# U.S. Department of the Interior **U.S. Geological Survey** 

# Circular 1405 

# Estimated Use of Water in **the United States in 2010**

## A

**E F** 

**G H** 

**I B** 
**C**

**D**

**Front cover.** Photo collage of water use and supply. **A**
**,** Watts Bar Nuclear Powerplant, Rhea County, Tennessee (photo by Alan Cressler, USGS). **B**
**,** Student with trout at the Aquaculture Research Institute, Hagerman, Idaho (photo from University of Idaho, used with permission). **C**

**,** Center-pivot irrigation, Mitchell County, Georgia (photo by Alan Cressler, USGS). **D** , Windmill on Pawnee Butte Grasslands (photo by Ray Klocek, used with permission). **E,** Water tower in Council, Idaho, Adams County (photo by Justin Woody, used with permission). **F,** Pulp mill, Wayne County, Georiga (photo by Alan Cressler, USGS). **G,** Sheep at water trough on the open range (photo by Saeid Tadayon, USGS). **H,** Bingham Canyon Mine, Salt Lake County, Utah (photo by Alan Cressler, USGS). **I,** Domestic water use in the kitchen (photo from Wikimedia Commons).

# Estimated Use of Water in **the United States in 2010**

By Molly A. Maupin, Joan F. Kenny, Susan S. Hutson, John K. Lovelace, Nancy L. Barber, and Kristin S. Linsey



# Circular 1405

**U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey** 

# U.S. Department of the Interior SALLY JEWELL, Secretary **U.S. Geological Survey** Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2014

For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment—visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.

Suggested citation: Maupin, M.A., Kenny, J.F., Hutson, S.S., Lovelace, J.K., Barber, N.L., and Linsey, K.S., 2014, Estimated use of water in the United States in 2010: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1405, 56 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/cir1405

.

**Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data** Maupin, Molly A., author. Estimated use of water in the United States in 2010 / by Molly A. Maupin, Joan F. Kenny, Susan S. Hutson, John K. Lovelace, Nancy L. Barber, and Kristin S. Linsey. pages cm. -- (Circular ; 1405) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-4113-3862-3 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Water consumption--United States. I. Kenny, J. F., author. II. Hutson, Susan S., author. III. Lovelace, John K., author. IV. Barber, Nancy L., author. V. Linsey, Kristin S., author. VI. Geological Survey (U.S.), issuing body. VII. Title. VIII. Series: U.S. Geological Survey circular ; 1405. TD223.M365 2015 333.91’130973--dc23 2014041921

ISSN 1067-084X (Print) ISSN 2330-5703 (Online)

## iii



# Contents

Abstract

........................................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction

..................................................................................................................................................... 2 Purpose and Scope

.............................................................................................................................. 4 Terminology Used in This Report

....................................................................................................... 4 Changes for the 2010 Report

............................................................................................................... 5 Sources of Data and Methods of Analysis

....................................................................................... 5 Total Water Use

.............................................................................................................................................. 7 Public Supply

................................................................................................................................................ 18 Domestic

........................................................................................................................................................ 21 Irrigation

........................................................................................................................................................ 25 Livestock

........................................................................................................................................................ 28 Aquaculture

.................................................................................................................................................. 31 Industrial

........................................................................................................................................................ 34 Mining

........................................................................................................................................................... 37 Thermoelectric Power

................................................................................................................................ 40 Trends in Water Use, 1950 –2010

............................................................................................................... 44 References Cited

.......................................................................................................................................... 48 Glossary

......................................................................................................................................................... 49 Cooperating Agencies and Organizations

............................................................................................... 52



# Acknowledgments

This national compilation of water use would not be possible without the assistance and dataprovided by the many State and local agencies that manage water resources, operate datacollection programs, and administer regulations for use of water and other natural resources. The agencies and other organizations that provided assistance are listed for each State at the end of this report. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the USGS personnel in each State who compiled the data for this report.

## iv



# Conversion Factors

**Multiply By**  **To obtain** Area

acre 4,047 square meter (m 2 

## )

acre 0.4047 hectare (ha)

acre 0.001562 square mile (mi 2 

## ) Volume acre-foot (acre-ft) 1,233 cubic meter (m 3 

## ) acre-foot (acre-ft) 325,851 gallon (gal) acre-foot (acre-ft) 43,560 cubic foot (ft 3 

## ) cubic foot (ft 3 

## ) 7.48 gallon (gal) gallon (gal) 3.785 liter (L) gallon (gal) 3.785 cubic decimeter (dm 3 

## ) million gallons (Mgal) 3,785 cubic meter (m 3 

## ) million gallons (Mgal) 3.07 acre-foot (acre-ft) Flow rate acre-foot per year (acre-ft/yr) 1,233 cubic meter per year (m 3 

## /yr) billion gallons per day (Bgal/d) 1.3815 billion cubic meters per year gallon per day (gal/d) 3.785 liter per day (L/d) million gallons per day (Mgal/d) 0.04381 cubic meter per second (m 3 

## /s) million gallons per day (Mgal/d) 1.547 cubic foot per second (ft 3 

## /sec) million gallons per day (Mgal/d) 1.121 thousand acre-feet per year (acre-ft/yr) million gallons per day (Mgal/d) 1.3815 million cubic meters per year thousand acre-feet per year (acre-ft/yr) 0.8921 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) Energy gigawatt-hour (gWh) 3,600,000 Megajoule (MJ) kilowatt-hour (kWh) 3,600,000 joule (J)



# Abbreviations

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency NWC National Water Census NWUIP National Water Use Information Program SDWIS Safe Drinking Water Information System SECURE Science and Engineering to Comprehensively Understand and Responsibly Enhance USDA ARS U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service USDA NASS U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA NRCS U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service USDOE EIA U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration USGS U.S. Geological Survey

# Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010

By Molly A. Maupin, Joan F. Kenny, Susan S. Hutson, John K. Lovelace, Nancy L. Barber, and Kristin S. Linsey



# Abstract

Water use in the United States in 2010 was estimated to be about 355 billion gallons per day (Bgal/d), which was 13 percent less than in 2005. The 2010 estimates put total withdrawals at the lowest level since before 1970. Freshwater withdrawals were 306 Bgal/d, or 86 percent of total with

drawals, and saline-water withdrawals were 48.3 Bgal/d, or 14 percent of total withdrawals. Fresh surface-water withdrawals (230 Bgal/d) were almost 15 percent less than in 2005, and fresh groundwater withdrawals (76.0 Bgal/d) were about 4 percent less than in 2005. Saline surface-water withdrawals were 45.0 Bgal/d, or 24 percent less than in 2005. Updates to the 2005 saline groundwater withdrawals, mostly for thermoelectric power, reduced total saline groundwater withdrawals to 1.51 Bgal/d, down from the originally reported 3.02 Bgal/d. Total saline groundwater withdrawals in 2010 were 3.29 Bgal/d, mostly for mining use. Thermoelectric power and irrigation remained the two largest uses of water in 2010, and total withdrawals for both were notably less than in 2005. Withdrawals in 2010 for thermoelectric power were 20 percent less and withdrawals for irrigation were 9 percent less than in 2005. Similarly, other uses showed reductions compared to 2005, specifically publicsupply (–5 percent), self-supplied domestic (–3 percent), selfsupplied industrial (–12 percent), and livestock (–7 percent). Only mining (39 percent) and aquaculture (7 percent) reported larger withdrawals in 2010 compared to 2005. Thermoelectric power, irrigation, and public-supply withdrawals accounted for 90 percent of total withdrawals in 2010. Withdrawals for thermoelectric power were 161 Bgal/d in 2010 and represented the lowest levels since before 1970. Surface-water withdrawals accounted for more than 99 percent of total thermoelectric-power withdrawals, and 73 percent of those surface-water withdrawals were from freshwater sources. Saline surface-water withdrawals for thermoelectric power accounted for 97 percent of total saline surface-water withdrawals for all uses. Thermoelectric-power withdrawals accounted for 45 percent of total withdrawals for all uses, and freshwater withdrawals for thermoelectric power accounted for 38 percent of the total freshwater withdrawals for all uses. Irrigation withdrawals were 115 Bgal/d in 2010 and represented the lowest levels since before 1965. Irrigation withdrawals, all freshwater, accounted for 38 percent of total freshwater withdrawals for all uses, or 61 percent of total freshwater withdrawals for all uses excluding thermoelectric power. Surface-water withdrawals (65.9 Bgal/d) accounted for 57 percent of the total irrigation withdrawals, or about 12 percent less than in 2005. Groundwater withdrawals were 49.5 Bgal/d in 2010, about 6 percent less than in 2005. About 62,400 thousand acres were irrigated in 2010, an increase from 2005 of about 950 thousand acres (1.5 percent). The number of acres irrigated using sprinkler and microirrigation systems continued to increase and accounted for 58 percent of the total irrigated lands in 2010. Public-supply withdrawals in 2010 were 42.0 Bgal/d, or 5 percent less than in 2005, and represented the first declines in public-supply withdrawals since the 5-year reporting began in 1950. Total population in the United States increased from 300.7 million people in 2005 to 313.0 million people in 2010, an increase of 4 percent. Public-supply withdrawals accounted for 14 percent of the total freshwater withdrawals for all uses and 22 percent of freshwater withdrawals for all uses excluding thermoelectric power. The number of people that received potable water from public-supply facilities in 2010 was 268 million, or about 86 percent of the total U.S. popu lation. This percentage was unchanged from 2005. Selfsupplied domestic withdrawals were 3.60 Bgal/d, or 3 percent less than in 2005. More than 98 percent of the self-supplied domestic withdrawals were from groundwater sources. Self-supplied industrial withdrawals were 15.9 Bgal/d in 2010, a 12 percent decline from 2005, and continued the downward trend since the peak of 47 Bgal/d in 1970. Total self-supplied industrial withdrawals were 4 percent of total withdrawals for all uses and 8 percent of total withdrawals for all uses excluding thermoelectric power. Most of the total

## 2 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

self-supplied industrial withdrawals were from surface-water sources (82 percent), and nearly all (93 percent) of those surface-water withdrawals were from freshwater sources. Nearly all of the groundwater withdrawals for self-supplied industrial use (98 percent) were from freshwater sources. Total aquaculture withdrawals were 9.42 Bgal/d in 2010, or 7 percent more than in 2005, and surface water was the primary source (81 percent). Most of the surface-water withdrawals occurred at facilities that operated flowthrough raceways, which returned the water to the source directly after use. Aquaculture withdrawals accounted for 3 percent of the total withdrawals for all uses and 5 percent of the total withdrawals for all uses excluding thermoelectric. Total mining withdrawals in 2010 were 5.32 Bgal/d, or about 1 percent of total withdrawals from all uses and 3 percent of total withdrawals from all uses excluding thermo electric. Mining withdrawals accounted for the largest percentage increase (39 percent) in water use between 2005 and 2010 among all the categories. Groundwater withdrawals accounted for 73 percent of the total mining withdrawals, and the majority of the groundwater was saline (71 percent). The majority (80 percent) of surface-water withdrawals for mining was freshwater. Livestock withdrawals in 2010 were 2.00 Bgal/d, or 7 percent less than in 2005. All livestock withdrawals were from freshwater sources, mostly from groundwater (60 percent). Livestock withdrawals accounted for about 1 percent of total freshwater withdrawals for all uses excluding thermoelectric power. In 2010, more than 50 percent of the total withdrawals in the United States were accounted for by 12 States. California accounted for about 11 percent of the total withdrawals and 10 percent of freshwater withdrawals in the United States, predominantly for irrigation. Texas accounted for about 7 percent of total withdrawals, predominantly for thermo electric power, irrigation, and public supply . Florida accounted for 18 percent of the total saline-water withdrawals in the United States, mostly from surface-water sources for thermoelectric power. Oklahoma and Texas accounted for about 70 percent of the total saline groundwater withdrawals in the United States, mostly for mining.


# Introduction

This report, “Estimated use of water in the United States in 2010,” is the 13th in a series of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Circular reports that have been published every 5 years since 1950. The 60-year span of national reports represents the longest compilation record of water-use data by a Federal agency in the United States. Estimates of withdrawals enable the depiction of trends in total water use for the Nation among different geographic areas, categories of use, and sources over time. The USGS is dedicated to providing reliable scientific information that accurately describes current and historic conditions and enables a better understanding of the Earth’s precious water resources.Water-use information complements and supports surfacewater and groundwater availability studies and water budgets that are critical to these studies. This information is also essential to accurately understand how future water demands will be met while maintaining adequate water quality and quantities for human and ecosystem needs. The National Water Use Information Program (NWUIP) is the USGS program ( http://water.usgs.gov/watuse/ ) that facilitates the 5-year compilation of water use and over time has met various challenges in estimating water use in the United States. The program, however, has reduced some data collections over time to address limitations of available resources for analysis and limitations of capabili

ties for accurate interpolations. The National Water Census (NWC) is a recent USGS program, implemented as part of the SECURE (Science and Engineering to Comprehensively Understand and Responsibly Enhance) Water Act (Subtitle F of Public Law 111–11, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act) to study national water availability and use by integrating diverse research and building new water accounting tools, such as decision support capacity. These tools and research are designed to enable water managers to accurately assess water availability at regional and national scales ( http://water.usgs.gov/watercensus/ ). To meet NWC goals of building water budget assessments at regional and national scales, accurate and complete water-use estimates are necessary. The NWUIP is working closely with the NWC to provide water-use data for accurate water budget assess

ments in the NWC study areas. To meet these goals, several water-use specific research studies supported by the NWC were begun, some are completed, and some are ongoing. Each study specifically addresses a water-use data collec

tion challenge, such as improvement in the dissemination of information on data inventories, collection of more accurate information, use of better methods for analysis, and upgrade of data dissemination tools. NWC-supported projects with direct relevance to water use were conducted concurrently with the NWUIP 2010 compilation efforts and focused on the three largest catego

ries of water use, irrigation, thermoelectric power, and public supply. For irrigation water use, methods and documenta

tion were synthesized into a national report using the 2000 and 2005 compilation data and suggested improved esti

mation methods (Dickens and others, 2011). Additionally, methods were developed to assist in estimating irrigation water use in humid Eastern States, using two predictive models that use climate, soils, and crop data to explain the potential for irrigation (Levin and Zarriello, 2013). For thermoelectric power, linked heat and water budget models were developed for 1,290 thermoelectric powerplants in the United States (Diehl and others, 2013). This project entailed a indepth inventory of powerplants and associated information. Data from this project considerably improved

## The Boise River Diversion Dam in Ada County, Idaho, was completed in 1909 and diverts water into the New York Canal, the primary irrigation canal for Ada and Canyon Counties. Photo by Jeff Woody, used with permission. 

## Introduction **3**

the NWUIP understanding of the cooling systems used at individual powerplants as well as provided a more complete inventory of powerplant locations and net power generation. On the basis of the water budget models, Diehl and Harris (2014) reported powerplant-specific estimates of with

drawals and consumptive use. For public supply, the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided a publicsupply dataset from the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). These data included site-specific well, surface-water intake, and distribution-system informa

tion, which was filtered through a USGS database (Price and Maupin, 2014) and enhanced for quality control using associated USGS data. These data were disseminated as State datasets to each USGS Water Science Center to help construct a site-specific database capable of storing public-supply with

drawal, distribution, use, and return data for each State. Data dissemination capabilities and data-collection efforts have improved over the course of each 5-year compilation. The online resource, “USGS Water Use Data for the Nation” ( http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/wu ), provides the best avail

able county water-use data (1985–2010). These county-level estimates are the foundation for the statewide totals presented in each 5-year compilation report and are stored, updated, and disseminated using the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database. Data are retrievable as county, State, and national totals for each category of use as reported in the 5-year compilation reports. Because data are updated periodi

cally and revised during interim years, the Web site will enable quick and easy access to the most current water-use data. Factors such as demographics, new manufacturing and cooling-system technologies, economic trends, legal decisions, and climatic fluctuations have varying effects on water use. Between 2000 and 2010, population growth in the U.S. was 9.7 percent, lower than the 13.2 percent growth for the 1990–2000 period (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). More popu

lation growth was recorded in Southern and Western States (14.3 and 13.8 percent, respectively) between 2000 and 2010 compared to Midwestern States (3.9 percent) and Northeastern States (3.2 percent). Southern and Western States accounted for more than 84 percent of the total U.S. population growth from 2000 to 2010. Population growth puts additional pressure on existing public utilities and increases demand on some

times already limited water supplies. In parts of the United States, communities have sought additional water sources or instituted water-conservation measures to meet increasing demands. New cooling-system technologies and wastewater management practices at thermoelectric powerplants and industrial facilities are examples of water-saving practices that are being implemented. Powerplants have reduced the demand for cooling water by implementing more efficient cooling systems, such as changing to recirculating systems or building new plants with dry-cooling systems. Industrial facilities are

## 4 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

using more efficient water-conserving manufacturing technol

ogies, driven by higher costs for water and energy. Industrial manufacturing has declined with more goods being produced outside of the United States. Increases in industrial reuse and recycling of wastewater help to reduce withdrawals from the available resources and treated discharges to surface waters over time. Climate fluctuations affect water use, particularly for irrigation, power generation, and public supply. In 2010, the contiguous United States (CONUS) experienced average annual air temperatures slightly above normal and precipi tation above the long-term average. An abnor

mally cold winter with abundant moisture resulted in record-breaking precipitation in the East and Northeast for December–February. While the East enjoyed an abnormally warm spring, the Western United States experienced below normal temperatures. The summer of 2010 was the fourth warmest on record for the CONUS, but was the ninth wettest in 116 years in the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes. The West and Southeast had below-normal precipitation during the summer. The fall of 2010 was warmer than normal, but the Upper Midwest and Northeast continued to receive above-average precipitation, while Florida suffered through the second driest September–November period on record (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center, 2010). Cooling-system technology in thermoelectric power

plants has dramatically improved in recent years, causing large changes in withdrawals between 2005 and 2010. Improvements driven by the Clean Water Act and other economic factors have changed the way industrial facilities use, reuse, and recycle water, resulting in reduced discharges to wastewater-treatment plants or surface-water bodies. Cooling water is essential for producing most of the thermo

electric power in the United States, and an increase in electric energy use has resulted in additional demands for water. Limitations on water supplies have led to the use of less water-intensive cooling technologies for producing thermo

electric power in newer powerplants.



# Purpose and Scope
This report presents average daily withdrawals (in millions of gallons per day) for calendar year 2010, by source (ground

water and surface water) and quality (fresh and saline) for the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (hereafter referred to as “States” for brevity). Withdrawals are reported by category of use: public supply, domestic (including self-supplied domestic and deliveries from public supply), irrigation, livestock, aqua

culture, self-supplied industrial (referred to as “industrial” for brevity), mining, and self-supplied thermo electric power (referred to as “thermoelectric power” for brevity). Saline water is defined as water containing dissolved solids of 1,000 milligrams per liter or more. All withdrawals for the public supply, domestic, irrigation, and livestock categories are reported as totals, although in some areas water is treated to reduce salinity for these uses. Aquaculture totals include a small amount of saline surface-water withdrawals for two States. Both freshwater and saline-water withdrawalsare reported for industrial, mining, and thermoelectricpower uses. The series of 5-year national water-use estimates compiled by the USGS serves as one of the few sources of information about regional and national trends in water withdrawals. These historical reports (MacKichan, 1951, 1957; MacKichan and Kammerer, 1961; Murray, 1968; Murray and Reeves, 1972, 1977; Solley and others, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998; Hutson and others, 2004, Kenny and others, 2009) are avail

able online at http://water.usgs.gov/watuse/50years.html

. Statewide data between 1950 and 2010 produced for the 5-year national water-use estimates are available online at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/wu/ . County-level data are available only for 1985–2010 from the same Web site



# Terminology Used in This Report
A glossary of the terms and units used in this report is located at the end of the report and is available online at http://water.usgs.gov/watuse/wuglossary.html . Terms and units depicting withdrawals and ancillary data for the 5-year compilations have not changed since 2000. Withdrawal for each category of use represents the total amount of water removed from the water source for a particular use, regardless of how much of that total is consumptively used or returned to the hydrologic system for future use. In most cases, some fraction of the total withdrawal will be returned to a water source after use and will be available for other subsequent uses. Consumptive use, however, precludes the subsequent withdrawal for another use, at least temporarily, because it represents that fraction of water that is removed from avail

ability due to evaporation, transpiration, or incorporation into products or crop, or consumed by livestock or human. Estimates of return flows and consumptive use were discon

tinued after 1995, primarily because of resource and data constraints on the USGS National Water Use Information Program (NWUIP). Recent efforts by other programs in coordination with NWUIP have been implemented to reinstate the consumptive-use estimates for thermoelectric power and irrigation, but those data are not included in this report. Estimates of wastewater reuse were compiled by some States for the industrial, thermoelectric power, and irrigation categories, but these estimates were not included in the totals reported in tables in this report because of the small volumes of water compared to the totals and the incomplete reporting across the Nation. Withdrawals are expressed in terms of millions of gallons per day and thousands of acre-feet per year. The term billions

## Fountain water display, Meridian, Idaho. Photo by Molly Maupin, USGS. 

## of gallons per day is used in the Abstract and Trends in Water Use sections of this report to more simply express large numbers for total uses. Units of millions or billions of gallons per day do not repre

sent actual daily rates, but rather are used to express total amounts as an average daily rate over a single year. Water demands fluctuate seasonally and may be very different between hot summer months and cold winter months. Therefore, withdrawal estimates in this report represent the total annual withdrawals averaged over 365 days. Withdrawals are rounded to three signifi

cant figures. All values are rounded indepen

dently, so the sums of individual rounded numbers may not equal the totals. The percentage of changes discussed in the text are calculated from the unrounded data and are expressed as integers. All population data are rounded to three significant figures. In discussions of States that compose the majority of withdrawals for a given category, the State names are listed in order of decreasing magnitude of withdrawals. 

# Changes for the 2010 Report A matrix showing the different categories of use and how the terminology has changed over time is available online at http://water.usgs.gov/watuse/WU-Category-Changes.html

. Links to definitions of water-use categories are included in the matrix. This report includes the same categories of use that were reported in 2005, and every category of use includes data from every State. Some States may have compiled their esti

mates for livestock, aquaculture, or mining categories by using methods described by Lovelace (2009a, b). Similarly, some States may have compiled their estimates for thermo electric power by using methods derived from Diehl and others (2013). Data from the NWC-supported thermoelectric-power study represent a substantial change in how data reported by Energy Information Administration (EIA) were used to estimate thermoelectric-power withdrawals. As in 2005, deliveries from public supply for domestic use were again compiled in 2010, but public-supply deliveries for commer

cial, industrial, and thermoelectric-power uses were not. Data were not compiled for hydro

logic units (watersheds). Data were not compiled for commercial water use, hydroelectric-power generation, wastewater treatment (returns), consumptive use by cate

gory of use, and convey

ance losses. Some of these additional data may have been collected by individual States but are not compiled as a national dataset or included in this report. The Trends in Water Use section of this report includes national totals for withdrawals by category of use and source of water from 1950 to 2010. Totals have changed for some categories and years because of revisions to individual State data during interim years. Because of these revisions, some of the percentage changes in this report will be slightly different from data published previously by Kenny and others (2009). 

# Sources of Data and Methods of Analysis Data presented in this report were compiled from various sources, depending on the category of use and the information available for each State. USGS personnel in each State deter

mined the best sources of information available, then compiled or estimated the data and prepared documentation of the sources and methods used to determine the water use totals. Data in this report may have been derived from reported, estimated, or calculated means using different sources and methods and, therefore, will have varying levels of accuracy. Because the largest users and the most prominent categories of use within each State have the greatest effect on the totals, obtaining reliable information for these large users and catego

ries was the primary focus of the compilation effort. **Introduction 5** 

## Cabbage field in Wellton Valley, Yuma County, Arizona. Photo by Saeid Tadayon, USGS. 

## 6 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

Sources of information used in the compilation include national datasets, State agency data, individual questionnaires, and local contacts. National datasets available to each State include the EPA SDWIS data (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014), U.S. Census Bureau population estimates (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey, USDA Census of Agriculture, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop and livestock estimates, including digital datasets derived from satellite imagery (Cropland Data Layer) for 2010, with associated confidence interval data

sets, and U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) EIA facility reports. Additional data for thermoelectric power, specifically locations and cooling-system classifications for powerplants, were provided from internal USGS sources (Diehl and others, 2013) using USDOE and project ancillary data. A list of industrial and commercial establishments was provided to USGS personnel from a commercial database for use in the industrial estimates. Datasets and sources of information used to produce the national estimates for the livestock, aqua

culture, and mining categories include the USDA NASS, USDA county extension agents, USGS Minerals Information Team, USDOE EIA, and the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Sources of information are discussed in greater detail in the individual category sections of this report. Many of these data, such as those from NASS and USDOE EIA, are collected annually. Other data are provided for years other than 2010, but were used to develop the 2010 estimates in some States because they were the most complete data available. For example, the USDA Census of Agriculture is produced in years ending in 2 and 7, and the USDA Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey is produced in years ending in 3 and 8. Correlation of water-use data in this report with specific climatic conditions for 2010 is not recom

mended because some data for years other than 2010 may have been used to develop some water-use estimates. Guidelines for preparing the 2010 water-use estimates were distributed to USGS personnel in each Water Science Center through workshops, Web-based seminars, and written docu

ments. The same guidelines used in 2005 were implemented in 2010 without change and are published as USGS Techniques and Methods Book 4, Chapter E1, “Guidelines for preparation of State water-use estimates for 2005” (Hutson, 2007). Reports published by individual USGS Water Science Centers as part of the NWUIP, as well as a list of contact personnel in each USGS Water Science Center, also are available online at http://water.usgs.gov/watuse/

.

