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DEP DEVELOPS STATEWIDE WATER WITHDRAWAL DATA
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has released a report on statewide water use, including water withdrawals by county, watershed, use and aquifer
‘Water Withdrawals in New Jersey, 1990-1996,’ compiled by DEP's New Jersey Geological Survey (NJGS), shows that surface and ground waters are used for a variety of purposes in New Jersey, including drinking water supply, power generation, and industrial, agricultural, mining, irrigation and commercial uses.
"This report underscores the need to continuously improve the quality of our water supplies and the importance of protecting our surface and groundwater to ensure a sufficient quantity of water to meet present and future water demands," said DEP Commissioner Bob Shinn.
The greatest demand is for drinking water. Annual withdrawals for drinking water ranged from 418 to 452 billion gallons (bg) between 1990 and 1996, and averaged 436 bg during that period.
Total withdrawals decreased between 1990 and 1996 from 1,037 to 877 bg. This decline is attributed mostly to a drop in water used for power generation (430 bg in 1990, compared to 301 bg in 1996). Average annual withdrawals during the period for other uses were (1) industrial: 94 bg; (2) agricultural: 49 bg; (3) mining: 33 bg; (4) non-agricultural irrigation 3 bg, and (5) commercial: 0.6 bg.
On average, 75 percent of total water withdrawals and 59 percent of water withdrawn for drinking purposes in New Jersey are from surface water. The report shows that the relative importance of ground and surface water as a source of potable water varies by county. Ground water supplied 100 percent of the potable water physically withdrawn in Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hudson and Warren counties during period 1990-96.
In contrast, ground water supplied only 4 percent of potable water withdrawn in Passaic County. These numbers are not always indicative of the source of water actually consumed in each county. For example, most of the surface water withdrawn in Passaic County is exported to Hudson and Bergen counties.
Average total withdrawals in New Jersey correspond to approximately 15 percent of annual rainfall, on a statewide average. Withdrawals for drinking water are between 5 percent and 8 percent of precipitation. Withdrawals for irrigation and agriculture increase during the growing season. This increase is greater in drier years as more water is needed for irrigation to make up for the lower rainfall.
NJGS is the geoscience organization within DEP's Division of Science, Research and Technology. Founded in 1835, the mission of the NJGS is to map, research, interpret and provide scientific information regarding the state's geology and groundwater resources. For additional information, contact the NJGS at (609) 292-1185. The report, ‘Water Withdrawals in New Jersey, 1990-1996’ is available for $10 from DEP's Maps and Publications sales office at (609) 777-1038. The information also available for download via the internet as Digital Geodata Series 00-4 at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/geodata/index.htm
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NOTE: The table below presents average total and potable withdrawals by county over the period 1990-1996, in millions of gallons. This table shows where water is withdrawn, not where the water is used. It does not identify which counties are net importers or exporters of water. These data are based on reports filed with the DEP Bureau of Water Allocation which is responsible for regulating all water users who withdraw more than 100,000 gallons per day.
Total and average withdrawals by county, 1990-1996, in millions of gallons.
|
County |
Average total withdrawals, 1990-96 |
Average potable withdrawals, 1990-96 |
|
Source |
Total |
Source |
Total |
|
surface water |
ground water |
surface water |
ground water |
|
mg |
% |
mg |
% |
mg |
% |
mg |
% |
|
Atlantic |
1,220 |
6.9 % |
16,515 |
93.1 % |
17,735 |
386 |
3.0 % |
12,637 |
97.0 % |
13,023 |
|
Bergen |
50,095 |
82.6 % |
10,587 |
17.4 % |
60,682 |
49,341 |
84.0 % |
9,400 |
16.0 % |
58,741 |
|
Burlington |
47,570 |
62.4 % |
28,668 |
37.6 % |
76,238 |
1,425 |
8.2 % |
15,937 |
91.8 % |
17,362 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Camden |
1,450 |
5.5 % |
24,868 |
94.5 % |
26,318 |
0 |
0.0 % |
24,135 |
100.0 % |
24,135 |
|
Cape May |
825 |
9.4 % |
7,972 |
90.6 % |
8,797 |
0 |
0.0 % |
5,884 |
100.0 % |
5,884 |
|
Cumberland |
19,210 |
55.6 % |
15,358 |
44.4 % |
34,569 |
0 |
0.0 % |
7,542 |
100.0 % |
7,542 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Essex |
3,688 |
27.8 % |
9,562 |
72.2 % |
13,250 |
3,642 |
28.7 % |
9,057 |
71.3 % |
12,700 |
|
Gloucester |
19,135 |
57.7 % |
14,035 |
42.3 % |
33,170 |
0 |
0.0 % |
9,406 |
100.0 % |
9,406 |
|
Hudson |
0 |
0.0 % |
205 |
100.0 % |
205 |
0 |
1.2 % |
4 |
98.8 % |
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hunterdon |
48,361 |
90.8 % |
4,887 |
9.2 % |
53,248 |
31,793 |
89.6 % |
3,690 |
10.4 % |
35,483 |
|
Mercer |
190,392 |
97.6 % |
4,609 |
2.4 % |
195,001 |
11,605 |
73.2 % |
4,259 |
26.8 % |
15,863 |
|
Middlesex |
762 |
3.7 % |
19,573 |
96.3 % |
20,335 |
566 |
4.1 % |
13,194 |
95.9 % |
13,760 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Monmouth |
18,267 |
66.4 % |
9,258 |
33.6 % |
27,525 |
17,669 |
67.3 % |
8,569 |
32.7 % |
26,239 |
|
Morris |
18,939 |
47.1 % |
21,299 |
52.9 % |
40,238 |
18,466 |
49.8 % |
18,636 |
50.2 % |
37,102 |
|
Ocean |
2,035 |
8.7 % |
21,401 |
91.3 % |
23,436 |
1,340 |
6.9 % |
18,220 |
93.1 % |
19,561 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Passaic |
180,334 |
98.3 % |
3,187 |
1.7 % |
183,522 |
79,341 |
96.3 % |
3,018 |
3.7 % |
82,359 |
|
Salem |
6,874 |
60.4 % |
4,505 |
39.6 % |
11,379 |
495 |
18.3 % |
2,206 |
81.7 % |
2,700 |
|
Somerset |
38,596 |
92.9 % |
2,931 |
7.1 % |
41,527 |
38,517 |
94.4 % |
2,304 |
5.6 % |
40,821 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sussex |
593 |
8.7 % |
6,220 |
91.3 % |
6,813 |
546 |
12.5 % |
3,810 |
87.5 % |
4,356 |
|
Union |
4,782 |
46.0 % |
5,610 |
54.0 % |
10,391 |
1,825 |
31.9 % |
3,891 |
68.1 % |
5,715 |
|
Warren |
73,818 |
91.0 % |
7,307 |
9.0 % |
81,125 |
15 |
0.4 % |
3,292 |
99.6 % |
3,306 |
|
Yearly total: |
726,945 |
75.3 % |
238,557 |
24.7 % |
965,502 |
256,972 |
58.9 % |
179,090 |
41.1 % |
436,063 |
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OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY