GROUND

WATER

62 percent

(4,242 Mgal/d)

SURFACE

WATER

38 percent

(2,626 Mgal/d)

Figure 1. Fresh ground- and surfacewater withdrawals in Florida, 2005.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the

Florida Water Management Districts

Water Use in Florida, 2005 and Trends 1950-2005

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet 2008-3080

September 2008 Printed on recycled paper

Introduction

Water is among Florida’s most valued resources. The 

State has more than 1,700 streams and rivers, 7,800 freshwater 

lakes, 700 springs, 11 million acres of wetlands, and underlying aquifers yielding quantities of freshwater necessary for 

both human and environmental needs (Fernald and Purdum, 

1998). Although renewable, these water resources are finite, 

and continued growth in population, tourism, and agriculture 

will place increased demands on these water supplies. 

The permanent population of Florida in 2005 totaled 

17.9 million, ranking fourth in the Nation (University of 

Florida, 2006); nearly 86 million tourists visited the State 

(Orlando Business Journal, 2006). In 2005, Florida harvested 

two-thirds of the total citrus production in the United States 

and ranked fifth in the Nation net farm income (Florida 

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 2006). 

Freshwater is vital for sustaining Florida’s population, 

economy, and agricultural production. 

Accurate estimates reflecting water use and trends in 

Florida are compiled in 5-year intervals by the U.S. Geological 

Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Florida Department of 

Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the Northwest Florida, 

St. Johns River, South Florida, Southwest Florida, and 

Suwannee River Water Management Districts (Marella, 2004). 

This coordinated effort provides the necessary data and information for planning future water needs and resource management. The purpose of this fact sheet is to present the highlights 

of water use in Florida for 2005 along with some significant 

trends in withdrawals since 1950.

Total Water Use by Source  2005

In 2005, the total amount of water withdrawn in Florida 

was estimated at 18,354 Mgal/d (million gallons per day), of 

which 37 percent was freshwater and 63 percent was saline 

water. Ground water accounted for nearly 62 percent of 

freshwater withdrawals, and surface water accounted for the 

remaining 38 percent of the freshwater (fig. 1). Surface water 

accounted for nearly all (99.9 percent) of the saline withdrawals. Water withdrawal highlights for 2005 include:

•	 Fresh ground-water withdrawals in 2005 totaled 

4,242 Mgal/d and provided drinking water for 16.1 million 

people (90 percent of Florida’s population).

•	 Fresh surface-water withdrawals in 2005 totaled 

2,626 Mgal/d and provided drinking water for about 

1.8 million people (10 percent of Florida’s population).
•	 About 2,526 Mgal/d (nearly 60 percent) of the ground water 

withdrawn in 2005 was obtained from the Floridan aquifer 

system (fig. 2), while Lake Okeechobee and associated 

canals provided an estimated 1,140 Mgal/d (43 percent) of 

fresh surface water withdrawn in 2005. 

•	 The amount of freshwater withdrawn monthly fluctuates 

because of variations in temperature, precipitation (rainfall), crop production, and tourism. Nearly one-quarter 

(24 percent) of the freshwater withdrawn in 2005 occurred 

in April and May.

•	 Saline water withdrawn in 2005 totaled 11,486 Mgal/d and 

was used as cooling water that generated nearly 60 percent 

of the State’s total electric power. 

•	 The largest amount of freshwater was withdrawn in Palm 

Beach County (fig. 3; table 1) and the largest amount of 

saline water was withdrawn in Pasco County during 2005 

(table 1). 

Total Water Use by Category  2005

Water withdrawal data in Florida are collected or estimated for each of the following water-use categories: public 

supply, domestic self-supplied, commercial-industrial-mining 

self-supplied, agricultural irrigation, recreational irrigation, 

and power generation. Information was not collected for 

instream (nonwithdrawal) water use such as hydroelectric 

power generation, navigation, water-based recreation, and 

propagation of fish and wildlife.

•	 Overall, agricultural irrigation accounted for 40 percent and 

was the largest of the total freshwater withdrawn (ground 

and surface), followed by public supply with 37 percent.

•	 Public supply (52 percent) and agricultural irrigation 

(31 percent) used the largest volumes of fresh ground water 

in 2005, followed by commercial-industrial-mining selfsupplied (8.5 percent), domestic self-supplied (4 percent), 

recreational irrigation (4 percent), and power generation 

(0.5 percent) (fig. 4).