# 355,000 million gallons per day 

# Total Water Use **Total Water Use 7** 

Total water withdrawals in the United States for 2010 were estimated for eight categories of use: public supply, domestic, irrigation, livestock, aquaculture, industrial, mining, and thermoelectric power (fig. 1). The three largest categories were thermoelectric power, irrigation, and public supply, cumulatively accounting for 90 percent of the national total. The remaining categories of industrial, aquaculture, mining, domestic, and livestock together were just about 10 percent of total water withdrawals estimated in this report. Total State populations and withdrawals by source for 2010 are listed in table 1. Total freshwater and saline-water withdrawals were estimated to be 355,000 million gallons per day (Mgal/d), or 397,000 thousand acre-feet per year (acre-ft/yr). Freshwater withdrawals of 306,000 Mgal/d made up 86 percent of the total, and saline-water withdrawals madeup the remaining 48,300 Mgal/d (14 percent). Most salinewater withdrawals were seawater and brackish coastal water used for thermoelectric power. Total surface-water with

drawals were estimated to be 275,000 Mgal/d, or 78 percent of the total. About 84 percent (230,000 Mgal/d) of total surface-water withdrawals were freshwater. Total ground

water withdrawals were 79,300 Mgal/d, of which 96 percent (76,000 Mgal/d) was freshwater. Total withdrawals by category and State are listed in table 2 A , in million gallons per day, and in table 2 B , in thousand acre-feet per year. Withdrawals for thermoelectric power (161,000 Mgal/d) are mostly derived from freshwater sources and accounted for 38 percent of the total freshwater withdrawals and about 91 percent of total saline-water withdrawals. Irrigation withdrawals totaled 115,000 Mgal/d and accounted for 38 percent of total freshwater withdrawals. Total withdrawals for public supply (42,000 Mgal/d) repre

sented nearly 14 percent of the total freshwater withdrawals. In 2010, more than 50 percent of the total withdrawals in the United States were accounted for by 12 States: California, Texas, Idaho, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Arkansas, Colorado, Michigan, New York, Alabama, and Ohio. California accounted for 11 percent of the total with

drawals for all categories and 10 percent of total freshwater withdrawals for all categories nationwide. Texas accounted for about 7 percent of total withdrawals for all categories, predominantly for thermoelectric power, irrigation, and public supply. Florida had the largest saline withdrawals, accounting for 18 percent of the total in the United States, mostly saline surface-water withdrawals for thermoelectric power. Oklahoma and Texas accounted for about 70 percent of the total saline groundwater withdrawals in the United States, mostly for mining. Water withdrawals by category and State are listed for surface water in tables 3 A and 3 B and for groundwater in tables 4 A and 4 B . In 2010, more surface water than ground

water was withdrawn for all uses except domestic, live

stock, and mining. Thermoelectric power accounted for 51 percent of the total fresh surface-water withdrawals andirrigation accounted for 29 percent. The largest surfacewater withdrawals in the Nation were in California, whereirrigation accounted for 76 percent of total fresh surfacewater withdrawals. Large quantities of fresh surface water were also withdrawn for thermoelectric power in Illinois, Texas, Michigan, and Alabama. Large saline surface-water withdrawals for thermoelectric power occurred in Florida, California, Maryland, and New York, which cumulativelyaccounted for 57 percent of the national total saline surfacewater withdrawals. Of the total fresh groundwater withdrawals (76,000 Mgal/d), irrigation accounted for 65 percent, primarily in California, Arkansas, Texas, and Nebraska. Fresh groundwater irrigation withdrawals in these four States cumulatively accounted for 42 percent of the national total fresh groundwater withdrawals. Nearly all groundwater withdrawals (96 percent) were from freshwater, and irrigation used greater than three times more fresh groundwater than public supply, which was the next largest use of groundwater in the Nation. The largest withdrawals of saline groundwater occurred in Oklahoma and Texas. The geographic distribution of total withdrawals in the United States is shown in figure 2. The geographic distri

bution of total surface water and groundwater, and total freshwater and saline-water withdrawals by State is shown in figure 3.

## Figure 1 

## 8 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

**Figure 1.** Total water withdrawals by category, 2010. **Public supply, 12 percent**

**Irrigation, 33 percent**

**Aquaculture, 3 percent**

**Mining, 1 percent** Sheep at water trough on the open range Sprinkler irrigation system, Blaine County, Idaho

Wild Rose Fish Hatchery, Waushara County, Wisconsin 

## Livestock, 1 percent **Domestic, 1 percent**

**Industrial, 4 percent**

**Thermoelectric power, 45 percent** Industrial paper mill in Glynn County, Georgia Water tower, Newton, Kansas High-efficiency washer and dryerJoan Kenny, USGSPhoto used with permission from WhilpoolErin McDaniel, used with permission



### Pumpjack in Gove County, KansasMolly Maupin, USGS



### Watts Bar Nuclear Powerplant, Rhea County, TennesseeAlan Cressler, USGSSaeid Tadayon, USGSPhoto ©Keith PhilpottAlan Cressler, USGS

## Total Water Use **9**

**Table 1.** Total water withdrawals by source and State, 2010. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Population**  **(in thousands)**  **Withdrawals (in million gallons per day)**  **Withdrawals (in million gallons per day)**  **Withdrawals (in thousand acre-feet per year)**  **By source and type Total**  **Total Groundwater**  **Surface water Fresh**  **Saline Total**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total Fresh**  **Saline Total**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total** Alabama

..................... 4,780 494 0 494 9,470 0 9,470 9,960 0 9,960 11,200 0 11,200 Alaska

........................ 710 478 144 622 391 80.7 472 869 225 1,090 975 252 1,230 Arizona

....................... 6,390 2,550 0 2,550 3,540 0 3,540 6,090 0 6,090 6,820 0 6,820 Arkansas

..................... 2,920 7,780 5.05 7,790 3,540 0 3,540 11,300 5.05 11,300 12,700 5.66 12,700 California

................... 37,300 12,300 369 12,700 18,800 6,490 25,300 31,100 6,860 38,000 34,900 7,690 42,600

Colorado

..................... 5,030 1,540 19.4 1,560 9,440 0 9,440 11,000 19.4 11,000 12,300 21.8 12,300 Connecticut

................ 3,570 216 0 216 600 2,490 3,090 816 2,490 3,310 915 2,800 3,710 Delaware

.................... 898 156 0 156 144 417 561 300 417 717 337 468 804 District of Columbia... 602 0.05 0 0.05 0.05 0 0.05 0.10 0 0.10 0.11 0 0.11 Florida

........................ 18,800 3,970 154 4,120 2,230 8,580 10,800 6,200 8,740 14,900 6,950 9,790 16,700
Georgia

....................... 9,690 1,230 0 1,230 3,210 283 3,490 4,440 283 4,720 4,970 317 5,290 Hawaii

........................ 1,360 423 50.8 474 248 552 800 671 603 1,270 752 676 1,430 Idaho

.......................... 1,570 4,250 0 4,250 13,000 0 13,000 17,200 0 17,200 19,300 0 19,300 Illinois

........................ 12,800 853 25.5 879 12,200 0 12,200 13,100 25.5 13,100 14,600 28.6 14,700 Indiana

........................ 6,480 720 0 720 7,920 0 7,920 8,640 0 8,640 9,690 0 9,690

Iowa

............................ 3,050 650 0 650 2,420 0 2,420 3,070 0 3,070 3,440 0 3,440 Kansas

........................ 2,850 3,200 0 3,200 800 0 800 4,000 0 4,000 4,490 0 4,490 Kentucky

.................... 4,340 199 0 199 4,130 0 4,130 4,330 0 4,330 4,850 0 4,850 Louisiana

.................... 4,530 1,570 0 1,570 6,960 1.68 6,970 8,540 1.68 8,540 9,570 1.88 9,570 Maine

......................... 1,330 99.4 0 99.4 309 40.8 350 408 40.8 449 458 45.8 504
Maryland

.................... 5,770 260 0 260 1,210 5,910 7,120 1,470 5,910 7,380 1,650 6,630 8,280 Massachusetts

............ 6,550 361 0 361 703 1,930 2,640 1,060 1,930 3,000 1,190 2,170 3,360 Michigan

.................... 9,880 693 0.57 694 10,100 0 10,100 10,800 0.57 10,800 12,100 0.64 12,100 Minnesota

................... 5,300 736 0 736 3,080 0 3,080 3,820 0 3,820 4,280 0 4,280 Mississippi

................. 2,970 2,610 19.6 2,630 1,240 62.4 1,300 3,850 82.0 3,930 4,320 92.0 4,410

Missouri

..................... 5,990 1,810 0 1,810 6,750 0 6,750 8,570 0 8,570 9,610 0 9,610 Montana

..................... 989 268 18.6 286 7,360 0 7,360 7,630 18.6 7,650 8,550 20.9 8,570 Nebraska

.................... 1,830 4,710 0.13 4,710 3,320 0 3,320 8,040 0.13 8,040 9,010 0.15 9,010 Nevada

....................... 2,700 1,190 11.9 1,200 1,420 0 1,420 2,610 11.9 2,620 2,930 13.4 2,940 New Hampshire

......... 1,320 89.7 0 89.7 277 848 1,120 367 848 1,210 411 951 1,360
New Jersey

................. 8,790 612 0 612 1,320 3,740 5,060 1,930 3,740 5,670 2,170 4,190 6,360 New Mexico

............... 2,060 1,570 0 1,570 1,590 0 1,590 3,160 0 3,160 3,540 0 3,540 New York

................... 19,400 704 0 704 5,020 4,850 9,870 5,730 4,850 10,600 6,420 5,430 11,900 North Carolina

........... 9,540 694 0 694 10,400 1,360 11,700 11,100 1,360 12,400 12,400 1,530 13,900 North Dakota

.............. 673 139 13.6 153 994 0 994 1,130 13.6 1,150 1,270 15.3 1,290

Ohio

............................ 11,500 929 0 929 8,510 0 8,510 9,440 0 9,440 10,600 0 10,600 Oklahoma

................... 3,750 635 1,400 2,030 1,140 0 1,140 1,770 1,400 3,170 1,990 1,570 3,550 Oregon

........................ 3,830 2,130 0 2,130 4,600 0 4,600 6,730 0 6,730 7,550 0 7,550 Pennsylvania

.............. 12,700 657 0 657 7,480 0 7,480 8,130 0 8,130 9,120 0 9,120 Rhode Island

.............. 1,050 36.5 0 36.5 98.0 241 339 134 241 376 151 270 421

South Carolina

........... 4,630 339 0 339 6,440 0 6,440 6,780 0 6,780 7,600 0 7,600 South Dakota

.............. 814 339 0 339 287 0 287 626 0 626 701 0 701 Tennessee

................... 6,350 470 0 470 7,230 0 7,230 7,700 0 7,700 8,630 0 8,630 Texas

.......................... 25,100 6,830 884 7,710 15,800 1,280 17,100 22,600 2,160 24,800 25,400 2,420 27,800 Utah

............................ 2,760 1,030 92.6 1,120 3,110 238 3,340 4,130 331 4,460 4,630 371 5,000

Vermont

...................... 626 41.6 0 41.6 389 0 389 431 0 431 483 0 483 Virginia

....................... 8,000 299 9.97 309 4,140 3,200 7,340 4,440 3,210 7,650 4,970 3,600 8,570 Washington

................. 6,720 1,600 0 1,600 3,320 33.1 3,350 4,920 33.1 4,960 5,520 37.1 5,560 West Virginia

.............. 1,850 121 4.82 125 3,410 0 3,410 3,530 4.82 3,530 3,960 5.40 3,960 Wisconsin

................... 5,690 754 0 754 5,400 0 5,400 6,160 0 6,160 6,900 0 6,900
Wyoming

.................... 564 550 67.1 617 4,080 0 4,080 4,630 67.1 4,700 5,200 75.2 5,270 Puerto Rico

................. 3,730 125 0.32 125 611 2,270 2,880 736 2,270 3,010 825 2,550 3,370 U.S. Virgin Islands... 106 1.14 0 1.14 2.85 124 127 3.99 124 128 4.47 139 143

TOTAL 313,000 76,000 3,290 79,300 230,000 45,000 275,000 306,000 48,300 355,000 343,000 54,200 397,000

## 10 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

**Table 2 A** 

**.** Total water withdrawals by water-use category, 2010, in million gallons per day. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Public**  **supply Self**  **supplied domestic**  **Irriga tion**  **Live stock**  **Aqua culture**  **Self-supplied industrial**  **Mining Thermoelectric**  **power Total** 

**Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total** Alabama

................... 831 38.0 159 26.5 59.1 574 0 20.2 0 8,250 0 9,960 0 9,960 Alaska

...................... 79.0 14.8 1.59 0.25 684 7.78 4.30 24.1 221 58.0 0 869 225 1,090 Arizona

..................... 1,210 27.2 4,570 27.0 47.3 12.9 0 86.6 0 104 0 6,090 0 6,090 Arkansas

................... 429 12.8 8,720 39.0 268 271 5.05 44.3 0 1,540 0 11,300 5.05 11,300 California

................. 6,300 172 23,100 188 973 400 0 36.4 236 65.4 6,540 31,100 6,860 38,000

Colorado

................... 848 37.9 9,710 36.9 122 130 0 8.51 19.4 77 0 11,000 19.4 11,000 Connecticut

.............. 427 65.4 24.0 1.01 29.7 66.5 38.5 4.72 0 198 2,460 816 2,490 3,310 Delaware

.................. 78.1 14.8 101 1.31 0.06 96.0 0 0.85 0 7.82 417 300 417 717 District of Columbia 0 0 0.10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.10 0 0.10 Florida

...................... 2,270 214 2,920 21.3 1.86 213 0 113 0 613 8,570 6,200 8,740 14,900
Georgia

..................... 1,120 115 839 29.3 49.8 487 0 27.7 0 1,770 283 4,440 283 4,720 Hawaii

...................... 274 8.02 323 1.83 4.54 4.63 0 1.51 0 53.2 603 671 603 1,270 Idaho

........................ 239 79.0 14,000 47.5 2,750 49.7 0 20.2 0 0.88 0 17,200 0 17,200 Illinois

...................... 1,500 92.4 226 36.1 32.0 390 0 70.9 25.5 10,700 0 13,100 25.5 13,100 Indiana

...................... 656 126 137 39.2 8.57 2,210 0 88.2 0 5,380 0 8,640 0 8,640

Iowa

.......................... 393 38.4 42.8 136 18.9 125 0 79.6 0 2,240 0 3,070 0 3,070 Kansas

...................... 391 14.9 3,040 114 12.9 40.3 0 13.3 0 377 0 4,000 0 4,000 Kentucky

.................. 572 33.2 29.0 43.8 34.1 228 0 30.8 0 3,360 0 4,330 0 4,330 Louisiana

.................. 746 47.0 928 8.03 311 2,060 0 11.3 0 4,430 1.68 8,540 1.68 8,540 Maine

....................... 91.3 33.0 11.3 2.29 46.9 192 14.8 4.87 0 26.8 26.0 408 40.8 449
Maryland

.................. 790 85.6 72.1 8.25 20.8 50.0 146 9.43 0 436 5,760 1,470 5,910 7,380 Massachusetts

.......... 679 37.9 139 1.40 49.6 16.3 0 6.60 0 134 1,930 1,060 1,930 3,000 Michigan

.................. 1,090 231 209 19.6 82.7 612 0 76.2 0.57 8,520 0 10,800 0.57 10,800 Minnesota

................. 542 79.0 197 59.3 16.9 134 0 285 0 2,510 0 3,820 0 3,820 Mississippi

............... 395 44.6 2,090 18.4 133 203 0 8.78 12.6 956 69.5 3,850 82.0 3,930

Missouri

................... 836 61.8 1,400 72.9 181 68.4 0 32.9 0 5,910 0 8,570 0 8,570 Montana

................... 138 22.2 7,160 41.8 18.9 66.4 0 27.9 18.6 151 0 7,630 18.6 7,650 Nebraska

.................. 296 44.0 5,660 114 88.3 31.1 0 8.86 0.13 1,790 0 8,040 0.13 8,040 Nevada

..................... 581 29.8 1,570 5.06 49.5 5.23 0 345 0.95 21.6 11.0 2,610 11.9 2,620 New Hampshire

....... 91.2 33.3 1.92 0.89 16.6 17.7 0 2.85 0 202 848 367 848 1,210
New Jersey

............... 1,080 98.3 138 0.98 9.16 83.3 0 8.64 0 513 3,740 1,930 3,740 5,670 New Mexico

............. 283 25.8 2,700 35.8 20.1 11.1 0 37.1 0 51.9 0 3,160 0 3,160 New York

................. 2,260 152 70.4 22.6 40.2 352 0 72.4 0 2,760 4,850 5,730 4,850 10,600 North Carolina

......... 960 231 367 72.0 1,470 271 0 32.6 0 7,660 1,360 11,100 1,360 12,400 North Dakota

............ 68.8 3.68 165 21.6 5.92 18.7 0 13.4 13.6 837 0 1,130 13.6 1,150

Ohio

.......................... 1,370 137 52.6 24.0 34.3 489 0 115 0 7,220 0 9,440 0 9,440 Oklahoma

................. 657 26.8 564 88.8 10.7 20.8 0 18.0 1,400 385 0 1,770 1,400 3,170 Oregon

...................... 534 67.1 5,260 17.0 712 126 0 8.64 0 12.7 0 6,730 0 6,730 Pennsylvania

............ 1,420 201 27.1 52.3 108 866 0 62.0 0 5,390 0 8,130 0 8,130 Rhode Island

............ 108 8.02 2.69 0.18 14.5 7.52 0 0.92 0 1.44 232 135 241 376

South Carolina

......... 619 115 125 12.0 11.0 388 0 8.43 0 5,500 0 6,780 0 6,780 South Dakota

............ 124 5.37 362 47.4 48.4 9.48 0 18.2 0 10.3 0 626 0 626 Tennessee

................. 918 38.7 71.9 27.5 52.6 776 0 14.6 0 5,800 0 7,700 0 7,700 Texas

........................ 3,990 259 6,830 259 31.4 680 610 203 810 10,500 661 22,600 2,160 24,800 Utah

.......................... 673 8.44 3,220 16.5 97.1 47.6 70.6 4.19 246 69.6 11.0 4,130 331 4,460

Vermont

.................... 43.1 13.6 2.45 5.63 10.9 5.69 0 3.85 0 345 0 431 0 431 Virginia

..................... 665 124 61.4 27.4 295 383 56.1 34.9 0 2,860 3,150 4,440 3,210 7,650 Washington

............... 910 113 3,150 27.8 213 458 33.1 16.7 0 37.9 0 4,920 33.1 4,960 West Virginia

............ 189 31.5 0.09 5.08 52.3 764 3.80 14.5 1.02 2,470 0 3,530 4.82 3,530 Wisconsin

................. 481 78.4 379 73.1 55.8 436 0 19.6 0 4,630 0 6,160 0 6,160
Wyoming

.................. 99.0 8.55 4,370 16.5 20.8 6.74 0 50.1 67.1 63.4 0 4,630 67.1 4,700 Puerto Rico

............... 677 2.41 38.2 7.81 0.41 4.30 0 1.61 0.32 3.78 2,270 736 2,270 3,010 U.S. Virgin Islands

... 5.86 2.67 0 0.02 0 0.22 2.62 0 0.04 0.17 116 3.99 124 128

TOTAL 42,000 3,600 115,000 2,000 9,420 15,000 986 2,250 3,070 117,000 43,900 306,000 48,300 355,000

## Total Water Use **11**

**Table 2 B** 

. Total water withdrawals by water-use category, 2010, in thousand acre-feet per year. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Public**  **supply Self**  **supplied domestic**  **Irriga tion**  **Live stock**  **Aqua culture**  **Self-supplied industrial**  **Mining Thermoelectric**  **power Total** 

**Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total** Alabama

................... 932 42.6 178 29.7 66.3 644 0 22.7 0 9,250 0 11,200 0 11,200 Alaska

...................... 88.6 16.6 1.78 0.28 767 8.72 4.82 27.0 248 65.0 0 975 252 1,230 Arizona

..................... 1,360 30.5 5,120 30.2 53 14.5 0 97.1 0 117 0 6,820 0 6,820 Arkansas

................... 481 14.4 9,770 43.7 300 303 5.66 49.6 0 1,730 0 12,700 5.66 12,700 California

................. 7,060 193 25,800 211 1,090 449 0 40.8 265 73.3 7,330 34,900 7,690 42,600

Colorado

................... 950 42.5 10,900 41.3 137 146 0 9.54 21.8 86.3 0 12,300 21.8 12,300 Connecticut

.............. 479 73.3 26.9 1.13 33.3 74.5 43.1 5.29 0 222 2,750 915 2,800 3,710 Delaware

.................. 87.5 16.6 114 1.47 0.07 108 0 0.95 0 8.77 468 337 468 804 District of Columbia 0 0 0.11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.11 0 0.11 Florida

...................... 2,540 240 3,270 23.9 2.09 239 0 127 0 687 9,610 6,950 9,790 16,700
Georgia

..................... 1,250 129 940 32.8 55.8 546 0 31.0 0 1,990 317 4,970 317 5,290 Hawaii

...................... 307 8.99 363 2.05 5.09 5.19 0 1.69 0 59.6 676 752 676 1,430 Idaho

........................ 267 88.6 15,700 53.3 3,090 55.7 0 22.6 0 0.99 0 19,300 0 19,300 Illinois

...................... 1,690 104 253 40.4 35.8 438 0 79.4 28.6 12,000 0 14,600 28.6 14,700 Indiana

...................... 735 141 154 43.9 9.61 2,470 0 98.9 0 6,030 0 9,690 0 9,690

Iowa

.......................... 440 43.0 48.0 152 21.2 140 0 89.2 0 2,510 0 3,440 0 3,440 Kansas

...................... 439 16.7 3,410 128 14.5 45.2 0 14.9 0 423 0 4,490 0 4,490 Kentucky

.................. 641 37.2 32.5 49.1 38.2 255 0 34.5 0 3,760 0 4,850 0 4,850 Louisiana

.................. 837 52.7 1,040 9.00 349 2,310 0 12.6 0 4,960 1.88 9,570 1.88 9,570 Maine

....................... 102 37.0 12.6 2.57 52.6 215 16.6 5.46 0 30.1 29.1 458 45.8 504
Maryland

.................. 885 95.9 80.8 9.25 23.3 56.0 164 10.6 0 489 6,460 1,650 6,630 8,280 Massachusetts

.......... 761 42.5 156 1.57 55.7 18.3 0 7.40 0 151 2,160 1,190 2,170 3,360 Michigan

.................. 1,220 259 235 22.0 92.7 686 0 85.4 0.64 9,550 0 12,100 0.64 12,100 Minnesota

................. 607 88.5 221 66.5 18.9 150 0 319 0 2,810 0 4,280 0 4,280 Mississippi

............... 443 50.0 2,350 20.6 149 227 0 9.84 14.1 1,070 77.9 4,320 92.0 4,410

Missouri

................... 938 69.3 1,570 81.7 202 76.7 0 36.8 0 6,630 0 9,610 0 9,610 Montana

................... 155 24.9 8,030 46.9 21.2 74.5 0 31.3 20.9 169 0 8,550 20.9 8,570 Nebraska

.................. 331 49.3 6,340 128 99.0 34.9 0 9.93 0.15 2,010 0 9,010 0.15 9,010 Nevada

..................... 651 33.4 1,760 5.67 55.4 5.86 0 387 1.06 24.2 12.3 2,930 13.4 2,940 New Hampshire

....... 102 37.4 2.15 1.00 18.6 19.8 0 3.19 0 227 951 411 951 1,360
New Jersey

............... 1,210 110 154 1.10 10.3 93.3 0 9.69 0 575 4,190 2,170 4,190 6,360 New Mexico

............. 318 28.9 3,020 40.1 22.5 12.4 0 41.6 0 58.1 0 3,540 0 3,540 New York

................. 2,540 171 78.9 25.3 45.0 395 0 81.1 0 3,090 5,430 6,420 5,430 11,900 North Carolina

......... 1,080 259 411 80.7 1,640 304 0 36.6 0 8,580 1,530 12,400 1,530 13,900 North Dakota

............ 77.2 4.13 185 24.2 6.64 20.9 0 15.0 15.3 938 0 1,270 15.3 1,290

Ohio

.......................... 1,540 154 58.9 26.9 38.5 548 0 129 0 8,090 0 10,600 0 10,600 Oklahoma

................. 737 30.1 632 99.6 12.0 23.3 0 20.2 1,570 432 0 1,990 1,570 3,550 Oregon

...................... 598 75.2 5,890 19.1 798 141 0 9.69 0 14.2 0 7550 0 7,550 Pennsylvania

............ 1,600 225 30.4 58.6 121 971 0 69.5 0 6,050 0 9,120 0 9,120 Rhode Island

............ 121 8.99 3.02 0.20 16.3 8.43 0 1.03 0 1.61 260 151 270 421

South Carolina

......... 693 129 140 13.5 12.3 435 0 9.45 0 6,170 0 7,600 0 7,600 South Dakota

............ 139 6.02 406 53.1 54.3 10.6 0 20.4 0 11.5 0 701 0 701 Tennessee

................. 1,030 43.4 80.6 30.8 59.0 870 0 16.4 0 6,500 0 8,630 0 8,630 Texas

........................ 4,480 290 7,660 290 35.2 762 684 227 908 11,700 741 25,400 2,420 27,800 Utah

.......................... 754 9.46 3,610 18.5 109 53.3 79.2 4.70 276 78.0 12.3 4,630 371 5,000

Vermont

.................... 48.3 15.3 2.75 6.31 12.3 6.38 0 4.32 0 387 0 483 0 483 Virginia

..................... 745 139 68.8 30.7 331 429 62.9 39.1 0 3,200 3,530 4,970 3,600 8,570 Washington

............... 1,020 126 3,530 31.1 239 513 37.1 18.7 0 42.5 0 5,520 37.1 5,560 West Virginia

............ 212 35.3 0.10 5.69 58.7 857 4.26 16.3 1.14 2,770 0 3,960 5.40 3,960 Wisconsin

................. 540 87.8 425 81.9 62.5 489 0 21.9 0 5,200 0 6,900 0 6,900
Wyoming

.................. 111 9.58 4,900 18.5 23.4 7.56 0 56.2 75.2 71.0 0 5,200 75.2 5,270 Puerto Rico

............... 759 2.70 42.8 8.76 0.46 4.82 0 1.80 0.36 4.24 2,540 825 2,550 3,370 U.S. Virgin Islands

... 6.57 2.99 0 0.02 0 0.25 2.94 0 0.04 0.19 130 4.47 139 143

TOTAL 47,100 4,040 129,000 2,240 10,600 16,800 1,100 2,520 3,440 131,000 49,200 343,000 54,200 397,000

## 12 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

**Table 3 A** 

. Surface-water withdrawals by water-use category , 2010, in million gallons per day. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Public**  **supply Self**  **supplied domestic**  **Irrigation Live**  **stock Aqua**  **culture Self-supplied**  **industrial Mining**  **Thermoelectric power**  **Total**

**Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total** Alabama

.................. 551 0 74.0 14.8 26.6 540 0 7.49 0 8,250 0 9,470 0 9,470 Alaska

..................... 51.8 0.66 0.02 0.15 255 4.40 4.30 24.1 76.4 55.8 0 391 80.7 472 Arizona

.................... 628 0 2,880 0 7.77 0 0 0 0 27.1 0 3,540 0 3,540 Arkansas

.................. 295 0 1,340 23.4 86.5 214 0 44.1 0 1,540 0 3,540 0 3,540 California

................ 3,470 29.4 14,400 103 802 1.13 0 12.2 0.05 32.2 6,490 18,800 6,490 25,300

Colorado

.................. 717 0 8,420 11.8 99.0 127 0 3.05 0 60.2 0 9,440 0 9,440 Connecticut

............. 292 0 23.1 0 23.0 60.2 38.5 3.80 0 198 2,460 600 2,490 3,090 Delaware

................. 33.3 0 15.2 0 0 87.5 0 0.41 0 7.45 417 144 417 561 District of Columbia 0 0 0.05 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.05 0 0.05 Florida

..................... 256 0 1,340 2.22 0 47.7 0 34.1 0 570 8,570 2,230 8,580 10,800
Georgia

.................... 873 0 202 26.9 45.9 281 0 8.41 0 1,770 283 3,210 283 3,490 Hawaii

..................... 15.8 6.17 223 1.20 2.40 0 0 0.11 0 0 552 248 552 800 Idaho

....................... 27.1 0 10,200 9.01 2,690 17.2 0 18.9 0 0 0 13,000 0 13,000 Illinois

..................... 1,140 0 17.5 0.03 27.2 267 0 55.4 0 10,700 0 12,200 0 12,200 Indiana

..................... 304 0 38.7 13.0 1.97 2,120 0 83.7 0 5,360 0 7,920 0 7,920

Iowa

......................... 84.3 0 1.18 33.8 4.45 2.70 0 78.1 0 2,220 0 2,420 0 2,420 Kansas

..................... 231 0 160 23.0 8.57 6.79 0 3.98 0 366 0 800 0 800 Kentucky

................. 501 13.5 27.4 41.6 33.5 146 0 23.0 0 3,340 0 4,130 0 4,130 Louisiana

................. 368 0 258 3.88 114 1,830 0 5.94 0 4,390 1.68 6,960 1.68 6,970 Maine

...................... 63.6 0 8.77 0.58 21.2 185 14.8 3.73 0 25.9 26.0 309 40.8 350
Maryland

................. 701 0 18.6 2.23 15.7 38.6 146 2.18 0 434 5,760 1,210 5,910 7,120 Massachusetts

......... 489 0 21.4 0.50 42.4 12.1 0 4.78 0 134 1,930 703 1,930 2,640 Michigan

................. 883 0 62.6 1.90 78.5 537 0 66.0 0 8,510 0 10,100 0 10,100 Minnesota

................ 188 0 26.7 0 15.2 71.7 0 276 0 2,510 0 3,080 0 3,080 Mississippi

.............. 46.3 0 133 11.1 19.3 125 0 0.55 0 905 62.4 1,240 62.4 1,300

Missouri

.................. 543 0 49.6 54.4 170 34.1 0 8.41 0 5,890 0 6,750 0 6,750 Montana

.................. 72.4 1.04 7,030 29.5 16.4 29.6 0 26.2 0 150 0 7,360 0 7,360 Nebraska

................. 61.4 0 1,360 21.2 82.2 2.33 0 8.77 0 1,790 0 3,320 0 3,320 Nevada

.................... 448 0 921 0 38.8 4.53 0 4.11 0 3.68 0 1,420 0 1,420 New Hampshire

...... 56.6 0 0.67 0.22 8.48 7.06 0 2.84 0 201 848 277 848 1,120
New Jersey

.............. 682 0 70.1 0 0 48.5 0 6.91 0 512 3,740 1,320 3,740 5,060 New Mexico

............ 72.4 0 1,460 3.03 4.32 0.83 0 9.68 0 42.3 0 1,590 0 1,590 New York

................ 1,810 0 40.2 8.00 36.8 316 0 64.0 0 2,750 4,850 5,020 4,850 9,870 North Carolina

........ 766 0 279 15.0 1,450 188 0 4.87 0 7,660 1,360 10,400 1,360 11,700 North Dakota

........... 38.3 0 87.2 8.62 5.92 12.9 0 4.63 0 837 0 994 0 994

Ohio

......................... 918 2.75 35.4 16.3 19.0 293 0 35.8 0 7,190 0 8,510 0 8,510 Oklahoma

................ 527 0 135 56.3 7.43 14.3 0 13.3 0 384 0 1,140 0 1,140 Oregon

..................... 420 7.07 3,350 14.0 679 123 0 1.17 0 11.2 0 4,600 0 4,600 Pennsylvania

........... 1,200 0 19.8 6.75 59.7 792 0 10.5 0 5,390 0 7,480 0 7,480 Rhode Island

........... 92.2 0 0.39 0.01 8.90 3.35 0 0.49 0 1.44 232 98.0 241 339

South Carolina

........ 504 0 57.4 6.79 8.97 365 0 1.74 0 5,500 0 6,440 0 6,440 South Dakota

........... 49.9 0 165 28.3 23.6 2.63 0 11.0 0 6.93 0 287 0 287 Tennessee

................ 618 0 27.6 13.4 37.2 728 0 7.73 0 5,800 0 7,230 0 7,230 Texas

....................... 2,860 0 1,730 127 22.2 571 608 81.2 0.49 10,400 661 15,800 1,280 17,100 Utah

......................... 309 0 2,730 8.76 0 16.4 33.1 1.60 205 45.6 0.47 3,110 238 3,340

Vermont

................... 29.2 0 1.68 1.41 4.96 3.69 0 3.53 0 344 0 389 0 389 Virginia

.................... 594 0 45.4 20.8 286 309 56.1 28.4 0 2,850 3,150 4,140 3,200 7,340 Washington

.............. 439 0.02 2,350 8.55 127 358 33.1 3.36 0 36.4 0 3,320 33.1 3,350 West Virginia

........... 155 0.63 0.04 3.42 40.6 729 0 9.00 0 2,470 0 3,410 0 3,410 Wisconsin

................ 221 0 123 7.30 30.2 382 0 8.63 0 4,630 0 5,400 0 5,400
Wyoming

................. 47.5 0 3,930 10.3 18.7 1.82 0 13.0 0 61.1 0 4,080 0 4,080 Puerto Rico

.............. 590 0 15.7 2.24 0.40 0 0 0.18 0 2.61 2,270 611 2,270 2,880 U.S. Virgin Islands

.. 4.95 2.67 0 0.01 0 0 2.62 0 0.04 0.17 116 2.85 124 127

TOTAL 26,300 63.9 65,900 797 7,610 12,100 937 1,130 282 116,000 43,800 230,000 45,000 275,000

## Total Water Use **13**

**Table 3 B** 

**.** Surface-water withdrawals by water-use category , 2010, in thousand acre-feet per year. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Public**  **supply Self**  **supplied domestic**  **Irrigation Live**  **stock Aqua**  **culture Self-supplied**  **industrial Mining**  **Thermoelectric power**  **Total**

**Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total** Alabama

.................. 617 0 83.0 16.6 29.9 606 0 8.40 0 9,250 0 10,600 0 10,600 Alaska

..................... 58.1 0.74 0.02 0.17 285 4.93 4.82 27.0 85.6 62.6 0 439 90.4 529 Arizona

.................... 704 0 3,220 0 8.71 0 0 0 0 30.4 0 3,970 0 3,970 Arkansas

.................. 331 0 1,500 26.2 96.9 240 0 49.4 0 1,720 0 3,970 0 3,970 California

................ 3,890 33.0 16,100 116 899 1.27 0 13.7 0.06 36.1 7,270 21,100 7,270 28,400

Colorado

.................. 804 0 9,440 13.2 111 142 0 3.42 0 67.5 0 10,600 0 10,600 Connecticut

............. 327 0 25.9 0 25.8 67.5 43.1 4.26 0 222 2,750 673 2,800 3,470 Delaware

................. 37.3 0 17.1 0 0 98.1 0 0.46 0 8.35 468 161 468 629 District of Columbia 0 0 0.06 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.06 0 0.06 Florida

..................... 287 0 1,500 2.49 0 53.5 0 38.2 0 639 9,600 2,500 9,620 12,100
Georgia

.................... 979 0 227 30.1 51.4 315 0 9.43 0 1,980 317 3,600 317 3,910 Hawaii

..................... 17.7 6.92 249 1.35 2.69 0 0 0.12 0 0 619 278 619 897 Idaho

....................... 30.4 0 11,500 10.1 3,010 19.2 0 21.2 0 0 0 14,600 0 14,600 Illinois

..................... 1,280 0 19.6 0.03 30.5 299 0 62.1 0 12,000 0 13,700 0 13,700 Indiana

..................... 341 0 43.4 14.6 2.21 2,380 0 93.9 0 6,010 0 8,880 0 8,880

Iowa

......................... 94.5 0 1.32 37.9 4.99 3.03 0 87.5 0 2,480 0 2,710 0 2,710 Kansas

..................... 259 0 179 25.8 9.61 7.61 0 4.46 0 410 0 897 0 897 Kentucky

................. 562 15.1 30.7 46.6 37.6 164 0 25.7 0 3,740 0 4,630 0 4,630 Louisiana

................. 413 0 289 4.35 127 2,050 0 6.66 0 4,920 1.88 7,810 1.88 7,810 Maine

...................... 71.3 0 9.83 0.65 23.7 208 16.6 4.18 0 29.0 29.1 347 45.8 392
Maryland

................. 785 0 20.9 2.50 17.6 43.3 164 2.44 0 486 6,460 1,360 6,630 7,980 Massachusetts

......... 548 0 24.0 0.56 47.6 13.5 0 5.36 0 150 2,160 788 2,170 2,950 Michigan

................. 990 0 70.1 2.13 88.0 602 0 74.0 0 9,540 0 11,400 0 11,400 Minnesota

................ 211 0 29.9 0 17.0 80.4 0 310 0 2,810 0 3,460 0 3,460 Mississippi

.............. 51.9 0 149 12.4 21.6 140 0 0.62 0 1,020 70.0 1,390 70.0 1,460

Missouri

.................. 609 0 55.6 61.0 191 38.3 0 9.43 0 6,610 0 7,570 0 7,570 Montana

.................. 81.1 1.17 7,880 33.0 18.4 33.1 0 29.3 0 168 0 8,250 0 8,250 Nebraska

................. 68.8 0 1,520 23.7 92.1 2.61 0 9.83 0 2,010 0 3,730 0 3,730 Nevada

.................... 502 0 1,030 0 43.5 5.08 0 4.61 0 4.13 0 1,590 0 1,590 New Hampshire

...... 63.4 0 0.75 0.25 9.51 7.91 0 3.18 0 225 951 310 951 1,260
New Jersey

.............. 765 0 78.5 0 0 54.4 0 7.75 0 574 4,190 1,480 4,190 5,670 New Mexico

............ 81.1 0 1,640 3.40 4.84 0.93 0 10.9 0 47.4 0 1,780 0 1,780 New York

................ 2,020 0 45.0 8.97 41.3 354 0 71.8 0 3,090 5,430 5,630 5,430 11,100 North Carolina

........ 858 0 312 16.8 1,630 210 0 5.46 0 8,580 1,530 11,600 1,530 13,100 North Dakota

........... 42.9 0 97.8 9.66 6.64 14.5 0 5.19 0 938 0 1,110 0 1,110

Ohio

......................... 1,030 3.08 39.7 18.2 21.3 328 0 40.2 0 8,060 0 9,540 0 9,540 Oklahoma

................ 591 0 151 63.1 8.33 16.0 0 14.9 0 431 0 1,270 0 1,270 Oregon

..................... 471 7.93 3,750 15.7 761 138 0 1.31 0 12.6 0 5,160 0 5,160 Pennsylvania

........... 1,340 0 22.1 7.57 66.9 888 0 11.8 0 6,040 0 8,380 0 8,380 Rhode Island

........... 103 0 0.44 0.01 9.98 3.76 0 0.55 0 1.61 260 110 270 380

South Carolina

........ 565 0 64.4 7.61 10.1 409 0 1.95 0 6,160 0 7,220 0 7,220 South Dakota

........... 56.0 0 185 31.7 26.4 2.95 0 12.3 0 7.77 0 322 0 322 Tennessee

................ 692 0 31.0 15.1 41.7 817 0 8.67 0 6,500 0 8,100 0 8,100 Texas

....................... 3,200 0 1,940 143 24.9 641 682 91.0 0.55 11,700 741 17,700 1,430 19,200 Utah

......................... 346 0 3,060 9.82 0 18.4 37.1 1.79 229 51.1 0.53 3,480 267 3,750

Vermont

................... 32.7 0 1.88 1.58 5.56 4.14 0 3.96 0 386 0 436 0 436 Virginia

.................... 666 0 50.8 23.4 320 346 62.9 31.8 0 3,200 3,530 4,640 3,590 8,230 Washington

.............. 492 0.02 2,630 9.58 142 402 37.1 3.77 0 40.8 0 3,720 37.1 3,760 West Virginia

........... 174 0.71 0.04 3.83 45.5 817 0 10.1 0 2,770 0 3,820 0 3,820 Wisconsin

................ 247 0 138 8.18 33.9 428 0 9.67 0 5,190 0 6,060 0 6,060
Wyoming

................. 53.3 0 4,410 11.6 21.0 2.04 0 14.6 0 68.4 0 4,580 0 4,580 Puerto Rico

.............. 661 0 17.6 2.51 0.45 0 0 0.20 0 2.93 2,540 685 2,540 3,230 U.S. Virgin Islands

.. 5.55 2.99 0 0.01 0 0 2.94 0 0.04 0.19 130 3.19 139 142

TOTAL 29,500 71.7 73,900 893 8,530 13,500 1,050 1,270 316 130,000 49,100 258,000 50,500 309,000

## 14 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

**Table 4 A** 

**.** Groundwater withdrawals by water-use category , 2010, in million gallons per day. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Public**  **supply Self**  **supplied domestic**  **Irrigation Live**  **stock Aqua**  **culture Self-supplied**  **industrial Mining**  **Thermoelectric power**  **Total**

**Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total** Alabama

.................... 280 38.0 84.9 11.7 32.4 34.0 0 12.7 0 0 0 494 0 494 Alaska

....................... 27.2 14.1 1.57 0.10 429 3.38 0 0.01 144 2.19 0 478 144 622 Arizona

...................... 585 27.2 1,690 27.0 39.5 12.9 0 86.6 0 77.3 0 2,550 0 2,550 Arkansas

.................... 134 12.8 7,380 15.6 181 56.1 5.05 0.18 0 4.26 0 7,780 5.05 7,790 California

.................. 2,830 142 8,690 84.4 171 399 0 24.1 236 33.1 48.4 12,300 369 12,700

Colorado

.................... 130 37.9 1,300 25.1 23.0 3.45 0 5.46 19.4 16.8 0 1,540 19.4 1,560 Connecticut

............... 135 65.4 0.85 1.01 6.67 6.28 0 0.92 0 0 0 216 0 216 Delaware

................... 44.8 14.8 86.1 1.31 0.06 8.43 0 0.44 0 0.37 0 156 0 156 District of Columbia 0 0 0.05 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.05 0 0.05 Florida

....................... 2,010 214 1,580 19.1 1.86 165 0 78.8 0 43.5 6.54 3,970 154 4,120
Georgia

...................... 243 115 636 2.38 3.92 206 0 19.3 0 2.92 0 1,230 0 1,230 Hawaii

....................... 258 1.85 101 0.63 2.14 4.63 0 1.40 0 53.2 50.8 423 50.8 474 Idaho

......................... 212 79.0 3,820 38.5 65.6 32.6 0 1.28 0 0.88 0 4,250 0 4,250 Illinois

....................... 367 92.4 208 36.0 4.78 124 0 15.5 25.5 5.65 0 853 25.5 879 Indiana

....................... 351 126 98.4 26.2 6.60 82.2 0 4.52 0 24.6 0 720 0 720

Iowa

........................... 309 38.4 41.6 102 14.4 123 0 1.53 0 21.2 0 650 0 650 Kansas

....................... 160 14.9 2,880 91.0 4.37 33.5 0 9.34 0 11.2 0 3,200 0 3,200 Kentucky

................... 71.0 19.7 1.65 2.21 0.53 81.4 0 7.80 0 15.3 0 199 0 199 Louisiana

................... 378 47.0 670 4.15 197 231 0 5.32 0 41.1 0 1,570 0 1,570 Maine

........................ 27.7 33.0 2.51 1.71 25.8 6.54 0 1.14 0 0.96 0 99.4 0 99.4
Maryland

................... 89.2 85.6 53.4 6.02 5.06 11.3 0 7.25 0 2.25 0 260 0 260 Massachusetts

........... 191 37.9 118 0.90 7.23 4.28 0 1.82 0 0.21 0 361 0 361 Michigan

................... 204 231 147 17.7 4.21 75.0 0 10.1 0.57 4.12 0 693 0.57 694 Minnesota

.................. 353 79.0 171 59.3 1.69 61.8 0 8.32 0 2.34 0 736 0 736 Mississippi

................ 349 44.6 1,960 7.35 113 77.8 0 8.23 12.6 50.0 7.05 2,610 19.6 2,630

Missouri

.................... 293 61.8 1,350 18.4 10.5 34.3 0 24.4 0 19.9 0 1,810 0 1,810 Montana

.................... 65.6 21.2 127 12.4 2.45 36.9 0 1.73 18.6 0.85 0 268 18.6 286 Nebraska

................... 234 44.0 4,300 93.0 6.07 28.8 0 0.09 0.13 5.25 0 4,710 0.13 4,710 Nevada

...................... 133 29.8 653 5.06 10.6 0.70 0 341 0.95 17.9 11.0 1,190 11.9 1,200 New Hampshire

........ 34.7 33.3 1.25 0.67 8.09 10.6 0 0.01 0 1.02 0 89.7 0 89.7
New Jersey

................ 398 98.3 67.6 0.98 9.16 34.8 0 1.73 0 1.57 0 612 0 612 New Mexico

.............. 211 25.8 1,240 32.8 15.8 10.3 0 27.4 0 9.59 0 1,570 0 1,570 New York

.................. 457 152 30.2 14.6 3.36 35.9 0 8.34 0 2.39 0 704 0 704 North Carolina

.......... 194 231 88.3 56.9 11.5 83.8 0 27.8 0 0.37 0 694 0 694 North Dakota

............. 30.5 3.68 77.5 12.9 0 5.77 0 8.73 13.6 0 0 139 13.6 153

Ohio

........................... 455 134 17.2 7.70 15.4 197 0 79.0 0 23.0 0 929 0 929 Oklahoma

.................. 130 26.8 429 32.5 3.25 6.46 0 4.75 1,400 1.26 0 635 1,400 2,030 Oregon

....................... 114 60.0 1,910 3.00 33.4 2.62 0 7.47 0 1.48 0 2,130 0 2,130 Pennsylvania

............. 226 201 7.39 45.6 47.9 73.8 0 51.4 0 4.49 0 657 0 657 Rhode Island

............. 15.8 8.02 2.30 0.17 5.60 4.17 0 0.43 0 0 0 36.5 0 36.5

South Carolina

.......... 114 115 67.7 5.23 2.00 22.7 0 6.69 0 4.86 0 339 0 339 South Dakota

............. 74.3 5.37 198 19.1 24.8 6.85 0 7.22 0 3.34 0 339 0 339 Tennessee

.................. 301 38.7 44.3 14.0 15.4 47.6 0 6.89 0 1.78 0 470 0 470 Texas

......................... 1,130 259 5,100 131 9.13 108 2.04 122 810 38.8 0 6,830 884 7,710 Utah

........................... 364 8.44 494 7.77 97.1 31.2 37.5 2.59 41.6 24.0 10.5 1,030 92.6 1,120

Vermont

..................... 14.0 13.6 0.77 4.22 5.97 2.00 0 0.32 0 0.74 0 41.6 0 41.6 Virginia

...................... 71.0 124 16.0 6.52 9.39 74.2 0.02 6.56 0 1.55 0 299 9.97 309 Washington

................ 471 113 798 19.2 86.4 99.4 0 13.4 0 1.57 0 1,600 0 1,600 West Virginia

............. 34.2 30.9 0.05 1.66 11.7 35.1 3.80 5.53 1.02 1.40 0 121 4.82 125 Wisconsin

.................. 261 78.4 256 65.8 25.5 54.3 0 10.9 0 2.78 0 754 0 754
Wyoming

................... 51.5 8.55 437 6.14 2.10 4.92 0 37.1 67.1 2.29 0 550 67.1 617 Puerto Rico

................ 87.3 2.41 22.4 5.57 0.01 4.30 0 1.43 0.32 1.17 0 125 0.32 125 U.S. Virgin Islands

.... 0.91 0 0 0.01 0 0.22 0 0 0 0 0 1.14 0 1.14

TOTAL 15,700 3,540 49,500 1,200 1,820 2,900 48.4 1,120 2,790 587 134 76,000 3,290 79,300

## Total Water Use **15**

**Table 4 B** 

**.** Groundwater withdrawals by water-use category , 2010, in thousand acre-feet per year. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Public**  **supply Self**  **supplied domestic**  **Irrigation Live**  **stock Aqua**  **culture Self-supplied**  **industrial Mining**  **Thermoelectric power**  **Total**

**Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total** Alabama

.................... 314 42.6 95.2 13.1 36.4 38.1 0 14.3 0 0 0 554 0 554 Alaska

....................... 30.5 15.9 1.76 0.11 481 3.79 0 0.01 162 2.45 0 536 162 698 Arizona

...................... 656 30.5 1,900 30.2 44.3 14.5 0 97.1 0 86.6 0 2,860 0 2,860 Arkansas

.................... 150 14.4 8,270 17.4 203 62.9 5.66 0.20 0 4.78 0 8,720 5.66 8,730 California

.................. 3,170 160 9,740 94.6 192 448 0 27.0 265 37.1 54.3 13,800 413 14,200

Colorado

.................... 146 42.5 1,450 28.1 25.8 3.87 0 6.12 21.8 18.8 0 1,720 21.8 1,750 Connecticut

............... 151 73.3 0.95 1.13 7.48 7.04 0 1.03 0 0 0 242 0 242 Delaware

................... 50.2 16.6 96.5 1.47 0.07 9.45 0 0.49 0 0.41 0 175 0 175 District of Columbia 0 0 0.06 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.06 0 0.06 Florida

....................... 2,260 240 1,770 21.4 2.09 185 0 88.3 0 48.7 7.33 4,450 173 4,620
Georgia

