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Featuring       the latest information on ground-water and surface-water in the MD-DE-DC       district.**SEARCH         THE DISTRICT:****National       District Sites**Choose           BelowAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasMaineMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaPuerto RicoRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming________________****Major       Cooperators**** ****Online                           Publication - FS-126-99****** Home                           >>District                           Publications                           >> Online Publication FS-126-99**Freshwater                                 Use In Delaware, 1995**by                                 Judith C. Wheeler **Figure                                       1.**                                      Freshwater withdrawals in Delaware by county,                                       1995. (A) Total freshwater withdrawals;                                       (B) Fresh surface-water withdrawals; and                                       (C) Fresh ground-water withdrawals. **Figure 2.**                                      Freshwater withdrawals in Delaware, by category                                       of use and water sources, 1995 (does not                                       include public-supply deliveries to Domestic,                                       Commercial, or Industrial uses). 
This                                   fact sheet describes the results of a study                                   of water use in the State of Delaware that was                                   conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS),                                   in cooperation with the Delaware Geological                                   Survey (DGS) and the Delaware Department of                                   Natural Resources and Environmental Control                                   (DNREC), as part of the National Water-Use Information                                   Program of the USGS. The Program is based on                                   Federal and State cooperative agreements to                                   collect, store, and disseminate water-use information                                   nationally and locally. 

                                   As the demand for freshwater increases, the                                   stress placed on the surface-water and ground-water                                   resources of Delaware increases. Effective water-resources                                   management depends in part on current and accurate                                   water-use data. Such data are valuable for evaluating                                   the effects of withdrawals on the State’s                                   water resources, identifying current water-use                                   patterns, and estimating future water demands.                                   Together, DNREC and USGS collect, compile, estimate,                                   and store site-specific and aggregated water-use                                   data that are useful for State water-resources                                   management. 

                                   Delaware water-use data have been published                                   in reports such as the “Water 2020”                                   series (Water Resources Agency for New Castle                                   County, 1990) and USGS publications by Phelan                                   (1987 and 1990). Delaware water-use data are                                   also included in USGS national water-use compilations,                                   which have been published every five years since                                   1950. State data for 1995 are in USGS Circular                                   1200, “Estimated Use of Water in the United                                   States in 1995” (Solley, Pierce, and Perlman,                                   1998). 

**Total Freshwater Withdrawals**

                                   A water user withdraws water from a surface-water                                   or ground-water source (self-supplied), or receives                                   water from a public-supply system or both. Water                                   withdrawn by a public or private water utility                                   and delivered to a variety of users is designated                                   as a “public supply.” Homes and                                   small communities relying on individual wells                                   are classified as domestic “self-supplied”                                   water users. Water use for thermoelectric power                                   includes the water used for the generation of                                   electricity by steam-electric plants fueled                                   by conventional fuels. Commercial use includes                                   not only businesses such as restaurants, motels,                                   and car washes, but also institutions such as                                   churches, schools, and military installations.                                   Most of the withdrawal data presented in this                                   report were obtained from DNREC; however, some                                   water-use data such as withdrawals for domestic,                                   irrigation, and livestock watering were estimated                                   using water-use coefficients. 

                                   During 1995, about 752 million gallons per day                                   (Mgal/d) of freshwater was withdrawn from the                                   surface-water and ground-water sources in Delaware.                                   Surface-water sources provided 85 percent (642                                   Mgal/d) of all freshwater used in the State                                   during 1995. About 83 percent (534 Mgal/d) of                                   surface-water withdrawals were for cooling condensers                                   in thermoelectric power generation; nearly all                                   of the water withdrawn was returned to the surface-water                                   source. Ground-water sources provided 15 percent                                   (110 Mgal/d) of all freshwater used in Delaware                                   during 1995. Most ground-water withdrawals (57                                   percent, or about 63 Mgal/d) were from the unconfined                                   (surficial) aquifer, followed by the Potomac                                   Group aquifers which supplied about 23 Mgal/d;                                   the Cheswold Group aquifers with about 15 Mgal/d;                                   and the Piney Point and Aquia aquifers with                                   about 6 Mgal/d. The remaining 3 Mgal/d of ground-water                                   withdrawals were supplied by the Magothy, Piedmont,                                   and carbonate aquifers. Withdrawals of freshwater                                   by county and water source are shown in figure                                   1. 

                                   The demand for freshwater in Delaware is highest                                   in the densely populated and industrialized                                   northern part of the State, and lowest in the                                   agricultural central and southern parts. Generally,                                   water supplies are adequate in all areas of                                   the State. Sometimes, however, available water                                   supplies are marginal or less than adequate                                   to meet demands, such as during low-flow periods                                   and high seasonal-demand periods, particularly                                   in New Castle County (northern Delaware) (S.                                   Lovell, Delaware Department of Natural Resources                                   and Environmental Control, oral commun., 1998).                                   

                                   New Castle County has the largest population                                   in the Delaware (nearly 468,000), and freshwater                                   withdrawals in the County account for more than                                   80 percent (625 Mgal/d in 1995) of all freshwater                                   used in the State. Most of the water withdrawn                                   (nearly 95 percent) is surface water and is                                   used for cooling in the production of electricity                                   (534 Mgal/d) and for public-supply distribution                                   (69 Mgal/d). Kent County, in the central part                                   of the State, has a population of about 121,000                                   and freshwater withdrawals account for about                                   5 percent (34 Mgal/d in 1995) of the total freshwater                                   used in the State; almost 85 percent of the                                   water used in this County is ground water. More                                   than one-half of the water used in the County                                   is withdrawn for agricultural irrigation. Sussex                                   County, in the southern part of the State, has                                   a population of about 128,000. The County’s                                   freshwater withdrawals account for about 12                                   percent (93 Mgal/d in 1995) of the freshwater                                   used in the State; nearly 90 percent of this                                   water is from ground-water sources and is used                                   by industries and for irrigation. 

