Data on freshwater withdrawals in 1990 were compiled for the New England States. An estimated 4,160 Mgal/d (million gallons per day) of freshwater was withdrawn in 1990 in the six States. Of this total, 1,430 Mgal/d was withdrawn by public suppliers and delivered to users, and 2,720 Mgal/d was withdrawn by domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural, mining, and thermoelectric power-generation users. More than 83 percent of the freshwater was from surfacewater sources. Massachusetts, with the largest population, had the largest withdrawals of water.Data on saline water withdrawals, return flow, and instream flow at hydroelectric plants were also compiled. An estimated 9,170 Mgal/d of saline water was used for thermoelectric-power generation and industrial use in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Return flow from public wastewater-treatment plants totaled 1,750 Mgal/d; more than half (55 percent) of this return flow was in Massachusetts.In addition, about 178,000 Mgal/d was used for instream hydroelectric power generation; the largest users were Maine (about 83,000 Mgal/d) and New Hampshire (46,000 Mgal/d).These data, some of which were based on site-specific water-use information and some based on estimation techniques, were compiled through joint efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and State cooperators for the 1990 national water-use compilation. Table 3. Cooperating State agencies in the water-use program in New England, 1990 State Cooperating agency(s)