...................... 272 129 713 2.67 4.39 231 0 21.6 0 3.27 0 1,380 0 1,380 Hawaii

....................... 289 2.07 113 0.71 2.40 5.19 0 1.57 0 59.6 56.9 474 56.9 531 Idaho

......................... 237 88.6 4,280 43.2 73.6 36.5 0 1.43 0 0.99 0 4,760 0 4,760 Illinois

....................... 411 104 233 40.4 5.36 139 0 17.4 28.6 6.33 0 956 28.6 985 Indiana

....................... 394 141 110 29.4 7.40 92.1 0 5.07 0 27.5 0 807 0 807

Iowa

........................... 346 43.0 46.7 114 16.2 137 0 1.72 0 23.7 0 729 0 729 Kansas

....................... 179 16.7 3,230 102 4.90 37.6 0 10.5 0 12.5 0 3,590 0 3,590 Kentucky

................... 79.5 22.1 1.85 2.48 0.59 91.2 0 8.74 0 17.2 0 224 0 224 Louisiana

................... 424 52.7 751 4.65 221 259 0 5.96 0 46.0 0 1,760 0 1,760 Maine

........................ 31.0 37.0 2.81 1.92 28.9 7.33 0 1.28 0 1.08 0 111 0 111
Maryland

................... 100 95.9 59.9 6.75 5.67 12.7 0 8.13 0 2.52 0 292 0 292 Massachusetts

........... 214 42.5 132 1.01 8.10 4.80 0 2.04 0 0.24 0 404 0 404 Michigan

................... 229 259 164 19.9 4.72 84.1 0 11.4 0.64 4.62 0 777 0.64 778 Minnesota

.................. 396 88.5 191 66.5 1.89 69.3 0 9.33 0 2.62 0 826 0 826 Mississippi

................ 391 50.0 2,200 8.24 127 87.2 0 9.23 14.1 56.1 7.90 2,930 22.0 2,950

Missouri

.................... 328 69.3 1,520 20.6 11.7 38.4 0 27.4 0 22.3 0 2,030 0 2,030 Montana

.................... 73.5 23.8 142 13.8 2.75 41.3 0 1.94 20.9 0.95 0 300 20.9 321 Nebraska

................... 263 49.3 4,820 104 6.80 32.3 0 0.1 0.15 5.89 0 5,280 0.15 5,280 Nevada

...................... 149 33.4 732 5.67 11.9 0.78 0 383 1.06 20.1 12.3 1,340 13.4 1,350 New Hampshire

........ 38.9 37.4 1.40 0.75 9.07 11.9 0 0.01 0 1.14 0 101 0 101
New Jersey

................ 446 110 75.8 1.10 10.3 39.0 0 1.94 0 1.76 0 686 0 686 New Mexico

.............. 236 28.9 1,390 36.7 17.7 11.5 0 30.7 0 10.8 0 1,760 0 1,760 New York

.................. 512 171 33.9 16.3 3.77 40.2 0 9.35 0 2.68 0 789 0 789 North Carolina

.......... 218 259 98.9 63.8 12.9 94.0 0 31.1 0 0.41 0 778 0 778 North Dakota

............. 34.2 4.13 86.9 14.5 0 6.47 0 9.79 15.3 0 0 156 15.3 171

Ohio

........................... 510 151 19.2 8.63 17.2 221 0 88.6 0 25.8 0 1,040 0 1,040 Oklahoma

.................. 146 30.1 481 36.4 3.64 7.24 0 5.32 1,570 1.41 0 712 1,570 2,280 Oregon

....................... 128 67.3 2,140 3.36 37.4 2.94 0 8.37 0 1.66 0 2,390 0 2,390 Pennsylvania

............. 254 225 8.28 51.1 53.7 82.7 0 57.7 0 5.03 0 737 0 737 Rhode Island

............. 17.7 8.99 2.58 0.19 6.28 4.67 0 0.48 0 0 0 40.9 0 40.9

South Carolina

.......... 128 129 75.9 5.86 2.24 25.5 0 7.50 0 5.45 0 380 0 380 South Dakota

............. 83.3 6.02 221 21.4 27.9 7.68 0 8.09 0 3.74 0 380 0 380 Tennessee

.................. 337 43.4 49.6 15.8 17.3 53.3 0 7.72 0 2.00 0 526 0 526 Texas

......................... 1,270 290 5,710 147 10.2 121 2.29 136 908 43.5 0 7,650 991 8,640 Utah

........................... 408 9.46 554 8.71 109 34.9 42.1 2.90 46.6 26.9 11.7 1,150 104 1,250

Vermont

..................... 15.6 15.3 0.86 4.73 6.69 2.24 0 0.36 0 0.83 0 46.6 0 46.6 Virginia

...................... 79.6 139 18.0 7.31 10.5 83.2 0.02 7.35 0 1.74 0 335 11.2 346 Washington

................ 528 126 894 21.5 96.9 111 0 15.0 0 1.76 0 1,800 0 1,800 West Virginia

............. 38.3 34.6 0.06 1.86 13.1 39.4 4.26 6.20 1.14 1.57 0 135 5.40 141 Wisconsin

.................. 292 87.8 287 73.7 28.6 60.9 0 12.3 0 3.12 0 845 0 845
Wyoming

................... 57.7 9.58 490 6.88 2.35 5.52 0 41.6 75.2 2.57 0 616 75.2 692 Puerto Rico

................ 97.9 2.70 25.1 6.24 0.01 4.82 0 1.60 0.36 1.31 0 140 0.36 140 U.S. Virgin Islands

.... 1.02 0 0 0.01 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 1.28 0 1.28

TOTAL 17,600 3,970 55,400 1,350 2,030 3,250 54.3 1,250 3,130 658 150 85,200 3,690 88,900

## Figure 2. Total water withdrawals by State and barchart showing categories by State from west to east, 2010. **EXPLANATION Water withdrawals,**  **in million gallons per day**  0 to 2,000 2,001 to 5,000 5,001 to 10,000 10,001 to 20,000 20,001 to 38,000



## Figure 2. Total withdrawals Louisiana New Hampshire

Florida Idaho Washington

Oregon

Nevada
California

New Mexico

Texas Utah

Arizona Nebraska North Dakota Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Oklahoma Kansas South Dakota

Arkansas Missouri

Georgia Michigan
Iowa

Alabama Tennessee Mississippi North Carolina Wisconsin Minnesota

Indiana Illinois

Kentucky

South Carolina Ohio
West Virginia Virginia Maryland District of Columbia Delaware Massachusetts Maine

New York Pennsylvania New Jersey Connecticut Rhode Island Vermont

Alaska Hawaii

Puerto Rico L a k e S

u p e r

i o r

L a k e M i c h i g a n

L a k e O

n t a r i o

L a k e E r i e L a k e H u r o n

U.S. Virgin Islands 

## Total withdrawals

0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000



### Public supply **Other Irrigation**  **Industrial Thermoelectric power** 



## EXPLANATION

Hawaii

Alaska

Oregon Washington California Nevada Idaho

Arizona Utah Montana

Wyoming New Mexico Colorado North Dakota

South Dakota Nebraska Texas

Kansas

Oklahoma

Minnesota Iowa Missouri

Louisiana

Arkansas

Wisconsin

Mississippi Illinois Alabama

Tennessee Indiana

Kentucky

Michigan Georgia Ohio

Florida South Carolina

West Virginia

North Carolina Virginia Pennsylvania Maryland D.C. New York

Delaware

New Jersey

Connecticut Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island New Hampshire Maine Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin IslandsTotal withdrawals, in million gallons per day WEST EAST 

## 16 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

## Figure 3. Surface-water and groundwater, and freshwater and saline-water withdrawals, 2010. **Freshwater withdrawals Saline-water withdrawals** 



## Figure 3. Total withdrawals surface water/groundwater **Surface-water withdrawals Groundwater withdrawals** 

**EXPLANATION Water withdrawals, in million**  **gallons per day** 0 >0 to 2,000 2,001 to 5,000 5,001 to 10,000 10,001 to 20,000 20,001 to 31,200 

### EXPLANATION **Water withdrawals, in million gallons per day**  0 to 2,000 2,001 to 5,000 5,001 to 10,000 10,001 to 20,000 20,001 to 38,000 

## Total Water Use **17**

## Public supply water tanks, Yuma, Arizona. Photo by Saeid Tadayon, USGS.**12 percent** 

## 18 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**



# 42,000 million gallons per day 

# Public Supply

Public supply refers to water withdrawn by public and private water suppliers that provide water to at least 25 people or have a minimum of 15 connections. Public-supply water is delivered to users for domestic, commercial, and industrial purposes, and also is used for public services and system losses.Approximately 42,000 Mgal/d (table 5), or 47,100 thousand acre-ft/yr (table 2 B ), of water were withdrawn for public supply in 2010. This amount is 5 percent less than the esti

mated amount of water withdrawn for public supply in 2005. Public supply represents about 14 percent of total freshwater withdrawals and 22 percent of all withdrawals excluding thermo electric power. In some States, public-supply water sources include desalinated seawater or brackish ground

water that has been treated to reduce dissolved solids. A combined total of 23.5 Mgal/d saline surface-water withdrawals for public-supply use were reported in Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Massachusetts, and Texas. A combined total of 317 Mgal/d saline groundwater withdrawals for public-supply use were identified in Florida, California, Texas, Virginia, and Utah. Because these saline withdrawals were identified for only seven States and represent less than 1 percent of total public-supply withdrawals, they are not listed separately in table 5 but were included in the calculations.An estimated 268 million people relied on publicsupply water for their household use in 2010. This number represents about 86 percent of the total U.S. population. About 35 percent of all public-supply withdrawals were in the four States with the largest populations: California, Texas, New York, and Florida (fig. 4). Sixty-three percent of water withdrawn for public supply in 2010 was from surface sources, such as lakes and streams; the other 37 percent was from groundwater. Five States—California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois—each withdrew more than 1,000 Mgal/d of surface water for public supply in 2010 and together accounted for 40 percent of the total surface-water withdrawals for public supply. In 36 States, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, surface-water sources provided more than half of the total public-supply withdrawals. Three States — California, Florida, and Texas — each withdrew more than 1,000 Mgal/d of groundwater for public supply in 2010 and accounted for 38 percent of total groundwater withdrawals for public supply. States that relied on groundwater for 75 percent or more of their public-supply withdrawals were Hawaii, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Nebraska, and Iowa. Most of the public-supply withdrawals are delivered to customers for domestic, commercial, and industrial needs. Part of the total is used for public services, such as public pools, parks, firefighting, water and wastewater treatment, and municipal buildings, and some is unaccounted for because of leaks, flushing, tower maintenance, and other system losses. Domestic deliveries represent the largest single component of public-supply withdrawals, averaging 57 percent of the total nationally.Estimates of publicsupply deliveries to domestic use, representing indoor and outdoor water uses at occupied residences, are identified in table 5. Estimates for commercial and industrial deliveries, public use, and system losses were not available for all States and, therefore, are included in table 5 as an aggregate number. Methods for estimating public-supply withdrawals, source of water, population served, and domestic deliveries varied by State. Common sources of information about withdrawals by source included data collected from water suppliers by State water regulatory agencies or through surveys. Estimates of the population served by public supply were derived using various sources, including reports from State agencies, the EPA SDWIS database, U.S. Census data, and information on service connections from public suppliers. Methods forestimating domestic deliveries included surveys of publicsupply sales information, calculations using coefficients for per capita use, and development of average percentages of deliveries to various customer categories.

## Public Supply **19**

**Table 5.** Public-supply water withdrawals, 2010. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding; Mgal/d, million gallons per day; n/a, not applicable]

**State Population (in thousands)**  **Withdrawals (in Mgal/d) Public-supply deliveries** 

**Total Served by public supply**  **By source Total**  **Domestic use (in Mgal/d)**  **Domestic use (in percent)**  **All other uses and system**  **losses (in Mgal/d) Population**  **Population (in percent)**  **Ground water**  **Surface water**  Alabama

.................... 4,780 4,240 89 280 551 831 327 39 504 Alaska

....................... 710 450 63 27.2 51.8 79.0 49.2 62 29.9 Arizona

...................... 6,390 6,170 97 585 628 1,210 912 75 301 Arkansas

.................... 2,920 2,770 95 134 295 429 295 69 133 California

.................. 37,300 34,800 93 2,830 3,470 6,300 3,870 61 2,430

Colorado

.................... 5,030 4,720 94 130 717 848 521 61 327 Connecticut

............... 3,570 2,700 76 135 292 427 203 47 224 Delaware

................... 898 713 79 44.8 33.3 78.1 57.0 73 21.0 District of Columbia 602 602 100 0 0 0 74.9 n/a n/a Florida

....................... 18,800 16,900 90 2,010 256 2,270 1,430 63 838 Georgia

...................... 9,690 8,160 84 243 873 1,120 651 58 465 Hawaii

....................... 1,360 1,300 96 258 15.8 274 188 69 86.0 Idaho

......................... 1,570 1,140 72 212 27.1 239 184 77 54.2 Illinois

....................... 12,800 11,700 91 367 1,140 1,500 934 62 571 Indiana

....................... 6,480 4,830 74 351 304 656 367 56 289

Iowa

........................... 3,050 2,450 81 309 84.3 393 160 41 233 Kansas

....................... 2,850 2,700 95 160 231 391 194 50 197 Kentucky

................... 4,340 3,680 85 71.0 501 572 257 45 315 Louisiana

................... 4,530 3,950 87 378 368 746 426 57 321 Maine

........................ 1,330 768 58 27.7 63.6 91.3 39.4 43 51.9 Maryland

................... 5,770 4,700 81 89.2 701 790 506 64 283 Massachusetts

........... 6,550 6,010 92 191 489 679 385 57 294 Michigan

................... 9,880 7,210 73 204 883 1,090 548 50 540 Minnesota

.................. 5,300 4,180 79 353 188 542 248 46 294 Mississippi

................ 2,970 2,520 85 349 46.3 395 252 64 143

Missouri

.................... 5,990 5,110 85 293 543 836 467 56 369 Montana

.................... 989 704 71 65.6 72.4 138 83.2 60 54.7 Nebraska

................... 1,830 1,480 81 234 61.4 296 130 44 165 Nevada

...................... 2,700 2,540 94 133 448 581 331 57 250 New Hampshire

........ 1,320 871 66 34.7 56.6 91.2 58.6 64 32.6
New Jersey

................ 8,790 7,830 89 398 682 1,080 605 56 475 New Mexico

.............. 2,060 1,760 85 211 72.4 283 160 57 123 New York

.................. 19,400 17,300 89 457 1,810 2,260 1,370 61 889 North Carolina

.......... 9,540 6,230 65 194 766 960 436 45 524 North Dakota

............. 673 623 93 30.5 38.3 68.8 49.9 72 19.0

Ohio

........................... 11,500 9,710 84 455 918 1,370 619 45 755 Oklahoma

.................. 3,750 3,440 92 130 527 657 292 44 365 Oregon

....................... 3,830 3,220 84 114 420 534 365 68 169 Pennsylvania

............. 12,700 9,360 74 226 1,200 1,420 548 38 877 Rhode Island

............. 1,050 940 89 15.8 92.2 108 67.6 63 40.4

South Carolina

.......... 4,630 3,470 75 114 504 619 347 56 271 South Dakota

............. 814 739 91 74.3 49.9 124 70.7 57 53.5 Tennessee

.................. 6,350 5,810 92 301 618 918 470 51 448 Texas

......................... 25,100 22,700 90 1,130 2,860 3,990 2,050 51 1,940 Utah

........................... 2,760 2,710 98 364 309 673 453 67 220

Vermont

..................... 626 444 71 14.0 29.2 43.1 26.3 61 16.8 Virginia

...................... 8,000 6,350 79 71.0 594 665 476 72 188 Washington

................ 6,720 5,720 85 471 439 910 634 70 276 West Virginia

............. 1,850 1,460 79 34.2 155 189 117 62 72.4 Wisconsin

.................. 5,690 4,040 71 261 221 481 211 44 270 Wyoming

................... 564 450 80 51.5 47.5 99.0 72.9 74 26.1 Puerto Rico

................ 3,730 3,690 99 87.3 590 677 230 34 447 U.S. Virgin Islands

.... 106 69.0 65 0.91 4.95 5.86 3.67 63 2.19

TOTAL 313,000 268,000 86 15,700 26,300 42,000 23,800 57 18,200

## Figure 4. Public-supply withdrawals by source and State, 2010. **EXPLANATION Water withdrawals,**  **in million gallons per day**  0 to 200 201 to 500 501 to 1,000 1,001 to 2,000 2,001 to 6,300 Louisiana New Hampshire

Florida Idaho Washington

Oregon

Nevada
California

New Mexico

Texas Utah

Arizona Nebraska North Dakota Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Oklahoma Kansas South Dakota

Arkansas Missouri

Georgia Michigan
Iowa

Alabama Tennessee Mississippi North Carolina Wisconsin Minnesota

Indiana Illinois

Kentucky

South Carolina Ohio

West Virginia Virginia Massachusetts Maine

New York Pennsylvania Connecticut Rhode Island Vermont

Alaska Hawaii Maryland Delaware New Jersey District of Columbia L a k e S

u p e r

i o r

L a k e M i c h i g a n
L a k e O

n t a r i o

L a k e E r i e L a k e H u r o n

Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands 

## Total withdrawals

**Surface-water withdrawals Groundwater withdrawals** Total withdrawals, inmillion gallons per day

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000

Hawaii

Alaska

Oregon Washington California Nevada Idaho

Arizona Utah Montana

Wyoming New Mexico Colorado North Dakota

South Dakota Nebraska Texas

Kansas

Oklahoma

Minnesota Iowa Missouri

Louisiana

Arkansas

Wisconsin

Mississippi Illinois Alabama

Tennessee Indiana

Kentucky

Michigan Georgia Ohio

Florida South Carolina

West Virginia

North Carolina Virginia Pennsylvania Maryland D.C. New York

Delaware

New Jersey

Connecticut Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island New Hampshire Maine Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands WEST EAST



## Figuire 4. Public supply 

## 20 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

## Figure 5. Total domestic water use from public-supply deliveries and self-supplied withdrawals, 2010. Self-supplied withdrawals 3,600 Mgal/d 13 percent

Public-supply deliveries 23,800 Mgal/d

87 percent**1 percent** 

## Domestic **21**



# 3,600 million gallons per day (self-supplied) **23,800 million gallons per day (public-supply deliveries)** 

# Domestic

Domestic water use includes indoor and outdoor uses at residences. Common indoor water uses are drinking, food preparation, washing clothes and dishes, and flushing toilets. Common outdoor uses are watering lawns and gardens or maintaining pools, ponds, or other landscape features in a domestic environment. Domestic water is either self-supplied or provided by public suppliers. Self-supplied domestic water use is typically withdrawn from a private source, such as a well, or captured as rainwater in a cistern. Domestic deliveries are provided to homes by public suppliers. Figure 5 illus

trates the proportions of total domestic waterfrom public-supply deliveries and selfsupply domestic withdrawals. Table 6 lists the estimated self-supplied and public-supplied population in each State, as well as the amounts used by each segment of the population for domestic needs and the respective per capita use in gallons per day (gallons per capita daily, gpcd). Domestic self-supplied withdrawals and public-supplied deliveries also are combined in table 6 to show the total estimated domestic use in 2010 and the weighted per capita use in gallons per day calcu

lated for all domestic use. An estimated 44.5 million people in the United States, or 14 percent of the population, provided their own water for domestic use in 2010. These self-supplied with

drawals were estimated at 3,600 Mgal/d (4,040 thousand acre-ft/yr), or about 1 percent of total withdrawals for all uses in 2010. Nearly all (98 percent) of these self-supplied with

drawals were from fresh groundwater sources. Self-supplied domestic withdrawals are rarely metered or reported; typi

cally this usage is calculated by multiplying an estimate of the popu lation not served by public supply by a coefficient for daily per capita use. For some States, these coefficients were county-specific averages derived from observed residential water use and population estimates in nearby areas served by public suppliers. Other States used the same coefficient for all counties, commonly one used by State regulatory or planning agencies. Self-supplied domestic per capita use ranged from 48 gpcd in Wisconsin to 189 gpcd in Nevada. Generally, per capita use is least in the Northern and Eastern States and greatest in the Mountain and Western States where outdoorwatering is more common. The national average selfsupplied domestic per capita use in 2010 was 81 gpcd (table 6). The majority of people in the United States used water provided by public

suppliers. Domestic deliveries by public water suppliers totaled 23,800 Mgal/d in 2010 and represented water provided to 268 million people at single-family and multifamily dwellings. Per capita water use for domestic deliveries ranged from 51 gpcd in Maine to 167 gpcd in Utah. The national average was 89 gpcd for public-supplied domestic water use. This per capita usage is less than the rate of 101 gpcd observed in 1995 and 100 gpcd in 2005. Domestic deliveries from public supply were not compiled nationally in 2000. Combined self-supplied domestic withdrawals and public-supply deliveries totaled 27,400 Mgal/d in 2010, and the national average per capita usage was 88 gpcd. The corresponding average per capita use for total domestic use in 2005 was 98 gpcd. The geographic distribution of total domestic water use by State is shown in figure 6 A . Self-supplied domestic population in each State, in thousands of people and as a percentage of total State population, are shown in figure 6 B . Self-supplied domestic populations were largest in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Michigan. States with the largest percentages of theirpopulation that were selfsupplied were Maine, Alaska, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Domestic water use in the bathroom (left, photo used with permission from Tyrrell and Laning International, Inc.) and in the kitchen (right, photos from Wikimedia Commons).