**Types of Freshwater Use**

                                   The major uses of freshwater in Delaware during                                   1995 included thermoelectric power, public supply,                                   industrial, irrigation, domestic, commercial,                                   and livestock watering (fig. 2). 

***Thermoelectric                                   Power (TH)***

                                   Freshwater withdrawals by thermoelectric powerplants                                   during 1995 were 534 Mgal/d, nearly all of which                                   was from surface-water sources. Most of the                                   surface water was used for cooling condensers                                   and then returned to the water source. Only                                   about 0.23 Mgal/d was from ground-water sources                                   and about 0.45 Mgal/d was delivered from public                                   suppliers. 

***Public                                   Supply (PS)***

                                   More than 300 public water-supply systems in                                   Delaware provide water to about 564,000 people                                   (79 percent of the State’s population).                                   Total withdrawals for public supply during 1995                                   were 89 Mgal/d, of which 49 Mgal/d was from                                   surface-water sources and 40 Mgal/d was from                                   ground-water sources. 

                                   The largest withdrawals for public supply were                                   in New Castle County (69 Mgal/d). Of this amount,                                   49 Mgal/d was from surface-water sources and                                   20 Mgal/d was from ground-water sources. Public                                   suppliers in Kent and Sussex Counties relied                                   solely on ground-water sources and withdrew                                   9 Mgal/d and 11 Mgal/d, respectively. 

***Industrial                                   (IN)***

                                   During 1995, about 77 Mgal/d of freshwater was                                   used by industries in Delaware, primarily for                                   making chemicals, plastics, and food products.                                   Of this amount, 16 Mgal/d was provided by public                                   suppliers. The remaining 61 Mgal/d was self-supplied,                                   of which 43 Mgal/d was from surface-water sources                                   and 18 Mgal/d was from ground-water sources.                                   Sussex County had the most withdrawals for industrial                                   use (43 Mgal/d), followed by New Castle County                                   with 16 Mgal/d, and Kent County with 2 Mgal/d.                                   

***Irrigation                                   (IR)***

                                   The amount of freshwater used for irrigation                                   can vary from year to year and among users.                                   Differences in rainfall distribution and soil                                   type are important factors in determining how                                   much and when water is applied. During 1995,                                   about 49 Mgal/d of freshwater was used for irrigation                                   of primarily farm crops, golf courses, and nursery                                   stock. Of this amount, 15 Mgal/d was from surface-water                                   sources and 34 Mgal/d was from ground-water                                   sources. 

***Domestic                                   (DO)***

                                   Domestic users in Delaware obtain freshwater                                   from public suppliers and from their own wells                                   (self-supplied). During 1995, total use (withdrawals                                   and deliveries) was 55 Mgal/d, of which 43 Mgal/d                                   was delivered by public suppliers. About 153,000                                   residents (21 percent of the State’s total                                   population) withdrew about 12 Mgal/d from individual                                   house wells for water supply. 

***Commercial                                   (CO)***

                                   Commercial users obtained freshwater from public                                   suppliers and from self-supplied sources. Total                                   commercial use during 1995 was 22 Mgal/d, of                                   which about 19 Mgal/d was provided by public                                   suppliers. The remaining 3 Mgal/d was self-supplied                                   and came from ground-water sources. 

***Livestock                                   (LV)***

                                   During 1995, about 4.13 Mgal/d of freshwater                                   was used for livestock activities, mainly livestock                                   watering, feedlot, and dairy operations. Of                                   the total water withdrawn, 0.35 Mgal/d was from                                   surface-water sources and 3.78 Mgal/d was from                                   ground-water sources. Sussex County withdrew                                   the most water for livestock use (3.36 Mgal/d),                                   followed by Kent County with 0.65 Mgal/d, and                                   New Castle County with 0.12 Mgal/d. 

                                  Selected References

                                   Hodges, A.L., Varrin, R.D., and Cherry, P.J.,                                   1990, Delaware water supply and use in U.S.                                   Geological Survey, 1990, National water summary                                   1987—Hydrologic events and water supply                                   and use: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply                                   Paper 2350, p. 201-206 

                                   Phelan, D.J., 1987, Water levels, chloride concentrations,                                   and pumpage in the Coastal Plain aquifers of                                   Delaware and Maryland: U.S. Geological Survey                                   Water-Resources Investigations Report 87-4229,                                   106 p. 

                                   _____1990, Water use in the St. Jones River                                   Basin, Kent County, Delaware, 1983-86: U.S.                                   Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations                                   Report 90-4094, 30 p. 

                                   Solley, W.B., Pierce, R.R., and Perlman, H.A.,                                   1998, Estimated Use of Water in the United States                                   in 1995: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1200,                                   71 p. 

                                   Water Resources Agency for New Castle County,                                   1990, Water 2020 series, Volume III, Water Use                                   in New Castle County: Water Resources Agency                                   for New Castle County, Newark, Delaware, 33                                   p. 

For                                   additional information contact:                                  District Chief                                  U.S. Geological Survey                                  8987 Yellow Brick Road                                  Baltimore, MD 21237

                                  Visit the Maryland/Delaware/D.C. District Homepage                                   on the World Wide Web at: http://md.water.usgs.gov/                                   

  

  
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