•	 Agricultural irrigation (56 percent) used the largest volume 

of fresh surface water in 2005, followed by power generation (20.5 percent), public supply (13 percent), recreational 

irrigation (6 percent), and commercial-industrial-mining 

self-supplied (4.5 percent) (fig. 5).

ESCAMBIA

HILLSBOROUGH

BREVARD

JEFFERSON

OKALOOSA

SUWANNEE COLUMBIA

UNION

FLAGLER

SUMTER

HIGHLANDS

SARASOTA

OKEECHOBEE

MONROE

PINELLAS

INDIAN

RIVER

LEE

ORANGE

PASCO

OSCEOLA

LAKE

BAKER

MARION

CLAY

DUVAL

NASSAU

ALACHUA PUTNAM

SANTA ROSA

WALTON

HOLMES

BAY

JACKSON

GADSDEN

GULF FRANKLIN

LIBERTY WAKULLA

LEON MADISON

HAMILTON

TAYLOR

DIXIE

LEVY

VOLUSIA

CITRUS

HERNANDO

SEMINOLE

POLK

HARDEE

DE SOTO

ST. LUCIE

MARTIN

MANATEE

GLADES

HENDRY PALM BEACH

BROWARD COLLIER

MIAMI-DADE

CHARLOTTE

WASHINGTON

CALHOUN

LAFAYETTE GILCHRIST

BRADFORD

ST. JOHNS

Lake

Okeechobee

0 - 10

10 - 50

50 - 100

100 - 200

200 - 1,000

> 1,000

EXPLANATION

2005 FRESHWATER WITHDRAWALS,

IN MILLION GALLONS PER DAY

FLORIDAN

AQUIFER

SYSTEM

BISCAYNE

AQUIFER

SURFICIAL

AQUIFER

SYSTEM

INTERMEDIATE

AQUIFERS

SAND-ANDGRAVEL

AQUIFER

2,500

3,000

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

0

GROUND-WATER WITHDRAWALS,

IN MILLION GALLONS PER DAY 

Figure 2. Ground-water withdrawals by principal 

aquifer in Florida, 2005.

Figure 3. Map 

showing freshwater 

withdrawals in 

Florida by county, 

2005.

NOTE: Ground-water withdrawals for power generation 

 accounted for nearly 0.5 percent of the total.

PUBLIC

SUPPLY

52 percent

DOMESTIC SELF-SUPPLIED

4 percent

COMMERCIALINDUSTRIAL-MINING

SELF-SUPPLIED

8.5 percent

AGRICULTURAL

IRRIGATION

31 percent

RECREATIONAL IRRIGATION

4 percent

PUBLIC SUPPLY SARASOTA

13 percent

COMMERCIALINDUSTRIAL-MINING

SELF-SUPPLIED

4.5 percent

AGRICULTURAL

IRRIGATION

56 percent

RECREATIONAL

IRRIGATION

6 percent

POWER GENERATION

20.5 percent

Figure 5. Fresh surface water withdrawals in 

Florida by category, 2005.

Figure 4. Fresh ground-water 

withdrawals in Florida by category, 2005.
Table 1. Fresh and saline water withdrawals by category in Florida by county, 2005.

[Values in million gallons per day. Industrial includes commercial and mining withdrawals. Agricultural irrigation includes aquaculture and livestock withdrawals] 

County Supply

Public Domestic Industrial Agri- cultural 

Irrigation

ational 

RecreIrrigation Thermoelectric Fresh Fresh Saline Total

Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh Saline Ground Surface Total All water

Alachua 27.43 5.69 0.67 23.45 0.67 2.65 0.00 59.89 0.67 0.00 60.56

Baker 0.86 3.53 0.60 2.54 0.01 0.00 0.00 6.62 0.92 0.00 7.54

Bay 47.12 1.48 0.51 0.90 1.15 0.84 240.06 6.89 45.11 240.06 292.06

Bradford 1.69 2.62 2.07 1.02 0.46 0.00 0.00 7.80 0.06 0.00 7.86

Brevard 32.90 1.01 4.58 48.47 5.35 0.14 868.02 69.83 22.62 868.02 960.47

Calhoun

Broward 263.57 0.43 0.25 7.66 36.99 0.00 1,529.21 277.86 31.04 1,529.21 1,838.11

0.63 0.92 0.00 1.88 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.00 0.43 0.00 3.43

Charlotte 6.37 3.09 1.59 26.19 2.89 0.00 0.00 16.18 23.95 0.00 40.13

Citrus 15.64 6.89 1.02 1.52 3.90 1.59 1,676.58 30.14 0.42 1,676.58 1,707.14

Clay 13.96 3.57 2.73 2.32 0.52 0.00 0.00 22.71 0.39 0.00 23.10

Collier 67.16 4.30 4.80 92.55 24.59 0.00 0.00 166.05 27.35 0.00 193.40

DeSoto

Columbia 3.58 3.69 0.23 4.49 0.50 0.00 0.00 12.28 0.21 0.00 12.49

23.88 2.09 0.19 40.01 0.57 0.00 0.00 45.41 21.33 0.00 66.74

Dixie 0.88 1.01 0.00 1.86 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.72 0.03 0.00 3.75

Duval 137.92 7.54 18.26 2.12 5.16 0.50 604.81 165.11 6.39 604.81 776.31

Flagler

Escambia 40.45 1.36 56.17 3.30 5.18 225.39 0.00 83.12 248.73 0.00 331.85

8.92 0.29 0.01 9.30 0.74 0.00 0.00 15.51 3.75 0.00 19.26

Franklin 2.13 0.06 0.00 0.09 0.31 0.00 0.00 2.30 0.29 0.00 2.59

Gadsden 4.04 1.60 0.78 10.96 0.22 0.00 0.00 10.31 7.29 0.00 17.60

Gilchrist 0.22 1.39 0.40 12.88 0.00 0.00 0.00 14.60 0.29 0.00 14.89

Glades 1.01 0.48 9.21 93.34 0.39 0.00 0.00 22.26 82.17 0.00 104.43

Gulf 1.82 0.12 0.70 0.30 0.11 0.00 0.00 3.03 0.02 0.00 3.05

Hardee

Hamilton 0.94 0.79 33.79 19.34 0.00 0.00 0.00 54.49 0.37 0.00 54.86

1.49 1.60 2.10 26.21 0.19 0.87 0.00 32.45 0.01 0.00 32.46

Hendry 6.22 1.23 0.70 385.99 1.94 0.00 0.00 158.65 237.43 0.00 396.08

Holmes

Hillsborough 226.96 1.18 15.21 48.39 14.07 0.00 1,709.50 131.76 174.05 1,709.50 2,015.31

Highlands 8.86 0.79 0.65 105.52 2.52 0.08 0.00 106.97 11.45 0.00 118.42

Hernando 22.53 2.38 17.31 2.00 4.37 0.00 0.00 47.82 0.77 0.00 48.59

1.20 1.25 0.00 1.12 0.20 0.00 0.00 3.59 0.18 0.00 3.77

Jackson

Indian River 16.76 1.68 0.00 157.64 7.50 0.00 102.08 71.59 111.99 102.08 285.66

2.34 3.10 1.40 11.05 0.30 102.71 0.00 17.43 103.47 0.00 120.90

Jefferson 0.78 0.87 0.26 11.28 0.30 0.00 0.00 13.20 0.29 0.00 13.49

Lake

Lafayette 0.20 0.64 0.32 7.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 8.02 0.15 0.00 8.17

40.54 6.49 9.54 19.93 9.67 0.00 0.00 75.79 10.38 0.00 86.17

Lee 64.53 5.59 20.97 33.37 25.85 0.28 556.16 110.30 40.29 556.16 706.75

Leon 33.66 4.08 0.03 1.37 1.46 2.47 0.00 42.55 0.52 0.00 43.07

Levy 1.79 2.85 2.49 21.23 0.46 0.00 0.00 25.86 2.96 0.00 28.82

Liberty 0.41 0.43 0.25 0.14 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.23 0.00 0.00 1.23

Madison 1.44 1.14 0.07 11.34 0.30 0.00 0.00 13.96 0.33 0.00 14.29

Marion

Manatee 50.98 0.16 4.24 73.55 6.55 5.92 0.00 96.06 45.34 0.00 141.40

27.17 15.34 2.97 6.35 5.16 0.00 0.00 55.63 1.36 0.00 56.99

Martin 19.30 2.37 2.84 90.12 10.27 14.00 0.00 37.72 101.18 0.00 138.90

Miami-Dade 400.01 2.78 40.08 58.06 13.40 0.42 87.64 486.45 28.30 87.64 602.39

Monroe 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.05 1.63 0.00 0.00 0.88 0.84 0.00 1.72

Nassau 6.50 8.20 36.30 0.02 2.83 0.00 0.00 52.01 1.84 1.19 55.04

Osceola

Orange 204.22 10.55 22.99 29.82 10.49 0.44 0.00 267.49 11.02 0.00 278.51

Okeechobee 2.04 1.44 0.43 50.03 1.00 0.00 0.00 46.51 8.43 0.00 54.94

Okaloosa 22.07 0.73 3.08 0.96 2.65 0.00 0.00 29.35 0.14 0.00 29.49

31.42 4.72 0.36 100.25 10.32 0.10 0.00 138.72 8.45 0.00 147.17

Pasco

Palm Beach 246.67 9.22 6.36 792.51 50.71 0.00 424.93 284.75 820.72 424.93 1,530.40

74.65 4.75 2.09 9.54 5.66 0.16 2,071.37 94.96 1.89 2,071.37 2,168.22

Pinellas 23.06 1.09 0.15 0.26 5.35 0.00 453.92 27.44 2.47 453.92 483.83

Polk 74.59 1.22 62.12 67.86 9.94 4.20 0.00 212.13 7.80 0.00 219.93

Putnam 2.98 10.34 28.58 8.86 0.16 23.04 0.00 23.98 49.98 0.00 73.96

Sumter

Seminole 56.14 2.70 0.39 8.39 1.60 0.00 0.00 68.28 0.94 0.00 69.22

Sarasota 26.35 0.81 1.08 3.48 9.29 0.00 0.00 35.04 5.97 0.00 41.01

Santa Rosa 15.90 0.44 3.05 2.96 6.90 0.00 0.00 27.47 1.78 0.00 29.25

St. Lucie 24.85 4.43 7.22 147.21 8.51 0.00 1,160.08 71.46 120.76 1,160.08 1,352.30

St. Johns 14.34 2.05 0.93 15.02 3.21 0.00 0.00 32.34 3.21 0.00 35.55

10.33 2.12 4.08 6.33 1.85 0.00 0.00 19.94 4.77 0.00 24.71

Taylor

Suwannee 1.49 2.72 1.58 20.73 0.10 76.53 0.00 26.28 76.87 0.00 103.15

2.02 0.92 45.06 1.14 0.10 0.00 0.00 46.75 2.49 0.00 49.24

Union 0.29 1.25 0.40 1.73 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.63 0.04 0.00 3.67

Volusia 58.55 2.75 0.72 17.72 2.12 89.38 0.00 76.62 94.62 0.00 171.24

Wakulla 1.81 1.49 0.93 0.27 0.20 6.37 0.00 4.70 6.37 0.00 11.07

Walton 8.92 0.19 0.12 1.93 0.60 0.00 0.00 11.67 0.09 0.00 11.76

State Totals 2,540.52 185.45 488.33 2,766.18 329.64 558.08 11,484.36 4,242.43 2,625.77 11,485.55 18,353.75

Washington 1.04 1.42 0.28 0.95 0.20 0.00 0.00 3.89 0.00 0.00 3.89
Public-Supply Water Use

The public-supply category refers to water withdrawn for 

public use and distributed by a publicly- or privately-owned 

community water system. 

•	 Water withdrawals for public supply in Florida in 2005 

totaled 2,541 Mgal/d. Ground water supplied 2,201 Mgal/d 

(87 percent) and surface water supplied nearly 340 Mgal/d 

(13 percent). 

•	 Nearly 16.1 million people (90 percent) of the State’s 

17.9 million residents obtained their drinking water from a 

public-supply water system. Ground-water sources 

supplied 14.3 million residents (89 percent) and surfacewater sources supplied the remaining 1.8 million residents 

(11 percent). 

•	 The Floridan aquifer system supplied nearly 53 percent 

of the total public-supply withdrawals and served an 

estimated 8.1 million people. The Biscayne aquifer supplied 

33 percent of the total public-supply withdrawals and served 

4.5 million people.

•	 Florida’s estimated gross statewide public-supply per capita 

water use for 2005 was 158 gal/d (gallons per day) while 

Florida’s statewide domestic (residential) per capita water 

use for 2005 was 95 gal/d. The statewide gross publicsupply per capita for 2000 was 174 gal/d while the domestic 

per capita was 106 gal/d (Marella, 2004).

•	Both the gross statewide per capita water 

use and the domestic 

per capita water use 

have shown a decline 

since 1980, with the 

exception of 2000, 

which was a drought 

year (fig. 6). This trend 

can be attributed to the 

effects of water conservation and restrictions imposed during 

this period, as well as 

the use of reclaimed 

wastewater for lawn 

irrigation in conjunction with other FloridaFriendly Landscaping 

techniques. 

Domestic Self-Supplied Water Use

The domestic self-supplied category includes ground 

water withdrawn in Florida by individual domestic or private 

wells for the purpose of providing drinking water. 

•	 Ground-water withdrawals for the domestic self-supplied 

use category in 2005 totaled 185 Mgal/d. About 1.8 million 

people (10 percent) of the State’s residents obtained their 

drinking water from an estimated 940,000 domestic or 

private wells. 

•	 Most of the ground-water withdrawals for the domestic 

self-supplied water-use category in 2005 were obtained 

from the Floridan aquifer system (64 percent); the remaining was obtained from the shallow sources of the surficial 

aquifer system; the Biscayne aquifer, the intermediate 

aquifer; and the sand-and-gravel aquifer (a total of 

36 percent). In many areas throughout Florida, these 

shallow aquifers yield sufficient water for domestic purposes, especially in areas where the top of the Floridan 

aquifer system is relatively deep or where the water quality 

is poor.

Commercial-Industrial-Mining Self-Supplied Water Use

The commercial-industrial-mining self-supplied category 

is water withdrawn at commercial, industrial, and mining 

facilities in Florida.

•	 Water withdrawals for commercial-industrial-mining 

self-supplied uses in Florida in 2005 totaled 488 Mgal/d. 

Ground water supplied 366 Mgal/d (75 percent) and surface 

water supplied 122 Mgal/d (25 percent). Public-supply 

water systems delivered an additional 591 Mgal/d to commercial (504 Mgal/d) and industrial (87 Mgal/d) users in 

2005. 

•	 Mining accounted for the largest amount of water used 

in this category (40 percent) followed by pulp and paper 

manufacturing (28 percent).

•	 Water withdrawals from the 70 inventoried mining facilities 

totaled 194 Mgal/d, of which 60 percent was for mining 

limestone and sand, 36 percent was for phosphate mining, 

and 4 percent was for mineral or other mining.

Agricultural Irrigation Water Use

The agricultural irrigation category consists of freshwater withdrawn for the irrigation of crops, aquaculture and 

livestock operations, and all other nonirrigation uses associated 

with farming.

•	 Water withdrawals for agricultural irrigation totaled 

2,766 Mgal/d in 2005. Surface water supplied 1,465 Mgal/d 

(53 percent) and ground water supplied 1,301 Mgal/d 

(47 percent). 

•	 Agricultural irrigation withdrawals were greatest during 

March, April, and May (accounting for 42 percent of the 

water used) and were lowest during June, July, August, 

and September. A seasonal fluctuation of more than 

4,300 Mgal/d in 2005 resulted from intense crop production 

and normal dry conditions during the spring months as well 

as a decrease in crop production and the normal rainfall 

patterns during the summer months. 

•	 An estimated 3.864 million acres of land was used for 

agricultural crop production in Florida during 2005 (U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, 2004), with about 1.783 million 

irrigated acres. Improved pasture accounted for about onehalf of the agricultural crop acres (48 percent); however, 

only 6 percent of the improved pasture was irrigated in 

2005 (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2004). Excluding 

improved pasture acreage, an estimated 2.024 million 

acres were farmed in Florida with 1.671 million acres 

(82.5 percent) of the non-pasture acreage irrigated. 

•	 Fruit crops (including citrus) and field crops (including 

sugarcane) were the largest users of water for agricultural 

irrigation, accounting for 74 percent (37 percent each) of the 

agricultural irrigation water withdrawn in 2005. Specifically, 

citrus (996 Mgal/d) and sugarcane (875 Mgal/d) accounted 

for more than two-thirds (67.6 percent) of the total water 

withdrawn for this category.

Recreational Irrigation Water Use

The recreational irrigation category includes the application of water on Florida lands to promote growth of turf grass 

(golf courses), landscape vegetation for lawns or recreation 

purposes, and water used for aesthetic purposes. 

•	 Water withdrawals for recreational irrigation totaled 

330 Mgal/d of freshwater in 2005. Ground water 

supplied 171 Mgal/d (52 percent) and surface water 

supplied 159 Mgal/d (48 percent). Reclaimed water 

obtained from treated domestic wastewater facilities 

supplied an additional 321 Mgal/d of water used for 

recreational irrigation purposes in 2005.

wide per capita water 

use and the domestic 

per capita water use 

have shown a decline 

exception of 2000, 

which was a drought 

year (fig. 6). This trend 

can be attributed to the 

effects of water con

tions imposed during 

this period, as well as 

the use of reclaimed 

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

180

DOMESTIC PER CAPITA 

WATER USE

GROSS PUBLIC SUPPLY 

PER CAPITA WATER USE 

190

100

90 60 65 70

YEAR

1950 55 75 80 85 90 95 2000 2005

PER CAPITA WATER USE, IN GALLONS PER DAY

Figure 6. Historical gross public 

supply and domestic per capita 

water use in Florida, 1950-2005.
•	 Golf course irrigation was the largest user of water for this 

category in 2005, accounting for 225 Mgal/d (69 percent) 

of the water withdrawn and 110 Mgal/d (34 percent) of the 

reclaimed wastewater used.

Power Generation Water Use

The power generation category includes water withdrawn 

in Florida at thermoelectric power generation facilities for 

cooling, boiler make-up, and domestic purposes. 

•	 Nearly 12,042 Mgal/d of water was withdrawn for power 

generation purposes in 2005. Saline water was the source of 

11,484 Mgal/d (95 percent) and freshwater was the source 

of 558 Mgal/d (5 percent) of the water withdrawn for power 

generation. Overall, power generation accounted for twothirds of the total water withdrawn in Florida during 2005.

•	 Almost 99 percent of the saline water and 88 percent of the 

freshwater withdrawn for power generation was used for 

once-through cooling, and most of this water was returned 

to its source immediately after use. Nearly 11,838 Mgal/d 

(98 percent) of the total fresh and saline water was 

withdrawn for power generation and was used for 

once-through cooling purposes in 2005. 

Water Management Districts

The Florida Water Resource Act of 1972 established 

authority for management of the State’s water resources 

through five water management districts that operate under 

the general supervision of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. These five water management districts are 

the Northwest Florida (NWFWMD), the St. Johns River 

(SJRWMD), the South Florida (SFWMD), the Southwest 

Florida (SWFWMD), and the Suwannee River (SRWMD). 

•	 The largest number of people in Florida (7.36 million 

people) resided in the SFWMD as did the largest number 

of people served by public supply (6.88 million people) 

(fig. 7). 

•	 The largest amount of freshwater withdrawn was from the 

SFWMD, which was about one-half (50 percent) of the 

State’s total freshwater withdrawn (fig. 8), while the 

SWFWMD accounted for the largest amount of saline 

water withdrawn (51 percent). 

•	 The SFWMD accounted for the largest amount of 

freshwater withdrawn for public-supply use (47 percent), 

commercial-industrial-mining self-supplied use 

(23 percent), agricultural irrigation use (69 percent), and 

recreational irrigation use (59 percent). The NWFWMD 

accounted for the largest amount of freshwater withdrawn 

for power generation use (61 percent) and the SWFWMD 

accounted for the largest amount of saline water withdrawn 

for power generation use (49 percent).

Water Consumption and Discharges

An estimated 3,110 Mgal/d (45 percent) of the 

freshwater withdrawn in Florida in 2005 was consumed 

(evaporated, transpired, incorporated into products or crops, 

or removed from the immediate water environment). The 

remaining 3,758 Mgal/d (55 percent) was returned to the 

hydrologic system as wastewater or runoff. Less than 1 percent 

of the saline water was consumed. 

•	 The greatest consumption of freshwater in Florida was 

in agricultural irrigation (fig. 9), primarily due to high 

evapotranspiration during hot and dry periods.