## 22 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

**Table 6.** Domestic water withdrawals and deliveries, 2010. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding; Mgal/d, million gallons per day; gal/d, gallons per day]

**State Self-supplied domestic**  **Public supply Total use** **Self supplied**  **population (in thou** 

**** **sands) Percent**  **of total popula** 

****

**tion Withdrawals (in Mgal/d)**  **Self supplied**  **per capita**
**use (in gal/d)**  **Population served**  **(in thou**

  ** sands)** **Public supply**  **deliveries to domestic use**  **(in Mgal/d) Public**  **supply per capita** 
**use (in gal/d)**  **Total population**  **(in thou**

  ** sands)** **Water use (withdrawals**  **and deliveries,**  **in Mgal/d) Total**  **domestic per capita** 
**use (in gal/d)**  **By source Total** **Ground water**  **Surface water**  Alabama

.................... 539 11 38.0 0 38.0 70 4,240 327 77 4,780 365 76 Alaska

....................... 260 37 14.1 0.66 14.8 57 450 49.2 109 710 64.0 90 Arizona

...................... 218 3 27.2 0 27.2 125 6,170 912 148 6,390 939 147 Arkansas

.................... 144 5 12.8 0 12.8 89 2,770 295 107 2,920 308 106 California

.................. 2,480 7 142 29.4 172 69 34,800 3,870 111 37,300 4,040 108

Colorado

.................... 312 6 37.9 0 37.9 122 4,720 521 110 5,030 559 111 Connecticut

............... 871 24 65.4 0 65.4 75 2,700 203 75 3,570 268 75 Delaware

................... 185 21 14.8 0 14.8 80 713 57.0 80 898 71.8 80 District of Columbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 602 74.9 125 602 74.9 125 Florida

....................... 1,910 10 214 0 214 112 16,900 1,430 85 18,800 1,640 87 Georgia

...................... 1,530 16 115 0 115 75 8,160 651 80 9,690 765 79 Hawaii

....................... 55.7 4 1.85 6.17 8.02 144 1,300 188 144 1,360 196 144 Idaho

......................... 432 28 79.0 0 79.0 183 1,140 184 162 1,570 263 168 Illinois

....................... 1,160 9 92.4 0 92.4 80 11,700 934 80 12,800 1,030 80 Indiana

....................... 1,660 26 126 0 126 76 4,830 367 76 6,480 493 76

Iowa

........................... 591 19 38.4 0 38.4 65 2,450 160 65 3,050 198 65 Kansas

....................... 151 5 14.9 0 14.9 99 2,700 194 72 2,850 209 73 Kentucky

................... 664 15 19.7 13.5 33.2 50 3,680 257 70 4,340 290 67 Louisiana

................... 588 13 47.0 0 47.0 80 3,950 426 108 4,530 473 104 Maine

........................ 561 42 33.0 0 33.0 59 768 39.4 51 1,330 72.4 55 Maryland

................... 1,070 19 85.6 0 85.6 80 4,700 506 108 5,770 592 103 Massachusetts

........... 534 8 37.9 0 37.9 71 6,010 385 64 6,550 423 65 Michigan

................... 2,680 27 231 0 231 86 7,210 548 76 9,880 779 79 Minnesota

.................. 1,130 21 79.0 0 79.0 70 4,180 248 59 5,300 327 62 Mississippi

................ 446 15 44.6 0 44.6 100 2,520 252 100 2,970 297 100

Missouri

.................... 883 15 61.8 0 61.8 70 5,110 467 91 5,990 529 88 Montana

.................... 285 29 21.2 1.04 22.2 78 704 83.2 118 989 105 107 Nebraska

................... 346 19 44.0 0 44.0 127 1,480 130 88 1,830 174 95 Nevada

...................... 158 6 29.8 0 29.8 189 2,540 331 130 2,700 361 134 New Hampshire

........ 446 34 33.3 0 33.3 75 871 58.6 67 1,320 92.0 70
New Jersey

................ 964 11 98.3 0 98.3 102 7,830 605 77 8,790 703 80 New Mexico

.............. 303 15 25.8 0 25.8 85 1,760 160 91 2,060 186 90 New York

.................. 2,050 11 152 0 152 74 17,300 1,370 79 19,400 1,530 79 North Carolina

.......... 3,300 35 231 0 231 70 6,230 436 70 9,540 668 70 North Dakota

............. 49.4 7 3.68 0 3.68 75 623 49.9 80 673 53.6 80

Ohio

........................... 1,830 16 134 2.75 137 75 9,710 619 64 11,500 756 66 Oklahoma

.................. 316 8 26.8 0 26.8 85 3,440 292 85 3,750 319 85 Oregon

....................... 607 16 60.0 7.07 67.1 111 3,220 365 113 3,830 432 113 Pennsylvania

............. 3,350 26 201 0 201 60 9,360 548 59 12,700 749 59 Rhode Island

............. 113 11 8.02 0 8.02 71 940 67.6 72 1,050 75.7 72

South Carolina

.......... 1,150 25 115 0 115 100 3,470 347 100 4,630 463 100 South Dakota

............. 75.6 9 5.37 0 5.37 71 739 70.7 96 814 76.1 93 Tennessee

.................. 538 8 38.7 0 38.7 72 5,810 470 81 6,350 509 80 Texas

......................... 2,440 10 259 0 259 106 22,700 2,050 90 25,100 2,310 92 Utah

........................... 50.5 2 8.44 0 8.44 167 2,710 453 167 2,760 462 167

Vermont

..................... 182 29 13.6 0 13.6 75 444 26.3 59 626 39.9 64 Virginia

...................... 1,650 21 124 0 124 75 6,350 476 75 8,000 600 75 Washington

................ 1,000 15 113 0.02 113 113 5,720 634 111 6,720 747 111 West Virginia

............. 393 21 30.9 0.63 31.5 80 1,460 117 80 1,850 148 80 Wisconsin

.................. 1,640 29 78.4 0 78.4 48 4,040 211 52 5,690 290 51 Wyoming

................... 114 20 8.55 0 8.55 75 450 72.9 162 564 81.4 144 Puerto Rico

................ 38.0 1 2.41 0 2.41 63 3,690 230 62 3,730 232 62 U.S. Virgin Islands

.... 37.4 35 0 2.67 2.67 71 69.0 3.67 53 106 6.34 60

TOTAL 44,500 14 3,540 63.9 3,600 81 268,000 23,800 89 313,000 27,400 88

## Figure 6 **A**

. Domestic withdrawals and deliveries by State, 2010. **EXPLANATION Water withdrawals**  **and/or deliveries, in million gallons**  **per day** 0 to 50 51 to 250 251 to 500 501 to 1,000 1,001 to 4,040



## Total self-supplied withdrawals **Total deliveries** Louisiana New Hampshire

Florida Idaho Washington

Oregon

Nevada
California

New Mexico

Texas Utah

Arizona Nebraska North Dakota Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Oklahoma Kansas South Dakota

Arkansas Missouri

Georgia Michigan
Iowa

Alabama Tennessee Mississippi North Carolina Wisconsin Minnesota

Indiana Illinois

Kentucky

South Carolina Ohio

West Virginia Virginia Maryland District of Columbia Delaware Massachusetts Maine

New York Pennsylvania New Jersey Connecticut Rhode Island Vermont

Alaska Hawaii L a k e S

u p e r

i o r

L a k e M i c h i g a n

L a k e O

n t a r i o

L a k e E r i e L a k e H u r o n

Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands 

## Total withdrawals and deliveriesTotal withdrawals and deliveries,in million gallons per day

Hawaii Alaska

Oregon Washington California Nevada Idaho

Arizona Utah Montana

Wyoming New Mexico Colorado North Dakota

South Dakota Nebraska Texas

Kansas

Oklahoma

Minnesota Iowa Missouri

Louisiana

Arkansas

Wisconsin

Mississippi Illinois Alabama

Tennessee Indiana

Kentucky

Michigan Georgia Ohio

Florida South Carolina

West Virginia

North Carolina Virginia Pennsylvania Maryland D.C. New York

Delaware

New Jersey

Connecticut Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island New Hampshire Maine Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000



## Figure 6A. Domestic WEST EAST 

## Domestic **23**

## Figure 6 **B**

**.** Self-supplied domestic population and percentage of total population by State, 2010. **EXPLANATION Domestic self-supplied**  **population, in thousands** 0 to 100 101 to 500 501 to 1,000 1,001 to 3,350

**EXPLANATION Domestic self-supplied**  **population, as a percentage of total**  **State population** 0 to 10 11 to 30 31 to 42 

## Self-supplied domestic population

**Self-supplied domestic population as a percentage of the total State population**  Louisiana New Hampshire

Florida Idaho Washington

Oregon

Nevada
California

New Mexico

Texas Utah

Arizona Nebraska North Dakota Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Oklahoma Kansas South Dakota

Arkansas Missouri

Georgia Michigan
Iowa

Alabama Tennessee Mississippi North Carolina Wisconsin Minnesota

Indiana Illinois

Kentucky

South Carolina Ohio

West Virginia Virginia Maryland District of Columbia Delaware Massachusetts Maine

New York Pennsylvania New Jersey Connecticut Rhode Island Vermont

Alaska Hawaii L a k e S

u p e r

i o r

L a k e M i c h i g a n

L a k e O

n t a r i o

L a k e E r i e L a k e H u r o n

Puerto

Rico U.S. Virgin Islands



## Figure 6B. Total self supply 

## 24 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010 33 percent**  

## Irrigation **25**



# 115,000 million gallons per day 

# Irrigation

supplemental water. Surface water was the primary source of water in the arid West, except in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, and South Dakota, where more groundwater was used. The 17 Western States cumulatively accounted for 93 percent of total surface-water irrigation withdrawals and 69 percent of total groundwater irrigation withdrawals. Because the 17 Western States accounted for the majority of total irrigation withdrawals, changes in those States had a great effect on the overall total. Total irrigation withdrawals declined noticeably in Nebraska, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and California. Groundwater irrigation withdrawals declined in the West and increased in the East, and surface-water irrigation withdrawals declined in both regions. Total irrigated acres increased in both regions —1 percent (568 thousand acres) in the West, and 2 percent (381 thousand acres) in the East. In the West, the total number of acres irrigated by the less-efficient surface-irrigation methods decreased by about 500 thousand acres, and the number of acres irrigated by more efficient sprinkler (including microirrigation) methods increased by about 1,080 thousand acres. Average application rates are calculated as a function of total irrigation withdrawals and total irrigated acres. The highest application rates are found in arid Western States, where more surface water than groundwater is used for irriga

tion and water typically is conveyed longer distances in canals between the points of diversion and use. Among the Western States, cumulatively, more lands were irrigated with sprinkler (including microirrigation) systems than surface methods, and land using the microirrigation system are increasing at a faster rate than the other two types of systems. Several States that used the large quantities of water for irrigation in 2010, such as California, Idaho, Colorado, Texas, and Nebraska, showed declines in application rates from 2005 levels, and in all of these States the number of acres irrigated by sprinkler or microirrigation systems increased in 2010. Sources of data for irrigation withdrawals and irrigated acres included State and Federal crop reporting programs, irrigation districts, canal companies, incorporated management areas, and satellite data depicting 2010 cropland landscapes. Withdrawals also were estimated using information on irrigated crop acreages by crop type and specific crop water-consumption coefficients, or irrigation-system application rates, as well as soil moisture balance models. Estimation methods varied from one State to the next and sometimes between geographic areas within a State. Estimation methods ideally included adjust

ments for climate, system efficiencies, conveyance losses, and other irrigation practices such as pre-irrigation, salt leaching, or frost protection. Other methods for estimating irrigation withdrawals included extrapolation of sample data on crop water-application rates or power-consumption coefficients. Irrigation water use includes water that is applied by an irrigation system to sustain plant growth in all agricultural and horticultural practices. Irrigation also includes water that is used for pre-irrigation, frost protection, application of chemicals, weed control, field preparation, crop cooling, harvesting, dust suppression, and leaching salts from the root zone. Estimates of irrigation withdrawals include water that is lost in conveyance prior to application on fields as well as water that may subsequently return to a surface-water body as runoff after application, water consumed as evapotrans

piration (ET) from plants and ground surfaces, or water that recharges aquifers as it seeps past the root zone. Irrigation of golf courses, parks, nurseries, turf farms, cemeteries, and other self-supplied landscape-watering uses also are included in the estimates. Irrigation water use includes self-supplied with

drawals and deliveries from irrigation companies or districts, cooperatives, or governmental entities. Some irrigation water is reclaimed wastewater from nearby treatment facilities or industries although these quantities are not included in irriga

tion withdrawals reported here. All irrigation withdrawals are considered freshwater. Irrigated acres are reported by three types of irrigation methods: sprinkler, microirrigation, and surface (flood) systems. Irrigation withdrawals and irrigated acres by type of irrigation system are listed by State in table 7. For 2010, total irrigation withdrawals were 115,000 Mgal/d, or 129,000 thousand acre-ft/yr, which accounted for 38 percent of total freshwater withdrawals and 61 percent of total fresh

water withdrawals for all categories excluding thermoelectric power. Total irrigation withdrawals were 9 percent less than in 2005. Withdrawals from surface-water sources were 65,900 Mgal/d, which accounted for 57 percent of the total irrigation withdrawals, and were almost 12 percent less than in 2005. Groundwater withdrawals for 2010 were 49,500 Mgal/d, or 6 percent less than in 2005. About 62,400 thousand acres were irrigated in 2010, an increase of about 950 thousand acres (1.5 percent) from 2005. About 31,600 thousand acres (51 percent) were irrigated with sprinkler systems, 26,200 thousand acres with surface (flood), and 4,610 thousand acres with microirrigation systems. Thenational average application rate for 2010 was 2.07 acrefeet per acre, or 11 percent less than the 2005 average of 2.32 acre-feet per acre. The geographic distribution of total, surface-water, and groundwater withdrawals for irrigation is shown in figure 7. The majority of total U.S. irrigation withdrawals (83 percent) and irrigated acres (74 percent) were in the 17 conterminous Western States (west of solid line in figure 7), which are typical of areas where average annual precipitation is less than 20 inches and generally insufficient to support crops without

## 26 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

**Table 7.** Irrigation water withdrawals, 2010. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Irrigated land**  **(in thousand acres) Withdrawals**  **(in million gallons per day) Withdrawals**  **(in thousand acre-feet per year) Average**  **application rate**  **(in acre-feet**

**per acre) By type of irrigation**  **Total By source**  **Total By source**  **Total Sprinkler**  **Micro irrigation**  **Surface Ground**  **water Surface**  **water Ground**  **water Surface**  **water** Alabama

.................... 150 1.42 0.52 152 84.9 74.0 159 95.2 83.0 178 1.18 Alaska

....................... 3.10 0 0.07 3.17 1.57 0.02 1.59 1.76 0.02 1.78 0.56 Arizona

...................... 195 28.1 770 993 1,690 2,880 4,570 1,900 3,220 5,120 5.16 Arkansas

.................... 518 0 4,150 4,670 7,380 1,340 8,720 8,270 1,500 9,770 2.09 California

.................. 1,790 2,890 5,670 10,400 8,690 14,400 23,100 9,740 16,100 25,800 2.50

Colorado

.................... 1,410 0.20 1,930 3,340 1,300 8,420 9,710 1,450 9,440 10,900 3.26 Connecticut

............... 24.0 1.83 0 25.8 0.85 23.1 24.0 0.95 25.9 26.9 1.04 Delaware

................... 132 1.11 0 133 86.1 15.2 101 96.5 17.1 114 0.85 District of Columbia 0.32 0 0 0.32 0.05 0.05 0.10 0.06 0.06 0.11 0.35 Florida

....................... 548 712 731 1,990 1,580 1,340 2,920 1,770 1,500 3,270 1.64 Georgia

...................... 1,280 152 0 1,430 636 202 839 713 227 940 0.66 Hawaii

....................... 11.2 158 0 169 101 223 323 113 249 363 2.14 Idaho

......................... 2,420 4.57 1,180 3,600 3,820 10,200 14,000 4,280 11,500 15,700 4.37 Illinois

....................... 483 0 0 483 208 17.5 226 233 19.6 253 0.52 Indiana

....................... 397 0 0 397 98.4 38.7 137 110 43.4 154 0.39

Iowa

........................... 187 0 0 187 41.6 1.18 42.8 46.7 1.32 48.0 0.26 Kansas

....................... 2,840 18.0 217 3,080 2,880 160 3,040 3,230 179 3,410 1.11 Kentucky

................... 54.4 3.56 2.35 60.3 1.65 27.4 29.0 1.85 30.7 32.5 0.54 Louisiana

................... 87.3 0 839 926 670 258 928 751 289 1,040 1.12 Maine

........................ 46.6 0.06 1.18 47.8 2.51 8.77 11.3 2.81 9.83 12.6 0.26
Maryland

................... 102 3.43 0 105 53.4 18.6 72.1 59.9 20.9 80.8 0.77 Massachusetts

........... 26.2 2.02 12.0 40.3 118 21.4 139 132 24.0 156 3.87 Michigan

................... 477 27.2 1.54 506 147 62.6 209 164 70.1 235 0.46 Minnesota

.................. 516 0 24.5 540 171 26.7 197 191 29.9 221 0.41 Mississippi

................ 409 0 1,380 1,790 1,960 133 2,090 2,200 149 2,350 1.31

Missouri

.................... 544 2.08 760 1,310 1,350 49.6 1,400 1,520 55.6 1,570 1.20 Montana

.................... 753 0.64 886 1,640 127 7,030 7,160 142 7,880 8,030 4.90 Nebraska

................... 6,370 0.57 2,360 8,730 4,300 1,360 5,660 4,820 1,520 6,340 0.73 Nevada

...................... 258 0.07 319 577 653 921 1,570 732 1,030 1,760 3.06 New Hampshire

........ 4.87 0.82 0.23 5.92 1.25 0.67 1.92 1.40 0.75 2.15 0.36
New Jersey

................ 68.8 25.6 4.93 99.3 67.6 70.1 138 75.8 78.5 154 1.55 New Mexico

.............. 461 19.6 397 878 1,240 1,460 2,700 1,390 1,640 3,020 3.44 New York

.................. 81.1 24.6 2.77 108 30.2 40.2 70.4 33.9 45.0 78.9 0.73 North Carolina

.......... 262 6.18 0 268 88.3 279 367 98.9 312 411 1.53 North Dakota

............. 192 0 42.2 234 77.5 87.2 165 86.9 97.8 185 0.79

Ohio

........................... 59.8 6.06 0 65.9 17.2 35.4 52.6 19.2 39.7 58.9 0.89 Oklahoma

.................. 440 5.28 89.1 534 429 135 564 481 151 632 1.18 Oregon

....................... 1,210 97.0 594 1,900 1,910 3,350 5,260 2,140 3,750 5,890 3.10 Pennsylvania

............. 53.0 15.1 0 68.1 7.39 19.8 27.1 8.28 22.1 30.4 0.45 Rhode Island

............. 4.93 1.24 0.02 6.19 2.30 0.39 2.69 2.58 0.44 3.02 0.49

South Carolina

.......... 141 8.05 4.04 154 67.7 57.4 125 75.9 64.4 140 0.91 South Dakota

............. 144 0 49.6 194 198 165 362 221 185 406 2.10 Tennessee

.................. 74.0 9.80 7.98 91.8 44.3 27.6 71.9 49.6 31.0 80.6 0.88 Texas

......................... 3,770 244 1,910 5,920 5,100 1,730 6,830 5,710 1,940 7,660 1.29 Utah

........................... 625 1.45 710 1,340 494 2,730 3,220 554 3,060 3,610 2.70

Vermont

..................... 2.98 0.69 0.31 3.98 0.77 1.68 2.45 0.86 1.88 2.75 0.69 Virginia

...................... 102 14.6 0 117 16.0 45.4 61.4 18.0 50.8 68.8 0.59 Washington

................ 1,270 86.1 221 1,580 798 2,350 3,150 894 2,630 3,530 2.24 West Virginia

............. 2.52 0 1.09 3.61 0.05 0.04 0.09 0.06 0.04 0.10 0.03 Wisconsin

.................. 356 0 50.3 406 256 123 379 287 138 425 1.04 Wyoming

................... 184 4.12 893 1,080 437 3,930 4,370 490 4,410 4,900 4.53 Puerto Rico

................ 8.17 32.7 0 40.8 22.4 15.7 38.2 25.1 17.6 42.8 1.05 U.S. Virgin Islands

.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL 31,600 4,610 26,200 62,400 49,500 65,900 115,000 55,400 73,900 129,000 2.07

## Figure 7. Irrigation withdrawals by source and State, 2010. **EXPLANATION Water withdrawals,**  **in million gallons per day**  0 to 200 201 to 1,000 1,001 to 5,000 5,001 to 15,000 15,001 to 23,100 Louisiana New Hampshire

Florida Idaho Washington

Oregon

Nevada
California

New Mexico

Texas Utah

Arizona Nebraska North Dakota Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Oklahoma Kansas South Dakota

Arkansas Missouri

Georgia Michigan
Iowa

Alabama Tennessee Mississippi North Carolina Wisconsin Minnesota

Indiana Illinois

Kentucky

South Carolina Ohio

West Virginia Virginia Massachusetts Maine

New York Pennsylvania Connecticut Rhode Island Vermont

Alaska Hawaii Maryland Delaware New Jersey District of Columbia L a k e S

u p e r

i o r

L a k e M i c h i g a n

L a k e O

n t a r i o

L a k e E r i e L a k e H u r o n

Puerto

Rico U.S. Virgin Islands 

## Total withdrawals



## Figure 7. Irrigation **Surface-water withdrawals Groundwater withdrawals**  West–East division for this reportTotal withdrawals, inmillion gallons per day

0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000

Hawaii

Alaska

Oregon Washington California Nevada Idaho

Arizona Utah Montana

Wyoming New Mexico Colorado North Dakota

South Dakota Nebraska Texas

Kansas

Oklahoma

Minnesota Iowa Missouri

Louisiana

Arkansas

Wisconsin

Mississippi Illinois Alabama

Tennessee Indiana

Kentucky

Michigan Georgia Ohio

Florida South Carolina

West Virginia

North Carolina Virginia Pennsylvania Maryland D.C. New York

Delaware

New Jersey

Connecticut Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island New Hampshire Maine Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands WEST EAST 

## Irrigation **27**

## Stock ponds, Chase County, Kansas. Photo by Joan Kenny, USGS.**1 percent** 

## 28 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**



# 2,000 million gallons per day 

# Livestock

more than 100 Mgal/d for livestock and together accounted for 41 percent of total livestock withdrawals in 2010. Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and California each used more than 80 Mgal/d of groundwater for livestock and accounted for 42 percent of groundwater withdrawals for this use. Texas and California each used more than 100 Mgal/d of surface water for livestock, and accounted for 29 percent of surface-water withdrawals for livestock. Few State agencies require livestock operations to report water withdrawals; therefore, most estimates of livestock withdrawals were derived using animal population data and water-use coefficients, in gallons per head per day for each animal type. Animal population data generally are available from State agricultural agencies and the NASS. Coefficients vary by State and, for many States, were provided by agri

cultural extension agents or water-permitting agencies. Coefficients may reflect facility maintenance needs and effects of climate on animal watering. Many of the 2010 with

drawals for livestock were estimated according to methods described by Lovelace (2009a), using livestock population data compiled for the NASS 2007 Census of Agriculture (Robert Hunt, National Agricultural Statistics Service, written commun., 2013) and water-use coefficients. Livestock water use is water associated with livestock watering, feedlots, dairy operations, and other on-farm needs. Livestock includes dairy cows and heifers, beef cattle and calves, sheep and lambs, goats, hogs and pigs, horses, and poultry. Other livestock water uses include cooling of facilities for the animals and products, dairy sanitation and wash down of facilities, animal waste-disposal systems, and incidental water losses. All withdrawals were considered freshwater and self supplied. The livestock category excludes on-farm domestic use, lawn and garden watering, and irriga

tion water use. Livestock withdrawals for 2010 are listed by State in table 8. During 2010, withdrawals for livestock use were an estimated 2,000 Mgal/d, or 2,240 thousand acre-ft/yr (table 2 B ). Livestock withdrawals were about 1 percent of total freshwater withdrawals and about 1 percent of total freshwater withdrawals for all categories excluding thermo

electric power. Groundwater was the source for 60 percent of total livestock withdrawals. Estimated total livestock withdrawals for 2010 were 7 percent less than in 2005. The geographic distribution of total, surface-water, and groundwater livestock withdrawals is shown in figure 8. Texas, California, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas each used

## Livestock **29**

**Table 8.** Livestock water withdrawals, 2010. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Withdrawals**  **(in million gallons per day) By source**  **Total Groundwater**  **Surface water** Alabama

.................... 11.7 14.8 26.5 Alaska

....................... 0.10 0.15 0.25 Arizona

...................... 27.0 0 27.0 Arkansas

.................... 15.6 23.4 39.0 California

.................. 84.4 103 188

Colorado

.................... 25.1 11.8 36.9 Connecticut

............... 1.01 0 1.01 Delaware

................... 1.31 0 1.31 District of Columbia 0 0 0 Florida

....................... 19.1 2.22 21.3 Georgia

...................... 2.38 26.9 29.3 Hawaii

....................... 0.63 1.20 1.83 Idaho

......................... 38.5 9.01 47.5 Illinois

....................... 36.0 0.03 36.1 Indiana

....................... 26.2 13.0 39.2

Iowa

........................... 102 33.8 136 Kansas

....................... 91.0 23.0 114 Kentucky

................... 2.21 41.6 43.8 Louisiana

................... 4.15 3.88 8.03 Maine

........................ 1.71 0.58 2.29 Maryland

................... 6.02 2.23 8.25 Massachusetts

........... 0.90 0.50 1.40 Michigan

................... 17.7 1.90 19.6 Minnesota

.................. 59.3 0 59.3 Mississippi

................ 7.35 11.1 18.4

Missouri

.................... 18.4 54.4 72.9 Montana

.................... 12.4 29.5 41.8 Nebraska

................... 93.0 21.2 114 Nevada

...................... 5.06 0 5.06 New Hampshire

........ 0.67 0.22 0.89
New Jersey

................ 0.98 0 0.98 New Mexico

.............. 32.8 3.03 35.8 New York

.................. 14.6 8.00 22.6 North Carolina

.......... 56.9 15.0 72.0 North Dakota

............. 12.9 8.62 21.6

Ohio

........................... 7.70 16.3 24.0 Oklahoma

.................. 32.5 56.3 88.8 Oregon

....................... 3.00 14.0 17.0 Pennsylvania

............. 45.6 6.75 52.3 Rhode Island

............. 0.17 0.01 0.18

South Carolina

.......... 5.23 6.79 12.0 South Dakota

............. 19.1 28.3 47.4 Tennessee

.................. 14.0 13.4 27.5 Texas

......................... 131 127 259 Utah

........................... 7.77 8.76 16.5

Vermont

..................... 4.22 1.41 5.63 Virginia

...................... 6.52 20.8 27.4 Washington

................ 19.2 8.55 27.8 West Virginia

............. 1.66 3.42 5.08 Wisconsin

.................. 65.8 7.30 73.1 Wyoming

................... 6.14 10.3 16.5 Puerto Rico

................ 5.57 2.24 7.81 U.S. Virgin Islands

.... 0.01 0.01 0.02

TOTAL 1,200 797 2,000 

## Windmill on Pawnee Butte Grasslands. Photo by Ray Klocek, used with permission.

## Figure 8. Livestock withdrawals by source and State, 2010. **EXPLANATION Water withdrawals,**  **in million gallons per day**  0 to 10 11 to 50 51 to 100 101 to 250 251 to 260 Louisiana New Hampshire

Florida Idaho Washington

Oregon

Nevada
California

New Mexico

Texas Utah

Arizona Nebraska North Dakota Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Oklahoma Kansas South Dakota

Arkansas Missouri

Georgia Michigan
Iowa

Alabama Tennessee Mississippi North Carolina Wisconsin Minnesota

Indiana Illinois

Kentucky

South Carolina Ohio

West Virginia Virginia Massachusetts Maine

New York Pennsylvania Connecticut Rhode Island Vermont

Alaska Hawaii Maryland Delaware New Jersey District of Columbia L a k e S

u p e r

i o r

L a k e M i c h i g a n

L a k e O

n t a r i o

L a k e E r i e L a k e H u r o n

Puerto

Rico U.S. Virgin Islands 

## Total withdrawals

**Surface-water withdrawals Groundwater withdrawals** Total withdrawals, inmillion gallons per day

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Hawaii

Alaska

Oregon Washington California Nevada Idaho

Arizona Utah Montana

Wyoming New Mexico Colorado North Dakota

South Dakota Nebraska Texas

Kansas

Oklahoma

Minnesota Iowa Missouri

Louisiana

Arkansas

Wisconsin

Mississippi Illinois Alabama

Tennessee Indiana

Kentucky

Michigan Georgia Ohio

Florida South Carolina

West Virginia

North Carolina Virginia Pennsylvania Maryland D.C. New York

Delaware

New Jersey

Connecticut Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island New Hampshire Maine Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands



## Figure 8. Livestock WEST EAST 

## 30 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

## Left, trout in raceways at the historic Leadville National Fish Hatchery, Leadville, Colorado. Photo by Christopher Brown, USGS. Above, student with trout at the Aquaculture Research Institute in Hagerman, Idaho. Photo from University of Idaho, used with permission. 

