David Boutt 
Professor of Earth, Geographic, and Climate Sciences | University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA, UNITED STATES
David Boutt's research focuses on how water becomes groundwater and the sub-surface processes that impact it along its journey.
Expertise (8)
Drought
Hydrogeology
Groundwater Recharge Processes
Groundwater
Water
Paleo Hydrology
Groundwater Hydrology
Watershed Hydrology
Biography
David Boutt provides expert commentary on issues related to groundwater and hydrology. He has been featured in publication including the Boston Globe and ScienceNews.
Boutt's work focuses on how water becomes groundwater and the sub-surface processes that impact it along its journey. This includes understanding how groundwater contributes to streamflow generation and springs. He also works to understand how much water is available for a region at a given time in geologic history and where the source the source of this water is located.
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Education (3)
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology,: Ph.D., Hydrology
Michigan State University: M.S., Hydrogeology
Michigan State University: B.S., Geosciences
Links (3)
Media Coverage (6)
Heavy fall rain could cause trouble in spring
The Boston Globe print
2018-12-03
Low temperatures, saturated soil, and little to no surface evaporation are among the factors that are expected to cause problems this spring, as they push the water table to unusually high levels, said David Boutt, a climate scientist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Massachusetts drought conditions, coronavirus making it tough on farmers: ‘Mother Nature’s revenge’
Boston Herald print
2020-07-30
“Ever since May, we’ve been piling up a deficit in rainfall,” said David Boutt, a professor in the UMass Amherst Department of Geosciences. “A lot of restrictions are definitely warranted given how dry the early part of the season was,” said Boutt, a hydrogeologist.
Wait, that water could still be here? Stormwater could last up to 5 years in streams, researchers say
The Boston Globe print
2019-01-21
Water from large precipitation events, such as tropical storms Irene and Lee in 2011, circulated in New England surface and groundwater for four to five years, longer than previously thought, hydrogeologists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst say. “Because New England has been having wetter and wetter conditions over the last 30 to 40 years, events like this allow more water to be going through the soil,” said hydrogeologist David Boutt,
The search for new geologic sources of lithium could power a clean future
ScienceNews online
2019-05-07
David F. Boutt from UMass Amherst says environmental issues may hamper future mining of lithium, a key chemical used in rechargeable batteries. He says mining in Chile is complicated by the need to protect water tables and maintain habitats for flamingoes and other wild birds.
Case closed: Federal court dismisses lawsuit over Poland Spring labeling
Mainebiz online
2018-05-18
Research by David Boutt of UMass Amherst was used to help settle a lawsuit against Nestle in Maine regarding whether the company’s Poland Spring bottled water actually originates from springs. Boutt visited all eight Poland Spring brand spring water source locations in Maine, accompanied by members of the company’s legal review panel, to examine the spring water production sites and reviewed the hydrogeologic evidence presented to federal regulators.
Much of Massachusetts in drought with drying likely to continue; Residents urged to take water conservation steps now
MassLive online
2021-04-12
David Boutt, geosciences, comments on the current drought in Massachusetts. He says that with the global climate crisis looming on the horizon, extreme weather patterns, like severe droughts mirrored by intense precipitation, will likely increase in the years to come.
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