•	 The estimated percentage of freshwater consumed has 

varied during the past 25 years, ranging from 33 percent 

in 1975 and 1980; 43 percent in 1985; 42 percent in 1990; 

39 percent in 1995, and 52 percent in 2000. Estimates for 

2000 are higher than previous years because prolonged 

drought conditions throughout the State led to increased 

water demands for all irrigation purposes (agriculture, 

recreational, and residential lawns) and greater evaporation 

losses. All consumption values are estimated from irrigation 

coefficients, industry standards, or published sources. 

Figure 7. Population and population 

served by public supply in Florida by 

water management district, 2005.

Figure 9. Freshwater withdrawals and estimated 

water consumption in Florida by category, 2005.

Figure 8. Freshwater 

withdrawals in Florida by water 

management district, 2005.

NORTHWEST

FLORIDA and

SUWANNEE

RIVER

ST. JOHNS

RIVER

SOUTHWEST

FLORIDA

SOUTH

FLORIDA

2

3

4

5

8

0

POPULATION, IN MILLIONS

TOTAL POPULATION

POPULATION SERVED

BY PUBLIC SUPPLY

6

WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

7

1

ST. JOHNS RIVER

19 percent

NORTHWEST

FLORIDA

10 percent

SUWANNEE

RIVER

5 percent

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

16 percent

SOUTH FLORIDA

50 percent

PUBLIC

SUPPLY

DOMESTIC

SELF-SUPPLIED

COMMERCIAL-INDUSTRIALMINING SELF-SUPPLIED

AGRICULTURAL

IRRIGATION

RECREATIONAL

IRRIGATION

POWER

GENERATION

2,000

3,000

4,000

0

MILLION GALLONS PER DAY

WITHDRAWN

CONSUMED

1,000
Water Withdrawal Trends, 1950-2005

 Statewide withdrawal and water-use estimates have 

been compiled for Florida every 5 years since 1950; however, 

variations in historical water-use values are sometimes difficult 

to assess because of differences in data-collection techniques, 

sources of information, and changes in methods used during 

this 55-year period. In addition, when water-use data are only 

compiled on 5-year intervals, any unique circumstance can 

influence the values for that year and make comparing trends 

difficult (Marella, 2004). 

•	 Total water (fresh and saline) withdrawn in Florida 

increased 15,700 Mgal/d (600 percent) between 1950 and 

2005 (fig. 10), while the population of Florida increased by 

15.15 million (550 percent) during this 55-year period. 

•	 Between 1990 and 2005, total withdrawals increased 

400 Mgal/d (2 percent) while the population increased 

4.98 million (38 percent). Between 2000 and 2005, total 

withdrawals decreased 1,794 Mgal/d (9 percent) while the 

total population increased by 1.94 million (12 percent). 

•	 Ground water withdrawn in 1950 was 614 Mgal/d compared 

to 2005 when ground water withdrawn was 4,242 Mgal/d. 

Ground water has been the primary source of freshwater 

in Florida between 1980 and 2005, supplying between 55 

and 62 percent of the total freshwater withdrawn during the 

period. 

•	 Surface water withdrawn in 1950 was 840 Mgal/d compared 

to 2005 when surface water withdrawn was 2,626 Mgal/d. 

Between 1950 and 1975, surface water was the primary 

source of freshwater in Florida, supplying between 52 and 

68 percent of the total freshwater withdrawn during this 

period.

•	 Total public-supply withdrawals increased 32 percent in 

the period between 1990 and 2005, and increased 4 percent 

in the 5 years between 2000 and 2005 (fig. 11). The population served by public supply increased by 4.9 million 

(44 percent) between 1990 and 2005 and 2.1 million 

(15 percent) between 2000 and 2005. 

•	 Domestic self-supplied withdrawals decreased nearly 

40 percent between 1990 and 2005 primarily as a result 

of a change in the methods used to calculate withdrawals 

between 1990 and 2005. The domestic self-supplied population has remained just under 2 million during this period.

•	 Freshwater withdrawals for commercial-industrial-mining 

self-supplied use in Florida decreased 36 percent between 

1990 and 2005, and decreased 18 percent between 2000 and 

2005 (fig. 11), while deliveries of public-supply water to 

commercial-industrial users increased 27 percent between 

1990 and 2005.