## Aquaculture **31**



# 9,420 million gallons per day 

# Aquaculture

Aquaculture water use is water associated with raising organisms that live in water—such as finfish and shellfish— for food, restoration, conservation, or sport. Aquaculture production occurs under controlled feeding, sanitation, and harvesting procedures primarily in ponds, flowthroughraceways, and, to a lesser extent, cages, net pens, and closedrecirculation tanks. All withdrawals were considered self supplied. Total withdrawals for aquaculture during 2010 are listed by State in table 9 at 9,420 Mgal/d, or 10,600 thousand acre-ft/yr (table 2 B ). Surface water was the source for about 81 percent of the withdrawals for this category. Much of the surface water was used for flowthrough raceways and was returned to the source after use. A combined total of 14.2 Mgal/d saline surface-water withdrawals, less than 0.2 percent of total aquaculture withdrawals, were reported in Rhode Island (8.80 Mgal/d) and Texas (5.37 Mgal/d); these amounts are not shown separately in table 9 but are included in the total. Aquaculture withdrawals were 3 percent of total withdrawals and 5 percent of total withdrawals for all catego

ries excluding thermoelectric power. Estimated aquaculture withdrawals in 2010 were 7 percent more than in 2005. The geographic distribution of total, surface-water, and groundwater withdrawals for aquaculture is shown in figure 9. Idaho, North Carolina, California, and Oregon used the most water for aquaculture, about 63 percent of the total and about 74 percent of the surface-water withdrawals for aquaculture. Alaska, Louisiana, Arkansas, California, and Mississippi combined accounted for 60 percent of the total groundwater withdrawals for aquaculture. Several sources of information were used to estimate 2010 aquaculture withdrawals. Some estimates were derived from State permits that reported water withdrawals or return flows for aquaculture facilities. The EPA Permit Compliance System database also was a source of return-flow data that were used to estimate water withdrawals. Individual aqua

culture operations, State regulatory agencies, State offices of the NASS, and Cooperative Extension Service offices also provided infor

mation that was used to estimate aquaculture withdrawals in some States. Many of the 2010 withdrawals for aqua

culture were estimated by multiplying the number of aquaculture farms in operation in each county during 2007 by the average groundwater and surface-water withdrawal rates for aquaculture farms in the county. For the purpose of these estimates, the change in the number of aqua culture farms in each county from 2002 to 2007 was assumed to be representative of withdrawal changes from 2005 to 2010. The average groundwater and surface-water withdrawal rates for each county werecalculated by dividing the estimated groundwater and surfacewater withdrawals for aquaculture in 2005 in the county by the number of aqua culture farms in operation in the county in 2002. The numbers of aquaculture farms in operation in 2002 and 2007 in each county were provided by the NASS (Robert Hunt, National Agricultural Statistics Service, written commun., 2013). In counties where no aquaculture operations existed in 2002, but one or more farms existed in 2007, the State average groundwater and surface-water withdrawal rates per farm were multiplied by the number of farms in the county.**3 percent**

## 32 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

**Table 9.** Aquaculture water withdrawals, 2010. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Withdrawals**  **(in million gallons per day) By source**  **Total Groundwater**  **Surface water** Alabama

.................... 32.4 26.6 59.1 Alaska

....................... 429 255 684 Arizona

...................... 39.5 7.77 47.3 Arkansas

.................... 181 86.5 268 California

.................. 171 802 973

Colorado

.................... 23.0 99.0 122 Connecticut

............... 6.67 23.0 29.7 Delaware

................... 0.06 0 0.06 District of Columbia 0 0 0 Florida

....................... 1.86 0 1.86 Georgia

...................... 3.92 45.9 49.8 Hawaii

....................... 2.14 2.40 4.54 Idaho

......................... 65.6 2,690 2,750 Illinois

....................... 4.78 27.2 32.0 Indiana

....................... 6.60 1.97 8.57

Iowa

........................... 14.4 4.45 18.9 Kansas

....................... 4.37 8.57 12.9 Kentucky

................... 0.53 33.5 34.1 Louisiana

................... 197 114 311 Maine

........................ 25.8 21.2 46.9 Maryland

................... 5.06 15.7 20.8 Massachusetts

........... 7.23 42.4 49.6 Michigan

................... 4.21 78.5 82.7 Minnesota

.................. 1.69 15.2 16.9 Mississippi

................ 113 19.3 133

Missouri

.................... 10.5 170 181 Montana

.................... 2.45 16.4 18.9 Nebraska

................... 6.07 82.2 88.3 Nevada

...................... 10.6 38.8 49.5 New Hampshire

........ 8.09 8.48 16.6
New Jersey

................ 9.16 0 9.16 New Mexico

.............. 15.8 4.32 20.1 New York

.................. 3.36 36.8 40.2 North Carolina

.......... 11.5 1,450 1,470 North Dakota

............. 0 5.92 5.92

Ohio

........................... 15.4 19.0 34.3 Oklahoma

.................. 3.25 7.43 10.7 Oregon

....................... 33.4 679 712 Pennsylvania

............. 47.9 59.7 108 Rhode Island

............. 5.60 8.90 14.5

South Carolina

.......... 2.00 8.97 11.0 South Dakota

............. 24.8 23.6 48.4 Tennessee

.................. 15.4 37.2 52.6 Texas

......................... 9.13 22.2 31.4 Utah

........................... 97.1 0 97.1

Vermont

..................... 5.97 4.96 10.9 Virginia

...................... 9.39 286 295 Washington

................ 86.4 127 213 West Virginia

............. 11.7 40.6 52.3 Wisconsin

.................. 25.5 30.2 55.8 Wyoming

................... 2.10 18.7 20.8 Puerto Rico

................ 0.01 0.40 0.41 U.S. Virgin Islands

.... 0 0 0

TOTAL 1,820 7,610 9,420 

## Raceway at historic Leadville National Fish Hatchery, Leadville, Colorado. Photo by Christopher Brown, USGS.

## Figure 9. Aquaculture withdrawals by source and State, 2010. **EXPLANATION Water withdrawals,**  **in million gallons per day**  0 to 10 11 to 50 51 to 100 101 to 500 501 to 2,760 Louisiana New Hampshire

Florida Idaho Washington

Oregon

Nevada
California

New Mexico

Texas Utah

Arizona Nebraska North Dakota Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Oklahoma Kansas South Dakota

Arkansas Missouri

Georgia Michigan
Iowa

Alabama Tennessee Mississippi North Carolina Wisconsin Minnesota

Indiana Illinois

Kentucky

South Carolina Ohio

West Virginia Virginia Massachusetts Maine

New York Pennsylvania Connecticut Rhode Island Vermont

Alaska Hawaii Maryland Delaware New Jersey District of Columbia L a k e S

u p e r

i o r

L a k e M i c h i g a n

L a k e O

n t a r i o

L a k e E r i e L a k e H u r o n

Puerto

Rico U.S. Virgin Islands 

## Total withdrawals

**Surface-water withdrawals Groundwater withdrawals** Total withdrawals, inmillion gallons per day

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000

Hawaii

Alaska

Oregon Washington California Nevada Idaho

Arizona Utah Montana

Wyoming New Mexico Colorado North Dakota

South Dakota Nebraska Texas

Kansas

Oklahoma

Minnesota Iowa Missouri

Louisiana

Arkansas

Wisconsin

Mississippi Illinois Alabama

Tennessee Indiana

Kentucky

Michigan Georgia Ohio

Florida South Carolina

West Virginia

North Carolina Virginia Pennsylvania Maryland D.C. New York

Delaware

New Jersey

Connecticut Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island New Hampshire Maine Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands



## Figure 9. Aquaculture WEST EAST 

## Aquaculture **33**

## Lumber mill, Adams County, Idaho. Photo by Molly Maupin, USGS.**4 percent** 

## 34 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**



# 15,900 million gallons per day 

# Industrial

Industrial withdrawals provide water for such purposes as fabricating, processing, washing, diluting, cooling, or transporting a product; incorporating water into a product; or for sanitation needs within the manufacturing facility. Some industries that use large amounts of water produce such commodities as food, paper, chemicals, refined petro

leum, or primary metals. Water for industrial use may be delivered from a public supplier or be self supplied. In this report, industrial use refers to self-supplied industrial with

drawals only. Withdrawals were reported as freshwater or saline water. As in the 2000 and 2005 reports, public-supply deliveries for industrial and consumptive uses were not reported for 2010. Industrial withdrawals are listed by State in table 10. For 2010, withdrawals were an estimated 15,900 Mgal/d, or 17,900 thousand acre-ft/yr (table 2 B ). Industrial withdrawals were about 4 percent of total withdrawals and about 8 percent of total withdrawals for all categories excluding thermo

electric power. Surface water was the source for 82 percentof total industrial withdrawals, and 93 percent of the surfacewater withdrawals for industrial use was freshwater. More than 98 percent of the groundwater withdrawals for industrial use also was freshwater. For 2010, total industrial with

drawals were 12 percent less than in 2005. The geographic distribution of total, total surface-water, and total groundwater withdrawals for industrial use is shown in figure 10. Indiana, Louisiana, and Texas accounted for 35 percent of total industrial withdrawals, and Indiana andLouisiana accounted for 33 percent of the total fresh surfacewater withdrawals. Texas accounted for 65 percent of the saline surface-water industrial withdrawals, mostly from areas along the Gulf coast. The largest fresh groundwater industrial withdrawals were in California, which accounted for 14 percent of the total national fresh groundwater indus

trial withdrawals. Most of the saline groundwater industrial withdrawals were in Utah. Sources of data for industrial withdrawals included information obtained directly from facilities or State and Federal permit programs that require reporting of industrial withdrawals or return flows. Industrial withdrawals also were estimated using industry-group employment data and per employee water-use coefficients. A notable improvement from historical estimation methods include additional facility information provided to each USGS Water Science Center that included information about the type of business, number of employees, the location of the facilities, as well as economic indicators of the size of the business. These data were derived from a commercial database and were kept confidential.

## Industrial **35**

**Table 10.** Industrial self-supplied water withdrawals, 2010. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Withdrawals (in million gallons per day)**  **By source and type Total**  **Groundwater Surface water**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total Fresh**  **Saline Total**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total** Alabama

.................... 34.0 0 34.0 540 0 540 574 0 574 Alaska

....................... 3.38 0 3.38 4.40 4.30 8.70 7.78 4.30 12.1 Arizona

...................... 12.9 0 12.9 0 0 0 12.9 0 12.9 Arkansas

.................... 56.1 5.05 61.2 214 0 214 271 5.05 276 California

.................. 399 0 399 1.13 0 1.13 400 0 400

Colorado

.................... 3.45 0 3.45 127 0 127 130 0 130 Connecticut

............... 6.28 0 6.28 60.2 38.5 98.6 66.5 38.5 105 Delaware

................... 8.43 0 8.43 87.5 0 87.5 96.0 0 96.0 District of Columbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Florida

....................... 165 0 165 47.7 0 47.7 213 0 213 Georgia

...................... 206 0 206 281 0 281 487 0 487 Hawaii

....................... 4.63 0 4.63 0 0 0 4.63 0 4.63 Idaho

......................... 32.6 0 32.6 17.2 0 17.2 49.7 0 49.7 Illinois

....................... 124 0 124 267 0 267 390 0 390 Indiana

....................... 82.2 0 82.2 2,120 0 2,120 2,210 0 2,210

Iowa

........................... 123 0 123 2.70 0 2.70 125 0 125 Kansas

....................... 33.5 0 33.5 6.79 0 6.79 40.3 0 40.3 Kentucky

................... 81.4 0 81.4 146 0 146 228 0 228 Louisiana

................... 231 0 231 1,830 0 1,830 2,060 0 2,060 Maine

........................ 6.54 0 6.54 185 14.8 200 192 14.8 207 Maryland

................... 11.3 0 11.3 38.6 146 185 50.0 146 196 Massachusetts

........... 4.28 0 4.28 12.1 0 12.1 16.3 0 16.3 Michigan

................... 75.0 0 75.0 537 0 537 612 0 612 Minnesota

.................. 61.8 0 61.8 71.7 0 71.7 134 0 134 Mississippi

................ 77.8 0 77.8 125 0 125 203 0 203

Missouri

.................... 34.3 0 34.3 34.1 0 34.1 68.4 0 68.4 Montana

.................... 36.9 0 36.9 29.6 0 29.6 66.4 0 66.4 Nebraska

................... 28.8 0 28.8 2.33 0 2.33 31.1 0 31.1 Nevada

...................... 0.70 0 0.70 4.53 0 4.53 5.23 0 5.23 New Hampshire

........ 10.6 0 10.6 7.06 0 7.06 17.7 0 17.7
New Jersey

................ 34.8 0 34.8 48.5 0 48.5 83.3 0 83.3 New Mexico

.............. 10.3 0 10.3 0.83 0 0.83 11.1 0 11.1 New York

.................. 35.9 0 35.9 316 0 316 352 0 352 North Carolina

.......... 83.8 0 83.8 188 0 188 271 0 271 North Dakota

............. 5.77 0 5.77 12.9 0 12.9 18.7 0 18.7

Ohio

........................... 197 0 197 293 0 293 489 0 489 Oklahoma

.................. 6.46 0 6.46 14.3 0 14.3 20.8 0 20.8 Oregon

....................... 2.62 0 2.62 123 0 123 126 0 126 Pennsylvania

............. 73.8 0 73.8 792 0 792 866 0 866 Rhode Island

............. 4.17 0 4.17 3.35 0 3.35 7.52 0 7.52

South Carolina

.......... 22.7 0 22.7 365 0 365 388 0 388 South Dakota

............. 6.85 0 6.85 2.63 0 2.63 9.48 0 9.48 Tennessee

.................. 47.6 0 47.6 728 0 728 776 0 776 Texas

......................... 108 2.04 110 571 608 1,180 680 610 1,290 Utah

........................... 31.2 37.5 68.7 16.4 33.1 49.5 47.6 70.6 118

Vermont

..................... 2.00 0 2.00 3.69 0 3.69 5.69 0 5.69 Virginia

...................... 74.2 0.02 74.3 309 56.1 365 383 56.1 439 Washington

................ 99.4 0 99.4 358 33.1 392 458 33.1 491 West Virginia

............. 35.1 3.80 38.9 729 0 729 764 3.80 768 Wisconsin

.................. 54.3 0 54.3 382 0 382 436 0 436 Wyoming

................... 4.92 0 4.92 1.82 0 1.82 6.74 0 6.74 Puerto Rico

................ 4.30 0 4.30 0 0 0 4.30 0 4.30 U.S. Virgin Islands

.... 0.22 0 0.22 0 2.62 2.62 0.22 2.62 2.84

TOTAL 2,900 48.4 2,950 12,100 937 13,000 15,000 986 15,900

## Figure 10. Industrial withdrawals by source and State, 2010. **EXPLANATION Water withdrawals,**  **in million gallons per day**  0 to 100 101 to 300 301 to 600 601 to 1,500 1,501 to 2,210 Louisiana New Hampshire

Florida Idaho Washington

Oregon

Nevada
California

New Mexico

Texas Utah

Arizona Nebraska North Dakota Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Oklahoma Kansas South Dakota

Arkansas Missouri

Georgia Michigan
Iowa

Alabama Tennessee Mississippi North Carolina Wisconsin Minnesota

Indiana Illinois

Kentucky

South Carolina Ohio

West Virginia Virginia Massachusetts Maine

New York Pennsylvania Connecticut Rhode Island Vermont

Alaska Hawaii Maryland District of Columbia Delaware New Jersey L a k e S

u p e r

i o r

L a k e M i c h i g a n

L a k e O

n t a r i o

L a k e E r i e L a k e H u r o n

Puerto

Rico U.S. Virgin Islands 

## Total withdrawals



## Figure 10. Industrial **Surface-water withdrawals Groundwater withdrawals**  Hawaii

Alaska

Oregon Washington California Nevada Idaho

Arizona Utah Montana

Wyoming New Mexico Colorado North Dakota

South Dakota Nebraska Texas

Kansas

Oklahoma

Minnesota Iowa Missouri

Louisiana

Arkansas

Wisconsin

Mississippi Illinois Alabama

Tennessee Indiana

Kentucky

Michigan Georgia Ohio

Florida South Carolina

West Virginia

North Carolina Virginia Pennsylvania Maryland D.C. New York

Delaware

New Jersey

Connecticut Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island New Hampshire Maine Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin IslandsTotal withdrawals, inmillion gallons per day

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 WEST EAST 

## 36 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

## The Bingham Canyon Mine in Salt Lake County, Utah. Photo by Alan Cressler, USGS.**1 percent** 

## Mining **37**



# 5,320 million gallons per day 

# Mining

Mining water use is water used for the extraction of minerals that may be in the form of solids, such as coal, iron, sand, and gravel; liquids, such as crude petroleum; and gases, such as natural gas. The category includes quarrying, milling of mined materials, injection of water for secondary oil recovery or for unconventional oil and gas recovery (such as hydraulic fracturing), and other operations associated with mining activities. All mining withdrawals were considered to be self supplied. Water withdrawals were reported as freshwater or saline water. Dewatering was not reported as a mining withdrawal unless the water was used beneficially, such as dampening roads for dust control. Mining withdrawals during 2010 are listed by State in table 11. During 2010, an estimated 5,320 Mgal/d, or 5,960 thousand acre-ft/yr (table 2 B ), were withdrawn. Mining withdrawals were about 1 percent of total withdrawals and about 3 percent of total withdrawals for all categories excluding thermoelectric power. Groundwater was the source for 73 percent of total withdrawals for mining. Seventy-one percent of the groundwater withdrawn for mining was saline. Eighty percent of the surface-water withdrawn was fresh

water. Saline groundwater withdrawals and fresh surfacewater withdrawals together represented 74 percent of the total withdrawals for mining. Total mining withdrawals in 2010 were 39 percent more than in 2005. Groundwater withdrawals were 54 percent more, and surface-water withdrawals were 9 percent more. Freshwater withdrawals in 2010 were only 1 percent less than in 2005, but saline-water withdrawals were 97 percent more than in 2005. Some of the increase in saline withdrawals was attributed to increased accounting of water produced as a byproduct during oil and gas extraction and then re-injected for secondary oil and gas recovery. The geographic distribution of total, total freshwater, and total saline-water withdrawals is shown in figure 11. Oklahoma and Texas accounted for 46 percent of the total withdrawals for mining. Nevada and Texas accounted for 41 percent of fresh groundwater withdrawals, and Oklahoma and Texas accounted for 79 percent of saline groundwater withdrawals. Minnesota, Indiana, Texas, and Iowa accounted for 46 percent of fresh surface-water withdrawals. Utah andAlaska accounted for almost 100 percent of saline surfacewater withdrawals. Sources of data used to estimate water use for mining included surveys of mining operations and State and Federal agencies that collect water withdrawal, discharge, or mineral production data for mining operations. Many of the 2010 withdrawals for mining were estimated according to methods described by Lovelace (2009b), using mineral production data and water-use coefficients, in gallons per weight or volume of minerals produced. Production data for nonfuel minerals, including metals and nonmetallic minerals, were provided by the USGS Minerals Information Team (Robert Callaghan, U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2012). Production or water-injection data for fuel minerals, including coal, petroleum, and natural gas, were obtained from the Energy Information Administration and various State agencies.

## 38 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

**Table 11.** Mining water withdrawals, 2010. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Withdrawals (in million gallons per day)**  **By source and type Total**  **Groundwater Surface water**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total Fresh**  **Saline Total**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total** Alabama

.................... 12.7 0 12.7 7.49 0 7.49 20.2 0 20.2 Alaska

....................... 0.01 144 144 24.1 76.4 100 24.1 221 245 Arizona

...................... 86.6 0 86.6 0 0 0 86.6 0 86.6 Arkansas

.................... 0.18 0 0.18 44.1 0 44.1 44.3 0 44.3 California

.................. 24.1 236 260 12.2 0.05 12.3 36.4 236 272

Colorado

.................... 5.46 19.4 24.9 3.05 0 3.05 8.51 19.4 27.9 Connecticut

............... 0.92 0 0.92 3.80 0 3.80 4.72 0 4.72 Delaware

................... 0.44 0 0.44 0.41 0 0.41 0.85 0 0.85 District of Columbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Florida

....................... 78.8 0 78.8 34.1 0 34.1 113 0 113 Georgia

...................... 19.3 0 19.3 8.41 0 8.41 27.7 0 27.7 Hawaii

....................... 1.40 0 1.40 0.11 0 0.11 1.51 0 1.51 Idaho

......................... 1.28 0 1.28 18.9 0 18.9 20.2 0 20.2 Illinois

....................... 15.5 25.5 41.0 55.4 0 55.4 70.9 25.5 96.3 Indiana

....................... 4.52 0 4.52 83.7 0 83.7 88.2 0 88.2

Iowa

........................... 1.53 0 1.53 78.1 0 78.1 79.6 0 79.6 Kansas

....................... 9.34 0 9.34 3.98 0 3.98 13.3 0 13.3 Kentucky

................... 7.80 0 7.80 23.0 0 23.0 30.8 0 30.8 Louisiana

................... 5.32 0 5.32 5.94 0 5.94 11.3 0 11.3 Maine

........................ 1.14 0 1.14 3.73 0 3.73 4.87 0 4.87 Maryland

................... 7.25 0 7.25 2.18 0 2.18 9.43 0 9.43 Massachusetts

........... 1.82 0 1.82 4.78 0 4.78 6.60 0 6.60 Michigan

................... 10.1 0.57 10.7 66.0 0 66.0 76.2 0.57 76.8 Minnesota

.................. 8.32 0 8.32 276 0 276 285 0 285 Mississippi

................ 8.23 12.6 20.8 0.55 0 0.55 8.78 12.6 21.4

Missouri

.................... 24.4 0 24.4 8.41 0 8.41 32.9 0 32.9 Montana

.................... 1.73 18.6 20.3 26.2 0 26.2 27.9 18.6 46.5 Nebraska

................... 0.09 0.13 0.22 8.77 0 8.77 8.86 0.13 8.99 Nevada

...................... 341 0.95 342 4.11 0 4.11 345 0.95 346 New Hampshire

........ 0.01 0 0.01 2.84 0 2.84 2.85 0 2.85
New Jersey

................ 1.73 0 1.73 6.91 0 6.91 8.64 0 8.64 New Mexico

.............. 27.4 0 27.4 9.68 0 9.68 37.1 0 37.1 New York

.................. 8.34 0 8.34 64.0 0 64.0 72.4 0 72.4 North Carolina

.......... 27.8 0 27.8 4.87 0 4.87 32.6 0 32.6 North Dakota

............. 8.73 13.6 22.3 4.63 0 4.63 13.4 13.6 27.0

Ohio

........................... 79.0 0 79.0 35.8 0 35.8 115 0 115 Oklahoma

.................. 4.75 1,400 1,400 13.3 0 13.3 18.0 1,400 1,410 Oregon

....................... 7.47 0 7.47 1.17 0 1.17 8.64 0 8.64 Pennsylvania

............. 51.4 0 51.4 10.5 0 10.5 62.0 0 62.0 Rhode Island

............. 0.43 0 0.43 0.49 0 0.49 0.92 0 0.92

South Carolina

.......... 6.69 0 6.69 1.74 0 1.74 8.43 0 8.43 South Dakota

............. 7.22 0 7.22 11.0 0 11.0 18.2 0 18.2 Tennessee

.................. 6.89 0 6.89 7.73 0 7.73 14.6 0 14.6 Texas

......................... 122 810 931 81.2 0.49 81.7 203 810 1,010 Utah

........................... 2.59 41.6 44.2 1.60 205 206 4.19 246 250

Vermont

..................... 0.32 0 0.32 3.53 0 3.53 3.85 0 3.85 Virginia

...................... 6.56 0 6.56 28.4 0 28.4 34.9 0 34.9 Washington

................ 13.4 0 13.4 3.36 0 3.36 16.7 0 16.7 West Virginia

............. 5.53 1.02 6.55 9.00 0 9.00 14.5 1.02 15.6 Wisconsin

.................. 10.9 0 10.9 8.63 0 8.63 19.6 0 19.6 Wyoming

................... 37.1 67.1 104 13.0 0 13.0 50.1 67.1 117 Puerto Rico

................ 1.43 0.32 1.75 0.18 0 0.18 1.61 0.32 1.93 U.S. Virgin Islands

.... 0 0 0 0 0.04 0.04 0 0.04 0.04

TOTAL 1,120 2,790 3,900 1,130 282 1,410 2,250 3,070 5,320

## Figure 11. Mining withdrawals by water quality and State, 2010. 0 to 10 11 to 50 51 to 100 101 to 200 201 to 1,420 **EXPLANATION Water withdrawals,**  **in million gallons per day** 

