0.40 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 2.32 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.36 | ||
DO | 1.58 | ||
IN | 0.64 | ||
MI | 0.01 | ||
LV | 0.21 | ||
AQ | 0.01 | ||
IR | 0.44 | ||
Washington County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 10.55 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 71.09 | |
Total Withdrawals | 81.64 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 12.69 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.10 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 2.14 | ||
TE | 54.71 | ||
MI | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.50 | ||
AQ | 0.84 | ||
IR | 0.11 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 1.19 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.31 | ||
DO | 3.63 | ||
IN | 0.24 | ||
TE | 0.00 | ||
MI | 0.03 | ||
LV | 0.64 | ||
AQ | 4.44 | ||
IR | 0.07 | ||
Wicomico County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 16.21 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 0.61 | |
Total Withdrawals | 16.82 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
MI | 0.01 | ||
LV | 0.03 | ||
IR | 0.57 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.53 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 1.04 | ||
MI | 0.00 | ||
LV | 1.18 | ||
IR | 3.13 | ||
Worcester County
Total Withdrawals | ||
Ground Water | 12.84 | ![]() |
Surface Water | 0.38 | |
Total Withdrawals | 13.22 | |
PS - public-supply distribution CO - commercial DO - self-supplied domestic IN - industrial MI - mining TE - thermoelectric power LV - livestock watering AQ - aquaculture IR - irrigation |
Surface-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 0.00 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.00 | ||
DO | 0.00 | ||
IN | 0.00 | ||
MI | 0.00 | ||
LV | 0.02 | ||
IR | 0.36 | ||
Ground-Water Withdrawals | |||
PS | 7.74 | ![]() |
|
CO | 0.63 | ||
DO | 0.89 | ||
IN | 1.93 | ||
MI | 0.01 | ||
LV | 0.88 | ||
IR | 0.76 | ||