How is water used in cranberry production?
Growers use water for several reasons: irrigation, frost protection, water harvesting, pest control and winter flood protection. The water used in cranberry production is virtually non-consumptive. Water is recycled from section to section and often from grower to grower. Innovative water conservation systems such as water recovery systems and low volume sprinklers reduce water usage. Water use on bogs over 4.66 acres (“old style” bogs) or 9.33 acres (“new style” bogs) is registered with the Department of Environmental Protection, Water Management Act Program. The style of bog is determined by MassDEP but it roughly translates to “old style” being the typical traditional, irregularly shaped, uneven bogs commonly found in Massachusetts. “New style” bog refers to modern bogs that are uniform shaped, generally rectangular and level.