Louisiana New Hampshire

Florida Idaho Washington

Oregon

Nevada
California

New Mexico

Texas Utah

Arizona Nebraska North Dakota Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Oklahoma Kansas South Dakota

Arkansas Missouri

Georgia Michigan
Iowa

Alabama Tennessee Mississippi North Carolina Wisconsin Minnesota

Indiana Illinois

Kentucky

South Carolina Ohio

West Virginia Virginia Massachusetts Maine

New York Pennsylvania Connecticut Rhode Island Vermont

Alaska Hawaii Maryland District of Columbia Delaware New Jersey L a k e S

u p e r

i o r

L a k e M i c h i g a n

L a k e O

n t a r i o

L a k e E r i e L a k e H u r o n

Puerto

Rico U.S. Virgin Islands 

## Total withdrawals



## Figure 11. Mining **Freshwater withdrawals Saline-water withdrawals**  Hawaii

Alaska

Oregon Washington California Nevada Idaho

Arizona Utah Montana

Wyoming New Mexico Colorado North Dakota

South Dakota Nebraska Texas

Kansas

Oklahoma

Minnesota Iowa Missouri

Louisiana

Arkansas

Wisconsin

Mississippi Illinois Alabama

Tennessee Indiana

Kentucky

Michigan Georgia Ohio

Florida South Carolina

West Virginia

North Carolina Virginia Pennsylvania Maryland D.C. New York

Delaware

New Jersey

Connecticut Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island New Hampshire Maine Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin IslandsTotal withdrawals, inmillion gallons per day

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 WEST EAST 

## Mining **39 45 percent**  

## 40 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**



# 161,000 million gallons per day 

# Thermoelectric Power

Water for thermoelectric power is used in generatingelectricity with steam-driven turbine generators. Thermoelectricpower withdrawals were compiled by cooling-system type. Once-through cooling systems circulate water through heat exchangers and then return the water to the source. Recirculation cooling systems circulate water through heat exchangers, then cool the water using ponds or towers, and then the water is recirculated. Water withdrawals for a recirculation system are used to replace water lost to evaporation, blowdown, drift, and leakage. Thermoelectric-power withdrawals were reported as freshwater or saline water, as well as by cooling system. Net power generation is also reported by cooling system. For 2010, public-supply deliveries to thermoelectric powerplants and consumptive use were not reported. However, 1,290 thermoelectric powerplants from the linked heat and water budget models provided monthly and annual estimates of withdrawals and consumptive use by powerplant. These data were provided as supplemental and supportive datasets for the compilation. Datasets substantially improved existing NWUIP capabilities with more accurate and complete information on thermoelectric powerplant locations, catego

rization of cooling-system types, and water sources. Qualityassured data for net power generation were also provided with linked information about cooling system and fuels, monthly and annual (2010) estimates of withdrawals based on the models, and associated monthly and annual estimates of consumptive use by plant (Diehl and others, 2013; Diehl and Harris, 2014). These data were used either in whole, or in part, for this compilation. Compilers in some States obtained data reported directly from thermo electric powerplants. Thermoelectric-power withdrawals and net power generation are listed by State in table 12. Total withdrawals for thermo electric power for 2010 were 161,000 Mgal/d or 180,000 thousand acre-ft/yr (table 2 B ). Surface water was the source for over 99 percent of total thermoelectric-power withdrawals, and 73 percent of those surface-water withdrawals were from freshwater sources. Saline surface-water withdrawals for thermoelectric power accounted for 97 percent of total saline surface-water withdrawals for all uses. Total withdrawals for thermoelectric power accounted for 45 percent of total water withdrawals, 38 percent of total freshwater withdrawals, and 51 percent of fresh surface-water withdrawals for all uses. Net power generation associated with thermoelectric-power with

drawals was 3,130,000 gWh (gigawatt-hours), or about 2 percent less than in 2005. On average, 19 gal (gallons) were used to produce 1 kWh (kilowatt-hour) of electricity in 2010, compared to almost 23 gal/kWh (gallons per kilowatt-hour) in 2005. The geographic distribution of total, total freshwater, and total saline-water withdrawals for thermoelectric power is shown in figure 12. The largest total withdrawals for thermoelectric power were in Texas, where nearly all the withdrawals were from freshwater sources. Illinois, Texas, Michigan, and Alabama, together accounted for more than 32 percent of freshwater withdrawals for thermoelectric power. Florida, California, and Maryland accounted for about 48 percent of total saline withdrawals, nearly all from surface water. Hawaii, California, and Nevada accounted for 82 percent of the total saline groundwater withdrawals. Estimated 2010 thermoelectric withdrawals were 20 percent less than estimates for 2005. Reasons for this large difference include plant closures, use of the linked heat and water budget model data, decrease in use of coal and increasein use of natural gas, and new powerplants using more waterefficient cooling technology. Eastern States accounted for 86 percent of total thermoelectric-power withdrawals in the United States and 75 percent of the related net power generation. Hydroelectricpower generation is not included in this report but meets the demand for a significant amount of the U.S. total energy needs, predominantly in Western States. In 2010, 61 percent of the total 257,000 gWh from hydroelectric powerplants was produced by public utilities in Washington, California, Oregon, and New York (U.S. Department of Energy, 2011). Thermoelectric-power withdrawals and net power generated by cooling-system type are listed by State in table 13. Power

plants with once-through cooling systems accounted for 94 percent of total withdrawals and 47 percent of net power generated. Plants with recirculating cooling systems required much less water (6 percent) and produced the majority (53 percent) of the net power generated. Power plants with recirculating cooling systems are found in every State but were the predominant type of cooling system at power

plants in Western inland States such as Arizona, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, and New Mexico. Reclaimed wastewater is a supplemental source of water for thermoelectric power, especially in areas where additional water sources are needed for plant operations, such as for air pollution control equipment, or scrubbers (Veil, 2007). Arizona (67.6 Mgal/d) and California (22.8 Mgal/d) reported substantial amounts of reclaimed water use. Reclaimed wastewater is not included in the thermoelectric-power data or national totals for this report.Sources for thermoelectric-power withdrawals, coolingsystem information, and net power generation included data collected directly from facilities, State permitting or regulatory agencies, the USDOE EIA, and a linked heat and water budget for powerplants in the United States, as mentioned previously. Using information gleaned from theNWC thermoelectric project, some powerplant’s coolingsystem classifications were changed, thereby making themdifferent from previous compilations. Similarly, net powergeneration data from EIA were scrutinized for each plant to determine whether the power that was reported and used in this compilation was associated with a water use.

## Thermoelectric Power **41**

**Table 12.** Thermoelectric-power water withdrawals, 2010. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding]

**State Withdrawals (in million gallons per day)**  **Power generated**  **(in million kilowatt-hours)**  **By source and type Total**  **Groundwater Surface water**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total Fresh**  **Saline Total**  **Fresh Saline**  **Total** Alabama

.................... 0 0 0 8,250 0 8,250 8,250 0 8,250 125,000 Alaska

....................... 2.19 0 2.19 55.8 0 55.8 58.0 0 58.0 1,760 Arizona

...................... 77.3 0 77.3 27.1 0 27.1 104 0 104 86,700 Arkansas

.................... 4.26 0 4.26 1,540 0 1,540 1,540 0 1,540 49,000 California

.................. 33.1 48.4 81.6 32.2 6,490 6,520 65.4 6,540 6,600 85,400

Colorado

.................... 16.8 0 16.8 60.2 0 60.2 77.0 0 77.0 38,300 Connecticut

............... 0 0 0 198 2,460 2,650 198 2,460 2,650 21,600 Delaware

................... 0.37 0 0.37 7.45 417 425 7.82 417 425 5,150 District of Columbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Florida

....................... 43.5 6.54 50.0 570 8,570 9,140 613 8,570 9,190 199,000 Georgia

...................... 2.92 0 2.92 1,770 283 2,050 1,770 283 2,060 110,000 Hawaii

....................... 53.2 50.8 104 0 552 552 53.2 603 656 6,830 Idaho

......................... 0.88 0 0.88 0 0 0 0.88 0 0.88 515 Illinois

....................... 5.65 0 5.65 10,700 0 10,700 10,700 0 10,700 192,000 Indiana

....................... 24.6 0 24.6 5,360 0 5,360 5,380 0 5,380 108,000

Iowa

........................... 21.2 0 21.2 2,220 0 2,220 2,240 0 2,240 44,700 Kansas

....................... 11.2 0 11.2 366 0 366 377 0 377 43,600 Kentucky

................... 15.3 0 15.3 3,340 0 3,340 3,360 0 3,360 93,400 Louisiana

................... 41.1 0 41.1 4,390 1.68 4,390 4,430 1.68 4,430 63,500 Maine

........................ 0.96 0 0.96 25.9 26.0 51.9 26.8 26.0 52.8 7,650 Maryland

................... 2.25 0 2.25 434 5,760 6,200 436 5,760 6,200 41,100 Massachusetts

........... 0.21 0 0.21 134 1,930 2,070 134 1,930 2,070 18,500 Michigan

................... 4.12 0 4.12 8,510 0 8,510 8,520 0 8,520 107,000 Minnesota

.................. 2.34 0 2.34 2,510 0 2,510 2,510 0 2,510 42,400 Mississippi

................ 50.0 7.05 57.1 905 62.4 968 956 69.5 1,020 44,200

Missouri

.................... 19.9 0 19.9 5,890 0 5,890 5,910 0 5,910 86,200 Montana

.................... 0.85 0 0.85 150 0 150 151 0 151 19,000 Nebraska

................... 5.25 0 5.25 1,790 0 1,790 1,790 0 1,790 34,400 Nevada

...................... 17.9 11.0 28.9 3.68 0 3.68 21.6 11.0 32.6 9,990 New Hampshire

........ 1.02 0 1.02 201 848 1,050 202 848 1,050 19,500
New Jersey

................ 1.57 0 1.57 512 3,740 4,250 513 3,740 4,250 46,000 New Mexico

.............. 9.59 0 9.59 42.3 0 42.3 51.9 0 51.9 29,700 New York

.................. 2.39 0 2.39 2,750 4,850 7,600 2,760 4,850 7,600 77,900 North Carolina

.......... 0.37 0 0.37 7,660 1,360 9,020 7,660 1,360 9,020 110,000 North Dakota

............. 0 0 0 837 0 837 837 0 837 28,400

Ohio

........................... 23.0 0 23.0 7,190 0 7,190 7,220 0 7,220 137,000 Oklahoma

.................. 1.26 0 1.26 384 0 384 385 0 385 48,700 Oregon

....................... 1.48 0 1.48 11.2 0 11.2 12.7 0 12.7 8,820 Pennsylvania

............. 4.49 0 4.49 5,390 0 5,390 5,390 0 5,390 201,000 Rhode Island

............. 0 0 0 1.44 232 234 1.44 232 234 1,140

South Carolina

.......... 4.86 0 4.86 5,500 0 5,500 5,500 0 5,500 97,800 South Dakota

............. 3.34 0 3.34 6.93 0 6.93 10.3 0 10.3 3,300 Tennessee

.................. 1.78 0 1.78 5,800 0 5,800 5,800 0 5,800 71,900 Texas

......................... 38.8 0 38.8 10,400 661 11,100 10,500 661 11,100 249,000 Utah

........................... 24.0 10.5 34.5 45.6 0.47 46.0 69.6 11.0 80.6 38,900

Vermont

..................... 0.74 0 0.74 344 0 344 345 0 345 5,230 Virginia

...................... 1.55 0 1.55 2,850 3,150 6,000 2,860 3,150 6,000 53,500 Washington

................ 1.57 0 1.57 36.4 0 36.4 37.9 0 37.9 20,100 West Virginia

............. 1.40 0 1.40 2,470 0 2,470 2,470 0 2,470 77,500 Wisconsin

.................. 2.78 0 2.78 4,630 0 4,630 4,630 0 4,630 55,400 Wyoming

................... 2.29 0 2.29 61.1 0 61.1 63.4 0 63.4 39,600 Puerto Rico

................ 1.17 0 1.17 2.61 2,270 2,270 3.78 2,270 2,270 19,900 U.S. Virgin Islands

.... 0 0 0 0.17 116 116 0.17 116 116 830

TOTAL 587 134 721 116,000 43,800 160,000 117,000 43,900 161,000 3,130,000

## Figure 12. Thermoelectric-power withdrawals by water quality and State, 2010. **Total withdrawals**



## Figure 12 . Thermo **Freshwater withdrawals Saline-water withdrawals**  Louisiana New Hampshire

Florida Idaho Washington

Oregon

Nevada
California

New Mexico

Texas Utah

Arizona Nebraska North Dakota Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Oklahoma Kansas South Dakota

Arkansas Missouri

Georgia Michigan
Iowa

Alabama Tennessee Mississippi North Carolina Wisconsin Minnesota

Indiana Illinois

Kentucky

South Carolina Ohio

West Virginia Virginia Massachusetts Maine

New York Pennsylvania Connecticut Rhode Island Vermont

Alaska Hawaii Maryland Delaware New Jersey District of Columbia L a k e S

u p e r

i o r

L a k e M i c h i g a n

L a k e O

n t a r i o

L a k e E r i e L a k e H u r o n

Puerto

Rico U.S. Virgin Islands West–east division for this reportTotal withdrawals, inmillion gallons per day

Hawaii Alaska

Oregon Washington California Nevada Idaho

Arizona Utah Montana

Wyoming New Mexico Colorado North Dakota

South Dakota Nebraska Texas

Kansas

Oklahoma

Minnesota Iowa Missouri

Louisiana

Arkansas

Wisconsin

Mississippi Illinois Alabama

Tennessee Indiana

Kentucky

Michigan Georgia Ohio

Florida South Carolina

West Virginia

North Carolina Virginia Pennsylvania Maryland D.C. New York

Delaware

New Jersey

Connecticut Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island New Hampshire Maine Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 WEST EAST 

### EXPLANATION **Water withdrawals, in million gallons per day**  0 1 to 2,000 2,001 to 4,000 4,001 to 6,000 6,001 to 9,000 9,001 to 11,200 

## 42 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

## Thermoelectric Power **43**

**Table 13.** Thermoelectric-power water withdrawals by cooling type, 2010. [Values may not sum to totals because of independent rounding. All withdrawal values are in million gallons per day]

**State Withdrawals for once-through cooling**  **Power generated**  **(in million kilowatt** 

**hours) Withdrawals for recirculation cooling**  **Power generated**  **(in million kilowatt** 

**hours) By source and type** 
**Total By source and type** 
**Total Groundwater**  **Surface water Groundwater**  **Surface water**

**Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline**  **Fresh Saline** 

Alabama

.................... 0 0 8,120 0 8,120 74,300 0 0 134 0 134 50,700 Alaska

....................... 0 0 55.8 0 55.8 533 2.19 0 0 0 2.19 1,230 Arizona

...................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 77.3 0 27.1 0 104 86,700 Arkansas

.................... 0.80 0 1,480 0 1,480 20,100 3.46 0 58.5 0 62.0 28,900 California

.................. 0.73 0 0 6,490 6,490 40,100 32.4 48.4 32.2 1.04 114 45,300

Colorado

.................... 3.93 0 13.8 0 17.7 722 12.8 0 46.4 0 59.3 37,600 Connecticut

............... 0 0 198 2,460 2,650 21,500 0 0 0.10 0 0.10 56.8 Delaware

................... 0 0 0 417 417 2,950 0.37 0 7.45 0 7.82 2,210 District of Columbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Florida

....................... 8.12 0 520 8,460 8,990 98,400 35.4 6.54 49.3 104 195 101,000 Georgia

...................... 1.46 0 1,470 283 1,760 16,700 1.46 0 299 0 300 92,900 Hawaii

....................... 52.8 46.9 0 552 652 5,090 0.32 3.83 0 0 4.15 1,740 Idaho

......................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.88 0 0 0 0.88 515 Illinois

....................... 3.42 0 10,100 0 10,100 92,000 2.23 0 631 0 633 99,500 Indiana

....................... 20.6 0 5,240 0 5,260 57,100 3.96 0 116 0 120 51,100

Iowa

........................... 9.39 0 2,200 0 2,210 29,600 11.8 0 17.6 0 29.4 15,100 Kansas

....................... 0.05 0 311 0 311 11,900 11.1 0 54.6 0 65.7 31,700 Kentucky

................... 0 0 3,270 0 3,270 44,900 15.3 0 71.2 0 86.5 48,500 Louisiana

................... 30.4 0 4,030 1.68 4,060 28,400 10.7 0 359 0 370 35,100 Maine

........................ 0 0 24.1 24.2 48.3 280 0.96 0 1.78 1.80 4.54 7,370 Maryland

................... 2.25 0 393 5,750 6,150 32,900 0 0 40.6 11.7 52.3 8,150 Massachusetts

........... 0 0 133 1,930 2,060 18,100 0.21 0 1.62 0.05 1.88 378 Michigan

................... 0.56 0 8,320 0 8,320 84,900 3.56 0 199 0 202 22,000 Minnesota

.................. 2.19 0 1,560 0 1,560 28,800 0.15 0 946 0 946 13,600 Mississippi

................ 1.48 0 900 62.4 964 18,000 48.5 7.05 5.26 0 60.8 26,200

Missouri

.................... 7.07 0 5,870 0 5,880 70,700 12.8 0 22.8 0 35.6 15,600 Montana

.................... 0 0 122 0 122 1,280 0.85 0 27.9 0 28.8 17,700 Nebraska

................... 0 0 1,770 0 1,770 22,500 5.25 0 21.3 0 26.6 11,900 Nevada

...................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 17.9 11.0 3.68 0 32.6 9,990 New Hampshire

........ 0.27 0 200 846 1,050 14,600 0.75 0 1.13 2.42 4.30 4,940
New Jersey

................ 0 0 433 3,740 4,170 28,300 1.57 0 78.6 0 80.1 17,800 New Mexico

.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 9.59 0 42.3 0 51.9 29,700 New York

.................. 0 0 2,750 4,850 7,600 75,300 2.39 0 4.09 0 6.48 2,620 North Carolina

.......... 0 0 6,290 1,360 7,660 71,700 0.37 0 1,360 0 1,360 38,600 North Dakota

............. 0 0 812 0 812 10,300 0 0 24.6 0 24.6 18,100

Ohio

........................... 14.5 0 6,640 0 6,650 61,200 8.49 0 558 0 566 75,400 Oklahoma

.................. 0.08 0 290 0 290 2,730 1.18 0 94.2 0 95.4 46,000 Oregon

....................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.48 0 11.2 0 12.7 8,820 Pennsylvania

............. 0.08 0 3,040 0 3,040 28,400 4.41 0 2,350 0 2,360 173,000 Rhode Island

............. 0 0 0 232 232 639 0 0 1.44 0 1.44 499

South Carolina

.......... 1.02 0 4,420 0 4,420 38,000 3.84 0 1,080 0 1,090 59,800 South Dakota

............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.34 0 6.93 0 10.3 3,300 Tennessee

.................. 0 0 5,780 0 5,780 60,500 1.78 0 20.0 0 21.8 11,400 Texas

......................... 0 0 10,200 658 10,900 129,000 38.8 0 189 3.81 231 120,000 Utah

........................... 0 0 0 0 0 183 24.0 10.5 45.6 0.47 80.6 38,700

Vermont

..................... 0 0 344 0 344 4,780 0.74 0 0.29 0 1.03 447 Virginia

...................... 0 0 2,830 3,150 5,970 41,800 1.55 0 25.4 0 27.0 11,600 Washington

................ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.57 0 36.4 0 37.9 20,100 West Virginia

............. 0.02 0 2,320 0 2,320 16,000 1.38 0 154 0 156 61,500 Wisconsin

.................. 1.35 0 4,600 0 4,600 40,000 1.43 0 34.2 0 35.6 15,400 Wyoming

................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.29 0 61.1 0 63.4 39,600 Puerto Rico

................ 1.15 0 1.12 2,270 2,270 16,700 0.02 0 1.49 0 1.51 3,190 U.S. Virgin Islands

.... 0 0 0 .17 116 116 83 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL 164 46.9 107,000 43, 6 00 151,000 1,460,000 423 87.3 9,360 125 9,990 1,660,000

## 44 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**



# Trends in Water Use, 1950

**– 2010** 

The USGS has conducted water-use compilations every 5 years since 1950 ( http://water.usgs.gov/watuse/50years.html ). A summary of population growth and withdrawal estimates by category of use and source of water is discussed in this section and shown in table 14 for each 5-year period from 1950 through 2010. These trends are shown graphically for freshwater uses in figure 13 and total uses in figure 14. Table 14 shows withdrawals for categories of use for each compilation period. Some categories were compiled and presented differently since compilations were begun. For example, self-supplied domestic and livestock withdrawals are shown separately in table 14; however, they were combined as “rural” in the 1950 and 1955 reports. Prior to 1985, the indus

trial water-use category included withdrawals for commercial, mining, and aquaculture; after 1985 these categories were estimated separately. Water use at fish hatcheries was reported as commercial use in 1990 and 1995, but was included in the aquaculture category for 2000, 2005, and again in 2010. Estimates of commercial withdrawals were not compiled nationally for 2000, 2005 or 2010. Totals in table 14 represent the most current data and incorporate revisions to previously published data; therefore, percentage differences and national totals may be slightly different from previous reports. Total withdrawals for all categories of use in 2010 were estimated to be 355 Bgal/d, a level of withdrawal not reported since before 1970. Total withdrawals in 2010 were 13 percent less than in 2005, causing an abrupt downward shift to the mostly steady trend exhibited since 1985. This down

ward trend was caused by significant declines in the largest categories of use, including thermoelectric power, irrigation, public supply, and industrial. Categories with larger with

drawals in 2010 than in 2005 were mining and aquaculture, but these categories are small and increased total withdrawals for those categories of use did not offset the much larger overall decrease of 54 Bgal/d from the other uses. Although the trend in total population since 1950 has been steadily upward, the rate of increase has varied over time (table 14). Most recently, total population in the United States increased only 4 percent between 2005 and 2010, or an additional 12.3 million people. This continues the upward trend in total population growth exhibited since 1950, but at a slightly slower rate. Historically, decadal growth rates in the United States were at their highest between 1950 and 1960, with an 19 percent increase from an additional 29 million people. Then growth rates exhibited an overall steady trend between 1960 and 1990, with no more than a 27 million person per year increase in the 30 year period. The rates sharply increased with a 13.2 percent increase (32.7 million) between 1990 and 2000 and were most recently at a 9.7 percent (27.3 million) increase from 2000 to 2010. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). In the last decade, population growth rate recorded was much faster in Southern and Western States (14.3 and 13.8 percent, respectively) compared to Midwestern States (3.9 percent) and Northeastern States (3.2 percent). Thermoelectric power continued to account for the largest withdrawals for any category of use at 161 Bgal/d, or 45 percent of the total withdrawals from all categories of use. Total thermoelectric-power withdrawals in 2010 were about 20 percent less than in 2005; freshwater withdrawals were 18 percent less, and saline-water withdrawals were 24 percent less. These were the largest reductions in total withdrawals between 2005 and 2010 when considering all uses and accounted for the majority of the 13 percent decline in total withdrawals for all uses. Total withdrawals for thermoelectric power in 1985 were 11 percent less than in 1980, and fluctua

tions in total withdrawals during the 5-year intervals between 1985 and 2005 were never more than 5 percent. Several factors may be attributed to the 20 percent decline in total thermoelectric withdrawals. Since the 1970s, an increasing number of powerplants were built with or converted to recirculating cooling systems or dry coolingsystems, which use less water than powerplants with oncethrough cooling systems. Withdrawals at powerplants have declined in some States due to the implementation of new rules designed to minimize adverse effects to aquatic life at powerplant intakes. The decrease in use of coal and increase in use of natural gas and new powerplants coming online that use more water-efficient cooling technology also have helped to reduce withdrawals for thermoelectric power. The plant-specific information pertaining to cooling systems, water sources, and net power generation provided estimates of thermoelectric-power withdrawals from the linked heat and water budget models. These data were used in place of data reported to EIA if plant-reported data were not available. Finally, between 2005 and 2010, the closing of once-through plants also contributed significantly to the reduction in total withdrawals. Withdrawals in California were nearly 50 percent less between 2005 and 2010 primarily due to plant closures and upgrades to intakes and cooling systems implemented in order to comply with State regula

tions (California State Water Resources Control Board, 2013). Net power generation associated with thermoelectric power was 3,130,000 gWh in 2010 (table 12), or about 2.5 percent less than the 3,200,000 gWh in 2005. Net power generation increased nearly 50 percent between 1985 (2,140,000 gWh) and 2010. On average, 19 gallons were used to produce 1 kWh of electricity in 2010, compared to almost 23 gal/kWh in 2005. Irrigation withdrawals were 9 percent less between 2005 and 2010, from 127 Bgal/d to 115 Bgal/d, a level not reported since before 1965. This marks the second consecutive 5-year period of decline in irrigation withdrawals and placed 2010 withdrawals 23 percent less than 1980, when with

drawals peaked. However, irrigation withdrawals remained

## Trends in Water Use, 1950–2010 **45**

the second-largest category of use after thermo electric. In 1950, irrigation withdrawals accounted for 64 percent of total freshwater withdrawals excluding thermoelectric, and in 2010 irrigation withdrawals accounted for 61 percent of total freshwater withdrawals excluding thermoelectric. Between 1985 and 2010, the majority of irrigation water was supplied by surface-water sources, ranging from 66 percent in 1985 to 57 percent in 2010. The use of more water-efficient irrigation systems continued to increase with nearly 3 percent more irrigated acres using sprinkler systems in 2010 than in 2005. Nearly 2 percent fewer irrigated acres were reported using flood (surface) irrigation systems in 2010 compared to 2005. Microirrigation systems showed the largest percentage increase between 2005 and 2010, with 14 percent more irri

gated acres with this type of system. Total irrigated acres were only 2 percent more in 2010 than in 2005. Public-supply withdrawals in 2010 were 5 percent less than in 2005, decreasing from 44.3 Bgal/d to 42.0 Bgal/d and marking the first decline since public-supply withdrawals were initially reported in 1950. Total public-supply withdrawals in 2010 were at levels not reported since prior to 2000. During decadal periods between 1950 and 1960, public-supply withdrawals increased 50 percent in conjunction with the high population growth rates during those periods. Percentage increases in public-supply withdrawals during the next three decadal periods between 1960 and 1990 averaged 23 percent, again coinciding with the rate of growth in population during the same time periods. Between 1990 and 2000, the rate of increase in public-supply withdrawals was lower at 12 percent. Between 1990 and 2010, public-supply withdrawals have been roughly 60 percent from surface water and 40 percent from groundwater sources. The percentage of the population that is served from public-supply withdrawals has increased from 62 percent in 1950 to 86 percent in 2010. Self-supplied domestic withdrawals declined 3 percent between 2005 and 2010, from 3.71 Bgal/d to 3.60 Bgal/d. Since 1985, the rate of change in self-supplied domestic with

drawals has remained fairly steady with, at most, a 6 percent increase (1995–2000). Between 1985 and 2010, the percentage of total population that was self-supplied has continuously declined, from about 18 percent to 14 percent. The average per capita use for self-supplied domestic withdrawals decreased from 89 gallons per day in 2005 to 81 gallons per day in 2010. Estimates of self-supplied domestic withdrawals are computed either using a standard coefficient of use or a coefficient derived from data about public-supply domestic **Table 14.** Trends in estimated water use in the United States, 1950–2010. [Data for 2005 and earlier from Kenny and others (2009). Water-use data are in billion gallons per day (thousand million gallons per day) and are rounded to two significant figures for 1950 – 80, and to three significant figures for 1985–2005; percentage change is calculated from unrounded numbers. Geographic extent: 1950, 48 States and District of Columbia, and Hawaii; 1955, 48 States and District of Columbia; 1960 and 1975–2005, 50 States and District of Colum

bia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands; 1965 –70, 50 States and District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico]