•	 Freshwater withdrawals for agricultural irrigation decreased 

21 percent between 1990 and 2005, and nearly 30 percent 

between 2000 and 2005 (fig. 11). Agricultural withdrawals 

vary due to rainfall during any year, but long-term withdrawals have decreased during the period between 1990 

and 2005. This decrease is due to losses in irrigated acreage 

attributed to diseases, weather, urbanization, improved 

Figure 10. Historical population, total 

fresh, and saline water withdrawals in 

Florida, 1950-2005 (left). 

Figure 11. Historical freshwater 

withdrawals in Florida by category, 

1975-2005 (right).

TOTAL FRESHWATER 

AND SALINE WATER

POPULATION

WITHDRAWALS, IN MILLION GALLONS PER DAY

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

22,000

0

POPULATION, IN MILLIONS

22,000

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

0

60 65 70

YEAR

1950 55 75 80 85 90 95 2000 2005

FRESHWATER

SALINE WATER

3,000

3,500

4,000

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

FRESH WATER WITHDRAWALS, 

IN MILLION GALLONS PER DAY

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

POWER 

GENERATION

PUBLIC SUPPLY

COMMERCIAL-INDUSTRIAL-MINING

RECREATIONAL IRRIGATION

AGRICULTURAL 

IRRIGATION

conservation methods, better management practices, and 

long-term water restrictions. In addition, the methods 

used to calculate agricultural withdrawals have changed 

somewhat over this time period. Annual average rainfall in 

Florida totaled about 62 inches in 1995 and 2005, compared 

to 43 inches in 1990 and 2000. Average annual rainfall 

for Florida for the 55 years between 1950 and 2005 was 

55 inches (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2008).

•	 Freshwater withdrawals for recreational irrigation increased 

17 percent between 1990 and 2005 (fig. 11), while golf 

course acreage increased 60 percent. Withdrawals for 

recreational irrigation decreased 20 percent between 2000 

and 2005, while irrigated golf course acreage increased 

6 percent.

•	 Freshwater withdrawals for power generation decreased 

29 percent between 1990 and 2005 (fig. 11), and 15 percent 

between 2000 and 2005. This decrease was due to the 

improved water efficiency in new or modernized facilities 

and increased recycling of cooling water after routing the 

water to cooling ponds or cooling towers. 

•	 The use of reclaimed wastewater increased from 

206 Mgal/d in 1986 to nearly 660 Mgal/d in 2005 (Florida 

Department of Environmental Protection, 2006). Approximately one-half of the reclaimed wastewater flow in 2005 

was used to reduce potable quality water withdrawals for 

urban irrigation, agricultural irrigation, and industrial use, 

while one-third of the reclaimed wastewater was returned to 

available water supplies as aquifer recharge. 
Selected References

Fernald, E.A., and Purdum, E.D., eds., 1998, Water resource 

atlas of Florida: Tallahassee, Florida State University, 

Institute of Science and Public Affairs, 312 p.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 

2006, Florida Agriculture Statistical Directory, 2005: 

Tallahassee, Florida Department of Agricultural and 

Consumer Services, Division of Marketing and 

Development, 172 p.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 2006, 2005 

Reuse inventory: Tallahassee, Florida Department of 

Environmental Protection, Water Reuse Program, 21 p.

Marella, R.L., 2004, Water withdrawals, use, discharge, and 

trends in Florida, 2000: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Report 2004-5151, 136 p.

Orlando Business Journal, 2006, Record number of visitors 

came to Florida in 2005: Orlando, Florida, Orlando 

Business Journal, Monday, February 27, 2006, 1 p.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2004, 2002 Census of 

Agriculture--Florida State and County Data: Washington 

D.C., U.S. Department of Agriculture, National 

Agricultural Statistics Service, Geographic Area Series, 

Part 9 (AC 02-A9), vol. 1, 444 p.

U.S. Department of Commerce, 2008: Accessed May 21, 2008 

at http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/CDO/cdo#TOP.

University of Florida, 2006, Florida Estimates of Population: 

April 2005: Gainesville, University of Florida, Bureau of 

Economic and Business Research, 59 p. 

By Richard L. Marella 

USGS FISC-Tallahassee, FL

For additional information contact: 

Barry Rosen, Center Director

U.S. Geological Survey

Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC) 

12703 Research Parkway 

Orlando, FL 32826

407-803-5508

Additional water use information is accessible at:

http://fl.water.usgs.gov/infodata/wateruse.html