Freshwater Use in Maryland, 1995
By Judith C. Wheeler
Excerpt From Introduction
Maryland has abundant surface-water and ground-water resources. One of the earliest records describing the extent of Maryland's water resources is from 1634 when a colonist wrote of what he had seen in the "Province of Maryland," ". . . the delightful climate, the fertility of the soil, and the abundance of water and fresh springs" (Johns Hopkins University, 1893). Nearly one-fifth of the total area of the State is covered by water. Within its borders are approximately 9,874 square miles (mi2) of land, 703 mi2 of rivers and streams, and 1,726 mi2 of Chesapeake Bay (Walker, 1970).
The geographic distribution of freshwater withdrawals from surface-water and ground-water sources in Maryland reflects the physiographic and geologic variability of the State. The selection of a source of water supply is guided primarily by availability or accessibility of the resource. Central and western areas of Maryland are underlain by crystalline and consolidated layers of rocks that in many places do not yield large amounts of water to wells. In these areas, demands for large quantities of freshwater are most readily met by surface-water sources. Conversely, in the eastern and southern areas of Maryland, unconsolidated deposits, which consist mostly of sand and gravel, commonly provide large quantities of ground water to meet the needs of most users. The area east of Chesapeake Bay depends almost entirely on ground water for freshwater supply.
