Freshwater Use and Withdrawals

Maryland has abundant surface-water and Groundwater 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During 2000, about 1,500 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of freshwater was withdrawn from surface-water and Groundwater sources in Maryland for a variety of uses including public-supply distribution (PS), commercial (CO), self-supplied domestic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To find out more about how much water is withdrawn and for what uses in each Maryland county, click on a county in the map below.

Allegany County Anne Arundel County Baltimore County Baltimore City Calvert County Caroline County Carroll County Cecil County Charles County Dorchester County Frederick County Garrett County

Harford County Howard County Kent County Montgomery County Prince George's County Queen Anne's County St. Mary's County Somerset County Talbot County Washington County Wicomico County Worcester County

Allegany County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Anne Arundel County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Baltimore County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Baltimore City

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater Withdrawals
CO	0.11
IN	0.00

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Calvert County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater Withdrawals
PS	2.30
CO	0.50
DO	3.69
IN	0.05
TE	0.41
LV	0.00
IR	0.06

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Caroline County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater Withdrawals
PS	1.04
CO	0.16
DO	1.57
IN	0.33
MI	2.16
LV	0.60
IR	9.77

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Carroll County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater Withdrawals
PS	2.54
CO	0.43
DO	6.54
IN	0.24
TE	0.00
LV	0.44
IR	0.24

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Cecil County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Charles County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Dorchester County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Frederick County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater Withdrawals
PS	3.21
CO	0.68
DO	6.99
IN	1.86
LV	1.01
AQ	0.28
IR	0.30

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Garrett County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Harford County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Howard County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater Withdrawals
CO	0.34
DO	2.81
IN	0.02
LV	0.05
IR	0.17

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Kent County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Montgomery County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Prince George's County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Queen Anne's County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater Withdrawals
PS	1.47
CO	0.49
DO	2.40
IN	0.33
LV	0.22
IR	2.35

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St. Mary's County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater Withdrawals
PS	3.68
CO	1.44
DO	4.40
IN	0.01
MI	0.24
LV	0.03
IR	0.14

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Somerset County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater Withdrawals
PS	1.71
CO	0.78
DO	1.16
IN	0.02
LV	0.64
IR	0.40

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Talbot County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Washington County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater 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

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Wicomico County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater Withdrawals
PS	0.00
CO	0.53
DO	0.00
IN	1.04
MI	0.00
LV	1.18
IR	3.13

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Worcester County

Total Withdrawals
Groundwater	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

Groundwater Withdrawals
PS	7.74
CO	0.63
DO	0.89
IN	1.93
MI	0.01
LV	0.88
IR	0.76

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