Cooperative Water Resource Planning Program

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been participating in cooperative water resource planning efforts with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) since 1909. The USGS is the leading national scientific authority on streamflow and groundwater resources and is recognized as an objective source of data and analyses. Since 1979, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's Office of Water Resources (OWR) has been responsible for continuing this cooperative program on behalf of the Massachusetts Water Resources Commission (WRC). The OWR cooperative program splits project costs with the USGS using state bond funds. The program provides the Commonwealth with several important services described below.