**Year Percentage**  **change 2005 to 2010**  **1950 1955**  **1960 1965**  **1970 1975**  **1980 1985**  **1990 1995**  **2000 2005**  **2010**
Population, in millions 150.7 164 179.3 193.8 205.9 216.4 229.6 242.4 252.3 267.1 285.3 300.7 313 4

Total withdrawals 180 240 270 310 370 420 430 397 404 1 398 413 1 409 355 –13

Public supply 14 17 21 24 27 29 33 1 36.6 1 38.7 40.2 1 43.3 1 44.3 42.0 –5 Rural domestic and livestock Self-supplied

domestic 2.1 2.1 2.0 2.3 2.6 2.8 3.4 3.32 3.39 3.39 3.58 1 3.71 3.60 –3

Livestock 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.9 2.1 2.2 2.23 2.25 2.28 1 2.39 1 2.15 2.00 –7 Irrigation 89 110 110 120 130 140 150 135 134 130 139 1 127 115 –9 Thermoelectric power 40 72 100 130 170 200 210 187 194 190 195 201 161 –20 Other

Self-supplied

industrial 37 39 38 46 47 45 45 1 25.8 1 22.5 1 21.6 19.7 1 18.1 15.9 –12

Mining (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) 3.44 4.93 1 3.59 1 4.16 1 3.83 5.32 39 Commercial (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) 1.23 2.39 2.89 (2) (2) (2) Aquaculture (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) 2.24 1 2.24 1 3.23 1 5.78 1 8.84 9.42 7

Source of water

Ground

Fresh 34 47 50 60 68 82 83 73.4 1 79.4 1 76.3 1 84.4 1 78.9 76.0 –4 Saline (2) 0.6 0.4 0.5 1.0 1.0 0.93 0.66 1.22 1.11 1 2.48 1 1.51 3.29 118 Surface

Fresh 140 180 190 210 250 260 280 263 1 256 261 265 270 230 –15 Saline 10 18 31 43 53 69 71 59.6 1 67.1 59.7 61.0 1 59.4 45.0 –24

1 Revised data values.

2 Data not available.

3 Included in self-supplied industrial category.

## Figure 13. Trends in population and freshwater withdrawals by source, 1950–2010.

**Figure 14.** Trends in total water withdrawals by water-use category, 1950–2010. **Groundwater Surface water**  **Total Population** 

1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 

## Figure 13. **EXPLANATION**

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400Population, in millionsWithdrawals, in billion gallons per day



### Public supply **Rural domestic and livestock Irrigation**  **Thermoelectric power Other**  300

250

200

150

100

50

0 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2010 2005 2000Withdrawals, in billion gallons per dayTotal withdrawals, in billion gallons per day 500

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0 

### Total withdrawals (see right axis) 

### EXPLANATION



## Figure 14. 

## 46 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

## The Plant Bowen coal-fired powerplant outside Euharlee in Bartow County, Georgia. Photo by Alan Cressler, USGS. 

## Trends in Water Use, 1950–2010 **47**

of wood products, primary metals, paper, and chemicals, all of which had lower production following the 2008 U.S. recession (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2014). Livestock, mining, and aquaculture withdrawals were included with other categories prior to 1985. Livestock initially was included with rural domestic, but since 1960 has been estimated as a separate category and has consistently accounted for about 1 percent of total withdrawals excluding thermoelectric throughout the 1960–2010 period. Withdrawals for livestock decreased 7 percent from 2.15 Bgal/d in 2005 to 2.00 Bgal/d in 2010, showing the second consecutive period of decline. Livestock withdrawals in 2010 were 16 percent less than the peak year of 2000, when 2.39 Bgal/d was reported. Mining withdrawals were 5.32 Bgal/d in 2010, or a 39 percent increase over 2005 (3.83 Bgal/d). This represented the largest percentage increase of any category of use between 2005 and 2010, but since mining is a relatively small category in terms of total withdrawals, the increase did not offset the large national decreases in total water use. Prior to 1985, mining was included in other industrial withdrawals, but since 1985 has represented from 1.6 to 2.7 percent of total with

drawals excluding thermoelectric. Trends in mining with

drawals have fluctuated between 1985 and 2010, ranging from an increase of 43 percent between 1985 and 1990, followed by a 27 percent decrease between 1990 and 1995. Aquaculture withdrawals were 9.42 Bgal/d in 2010, or a 7 percent increase from 2005. Aquaculture was the other category along with mining that showed an increase in with

drawals between 2005 and 2010. Since 1985, aquaculture has grown from 1 percent of total withdrawals excluding thermo

electric to almost 5 percent in 2010 with the most increase change between 1995 and 2000 when the total withdrawals increased nearly 80 percent. deliveries. The national average public-supply domestic delivery per capita use declined from 105 gallons per day in1985 to 89 gallons per day in 2010. The decline in the selfsupplied domestic per capita use is most likely a function of the decline in the public-supply domestic delivery per capita use. In particular, California (7 percent self-supplied popula

tion) reported 179 gpcd for self-supplied domestic use in2005, and 69 gpcd in 2010. Similarly, Texas (10 percent selfsupplied population) and Wisconsin (30 percent self-supplied population) both reported 8 percent declines in self-supplied domestic per capita use between 2005 and 2010. Changes in the industrial category can be compared for 1985 through 2010, which are the years this category was compiled separately for commercial, mining, and aquaculture uses. Total industrial withdrawals decreased 12 percent between 2005 and 2010, continuing the decline shown each period since 1985. Total industrial withdrawals decreased by 38 percent between 1985 to 2010, from 25.8 Bgal/d in 1985 to 15.9 Bgal/d in 2010. Groundwater provided 14 percent of the total industrial withdrawals in 1985; this proportion has been in the range of 17 to 18 percent since. Almost all of the indus

trial groundwater withdrawals were freshwater. Fresh surfacewater withdrawals have accounted for more than 90 percent of surface-water withdrawals for industrial use since 1995 and was 93 percent in 2010. Declines in industrial withdrawals reflects greater effi

ciencies in industrial processes and an emphasis on water reuse and recycling within industrial facilities, both driven by environmental regulations and limited availability of fresh

water resources in some areas. The larger decline in industrial withdrawals from 2005 to 2010 compared to 2000 to 2005 (12 percent compared to 8 percent) may be due in part to lower industrial production in the major water-using industries

## 48 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010** 

# References Cited

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2014, Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization–G.17, accessed September 19, 2014, at http://www.federalreserve. gov/releases/g17/About.htm

. California State Water Resources Control Board, 2013,

Once-through cooling policy protects marine life and insures electric grid reliability, accessed July 7, 2014, at http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/publications_forms/ publications/factsheets/docs/oncethroughcooling.pdf

. Dickens, J.M., Forbes, B.T., Cobean, D.S., and Tadayon, Saeid, 2011, Documentation of methods and inventory of irriga

tion data collected for the 2000 and 2005 U.S. Geological Survey “Estimated use of water in the United States,” com

parison of USGS-compiled irrigation data to other sources, and recommendations for future compilations: U.S. Geo

logical Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2011–5166, 60 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2011/5166/

. Diehl, T.H., and Harris, M.A., 2014, Withdrawals and con

sumption of water by thermoelectric power plants in the United States, 2010: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2014–5184, 28 p., http://dx.doi. RUJ 10.3133/sir20145184

. Diehl, T.H., Harris, M.A., Murphy, J.C., Hutson, S.S., and Ladd, D.E., 2013, Methods for estimating water consump

tion for thermoelectric power plants in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5188, 78 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20135188

. Hutson, S.S., compiler, 2007, Guidelines for preparation of State water-use estimates for 2005: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 4, chap. E1, 28 p. (Also available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/tm/2007/tm4e1 .) Hutson, S.S., Barber, N.L., Kenny, J.F., Linsey, K.S., Lumia, D.S., and Maupin, M.A., 2004, Estimated use of water in the United States in 2000: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1268, 46 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/2004/circ1268/

. Kenny, J.F., Barber, N.L., Hutson, S.S., Linsey, K.S., Lovelace, J.K., and Maupin, M.A., 2009, Estimated use of water in the United States in 2005: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1344, 52 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1344/

. Levin, S.B., and Zarriello, P.J., 2013, Estimating irrigation

water use in the humid eastern United States: U.S. Geo

logical Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5066, 32 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2013/5066/

. Lovelace, J.K., 2009a, Method for estimating water with

drawals for livestock in the United States, 2005: U.S. Geo

logical Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009–5041, 7 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2009/5041/

. Lovelace, J.K., 2009b, Methods for estimating water withdrawals for mining in the United States, 2005: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009–5053, 7 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2009/5053/

. MacKichan, K.A., 1951, Estimated use of water in the United States, 1950: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 115, 13 p. MacKichan, K.A., 1957, Estimated use of water in the United States, 1955: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 398, 18 p. MacKichan, K.A., and Kammerer, J.C., 1961, Estimated use of water in the United States, 1960: U.S. Geological Sur

vey Circular 456, 26 p. Murray, C.R., 1968, Estimated use of water in the United States, 1965: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 556, 53 p. Murray, C.R., and Reeves, E.B., 1972, Estimated use of water in the United States, 1970: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 676, 37 p. Murray, C.R., and Reeves, E.B., 1977, Estimated use of water in the United States in 1975: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 765, 39 p. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Climate Data Center, 2010, State of the climate, Entire report–annual 2010, accessed August 25, 2014, at http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/2010/13

. Price, C,V., and Maupin, M,A., 2014, Documentation for

the U.S. Geological Survey Public Supply Database (PSDB) —A database of permitted public-supply wells, surface-water intakes, and systems in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014 –1212, 14 p. Solley, W.B., Chase, E.B., and Mann, W.B., IV, 1983,

Estimated use of water in the United States in 1980: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1001, 56 p. Solley, W.B., Merk, C.F., and Pierce, R.R., 1988, Estimated

use of water in the United States in 1985: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1004, 82 p. Solley, W.B., Pierce, R.R., and Perlman, H.A., 1993,

Estimated use of water in the United States in 1990: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1081, 76 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. U.S. Census Bureau, 2011, Population distribution and changes—2000 to 2010: United States Census Bureau, access July 7, 2014, at http://www.census.gov/prod/ cen2010/briefs/c2010br-01.pdf

. U.S. Department of Energy, 2011, Annual energy outlook 2011 with projections to 2035: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Office of Integrated and International Energy Analysis, DOE/EIA-0383(2011), 235 p. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014, Laws & Statues—The Safe Drinking Water Act, accessed March 14, 2014, at http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/ guidance/sdwa/laws_statutes.cfm

. Veil, J.A., 2007, Use of reclaimed water for power plant cooling: Argonne, Ill., Argonne National Laboratory, Environmental Science Division, ANL/EVS/R-07/3, 60 p.

## Glossary **49** 

# Glossary

The following terms are referenced in the text or are part of the water-use Circular series.

**animal-specialties water use** Water use associ

ated with the production of fish in captivity, except for fish hatcheries, and the raising of horses and such fur-bearing animals as rabbits and pets. Animal-specialties water-use estimates were included in the 1990 and 1995 water-use Circulars, but were combined with the livestock categories or aquaculture categories beginning in 2000. See also aquaculture water use, fish-farm water use, livestock water use, and rural water use. **aquaculture water use** Water use associated with the farming of organisms that live in water (such as finfish and shellfish) and offstream water use associated with fish hatcheries. See also fishfarm water use, fish-hatchery water use, animalspecialties water use, and livestock water use. **closed-loop cooling system** See recirculation cooling system.
**commercial water use** Water for motels, hotels, restaurants, office buildings, other commercial facilities, military and nonmilitary institutions, and (for 1990 and 1995) offstream fish hatcheries. Water may be obtained from a public-supply system or may be self-supplied. Commercial water-use estimates were included in some previous water-use Circulars but were omitted beginning in 2000. See also fish-hatchery water use, public-supply water use, public-supply deliv

eries, and self-supplied water use. **consumptive use** The part of water withdrawn that is evaporated, transpired, incorporated into products or crops, consumed by humans or livestock, or otherwise removed from the immediate water environment. Consumptive-useestimates were included in some previous wateruse Circulars but were omitted beginning in 2000. Also referred to as water consumed. **conveyance loss** Water that is lost in transit from a pipe, canal, conduit, or ditch by leakage or evaporation. Generally, the water is not available for further use; however, leakage from an irriga

tion ditch, for example, may percolate to a ground

water source and be available for further use. Conveyance-loss estimates were included in some previous water-use Circulars but were omitted beginning in 2000. See also irrigation water use. **cooling system** An equipment system that provides water for cooling purposes, such as to condensers at powerplants or at factories. May include water intakes, outlets, cooling towers, ponds, canals, pumps, and pipes. See also coolingsystem type, industrial water use, and thermo

electric-power water use. **cooling-system type** Defined as either oncethrough or recirculation cooling system. See also industrial water use, once-through cooling system,recirculation cooling system, and thermoelectricpower water use.
**domestic water use** Water used for indoor household purposes such as drinking, food preparation, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, flushing toilets, and outdoor purposes such as watering lawns and gardens. Domestic water use includes water provided to households by a public water supply (domestic deliveries from public suppliers) and self-supplied water. See also publicsupply deliveries, public-supply water use, rural water use, and self-supplied water use.
**fish-farm water use** Water used for the produc

tion of finfish and shellfish under controlled feeding, sanitation, and harvesting procedures for commercial purposes. Water use by fish farms is classified in the aquaculture category. See also animal-specialties water use, aquaculture water use, and fish-hatchery water use. **fish-hatchery water use** Water used for raising fish for later release and in association with the operation of fish hatcheries or fishing preserves. Fish-hatchery water use has been included in the aquaculture category since 2000. See also aquacul

ture water use, commercial water use, and fish-farm water use.
**freshwater** Water that contains less than 1,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of dissolved solids. Generally, water with more than 500 mg/L of dissolved solids is undesirable for drinking and many industrial uses. See also saline water.
**industrial water use** Water used for fabrica

tion, processing, washing, and cooling. Includes industries such as chemical and allied products, food, mining, paper and allied products, petro

leum refining, and steel. Term used in previous

## 50 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

water-use Circulars to describe the combined public-supply deliveries to industrial users and self-supplied industrial withdrawals. Since 2000, industrial water use refers only to self-supplied industrial withdrawals. See also cooling system,cooling-system type, mining water use, publicsupply deliveries, public-supply water use, and self-supplied water use.
**instream use** Water that is used, but not with

drawn, from a surface-water source for such purposes as hydroelectric-power generation, navigation, water-quality improvement, fish propagation, and recreation. Instream water-use estimates for hydroelectric power were included in some previous water-use Circulars but were omitted since 2000. **irrigation district** A cooperative, self-governing public corporation set up as a subdivision of the State government, with definite geographic boundaries, organized, and having taxing power to obtain and distribute water for irrigation of lands within the district. Created under the authority of a State legislature with the consent of a designated fraction of the landowners or citizens. See also irrigation water use. **irrigation water use** Water that is applied by an irrigation system to assist crop and pasture growth, or to maintain vegetation on recreational lands such as parks and golf courses. Irrigation includes water that is applied for pre-irrigation, frost protection, chemical application, weed control, field preparation, crop cooling, harvesting, dust suppression, leaching of salts from the root zone, and conveyance losses. See also conveyance loss, microirrigation system, sprinkler irrigation system, and surface irrigation system.
**livestock water use** Water used for livestock watering, feedlots, dairy operations, and other on-farm needs. Types of livestock include dairy cows and heifers, beef cattle and calves, sheep and lambs, goats, hogs and pigs, horses and poultry. See also animal-specialties water use, aquaculture water use, and rural water use. **microirrigation system** An irrigation system that wets only a discrete portion of the soil surface in the vicinity of the plant by means of applica

tors (such as orifices, emitters, porous tubing, or perforated pipe) and operated under low pressure. The applicators may be placed on or below the surface of the ground or suspended from supports. See also irrigation water use, sprinkler irrigation system, and surface irrigation system. **mining water use** Water used for the extraction of naturally occurring minerals including solids (such as coal, sand, gravel, and other ores), liquids (such as crude petroleum), and gases (such as natural gas). Also includes uses associated with quarrying, milling of mined materials, injection of water for secondary oil recovery or for uncon

ventional oil and gas recovery (such as hydraulic fracturing), and other operations associated with mining activity. Does not include water associated with dewatering of the aquifer that is not put to beneficial use. Also does not include water used in processing, such as smelting, refining petroleum, or slurry pipeline operations. These processing uses are included in industrial water use. See also industrial water use and self-supplied water use.
**offstream use** Water withdrawn or diverted from a groundwater or surface-water source for aquaculture, commercial, self-supplied domestic, industrial, irrigation, livestock, mining, public supply, thermoelectric power, and other uses. See also entries for each of these categories of use. **once-through cooling system** Also known as open-loop cooling system. Cooling system in which the water is withdrawn from a source, circulated through the heat exchangers, and then returned to a body of water at a higher tempera

ture. See also cooling system, cooling-systemtype, industrial water use, and thermoelectricpower water use. **public-supply deliveries** Amount of water deliv

ered from a public supplier to users for domestic, commercial, industrial, thermoelectric-power, or public-use purposes. Estimates of deliveries for each purpose were provided for 1995 and earlier years, but not for 2000. For 2005 and 2010, only domestic deliveries were estimated nationally. See also commercial water use, domestic water use, industrial water use, public-supply water use, public water use, and thermoelectric-power use. **public-supply water use** Water withdrawn by public and private water suppliers that furnish water to at least 25 people or have a minimum of 15 connections. Public suppliers provide water for a variety of uses, such as domestic, commercial, industrial, thermoelectric-power, and public water

use. See also commercial water use, domestic water use, industrial water use, public-supplydeliveries, public water use, and thermoelectricpower water use.

## Glossary **51**

**public water use** Water supplied from a public supplier and used for such purposes as fire

fighting, street washing, flushing of water lines, and maintaining municipal parks and swimming pools. Generally, public-use water is not billed by the public supplier. See also public-supply deliv

eries and public-supply water use. **recirculation cooling system** Also known as closed-loop cooling system. Water is withdrawn from a source, circulated through heat exchangers, cooled, and then re-used in the same process. Recirculation cooling systems may use induced draft cooling towers, forced draft cooling towers, cooling ponds, or canals. See also cooling system, cooling-system type, industrial water use, and thermoelectric-power water use.
**reclaimed wastewater** Wastewater-treatment plant effluent that has been diverted for beneficialuses such as irrigation, industry, or thermoelectricpower cooling instead of being released to a natural waterway or aquifer. See also water use.
**return flow** Water that reaches a groundwater or surface-water source after release from the point of use and thus becomes available for further use. See also water use.
**rural water use** Water used in suburban or farm areas for domestic and livestock needs. The water generally is self-supplied, and includes domestic use, drinking water for livestock, and other uses such as dairy sanitation, cleaning, and waste disposal. Term used in previous water-use Circulars. See also animal-specialties water use,domestic water use, livestock water use, and selfsupplied water use.
**saline water** Water that contains 1,000 mg/L or more of dissolved solids. See also freshwater. **self-supplied water use** Water withdrawn from a groundwater or surface-water source by a user rather than being obtained from a public-supply source. **sprinkler irrigation system** An irrigation system in which water is applied by means of perforated pipes or nozzles operated under pressure so as to form a spray pattern. See also irrigation water use, microirrigation system, and surface irrigation system. **standard industrial classification (SIC) codes** Four-digit codes established by the Office of Management and Budget, published in 1987, and used in the classification of establishments by type of activity in which they are engaged. **surface irrigation system** Irrigation by means of flood, furrow, or gravity. Flood irrigation is the application of irrigation water in which the entire soil surface is covered by ponded water. Furrow is a partial surface-flooding method of irrigation normally used with clean-tilled crops in which water is applied in furrows or rows of sufficient capacity to contain the design irrigation stream. Gravity is an irrigation method in which water is not pumped, but flows in ditches or pipes and is distributed by gravity. See also irrigation water use, microirrigation system, and sprinkler irriga

tion system. **thermoelectric-power water use** Water used inthe process of generating electricity with steamdriven turbine generators. Term used in previous water-use Circulars to describe the combined public-supply deliveries to thermoelectric-power

plants and self-supplied thermoelectric-power withdrawals. Since 2000, thermoelectric-power water use refers only to self-supplied thermoelec

tric-power withdrawals. See also cooling system, cooling-system type, public-supply water use, and self-supplied water use.
**wastewater-treatment return flow** Term used in previous water-use Circulars to describe waterreturned to the hydrologic system by wastewatertreatment facilities. See also water use.

**water use** In a restrictive sense, the term refers to water that is withdrawn for a specific purpose, such as for public supply, domestic use, irriga

tion, thermoelectric-power cooling, or industrial processing. In previous water-use Circulars, water use for the domestic, commercial, industrial, andthermoelectric categories included both selfsupplied withdrawals and deliveries from public supply. More broadly, water use pertains to the interaction of humans with and influence on the hydrologic cycle, and includes elements such as water withdrawal, delivery, consumptive use, wastewater release, reclaimed wastewater, return flow, and instream use. See also offstream use and instream use.
**water withdrawal** Water removed from a groundwater or surface-water source for use. See also offstream use and self-supplied water use. **watt-hour (Wh)** An electrical energy unit of measure equal to 1 watt of power supplied to, or taken from, an electric circuit steadily for 1 hour.

## 52 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**



# Alabama Alabama Department of Economic and Community Develop

ment, Office of Water Resources, Water Management Branch Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Drinking Water Branch


# Alaska Alaska Department of Administration, Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Water Alaska Department of Fish and Game Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Agriculture Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining Land and Water Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil and Gas University of Alaska, Cooperative Extension Service


# Arizona Arizona Department of Water Resources


# Arkansas Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts Arkansas Department of Health, Engineering Division Arkansas Natural Resources Commission


# California California Department of Food and Agriculture, Annual County Agriculture Commissioner Reports California Department of Public Health California Department of Water Resources, Land and Water Use California State Water Resources Control Board,

Water Recycling Funding Program Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations Golf Course Superintendents Association of America 

# Colorado Colorado Department of Health and Environment Colorado Division of Local Affairs Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety Colorado Division of Water Resources Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Colorado Water Conservation Board Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association


# Connecticut State of Connecticut Department of

Environmental Protection


# Delaware Calpine Mid-Atlantic Generation LLC City of Lewes, Delaware City of Newark, Delaware City of Wilmington, Brandywine Pumping Station,

Delaware Cogentrix (Logan Generating Co. LP) Delaware Agricultural Extension Service Delaware City Refinery (former Premcor) Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control FPL Energy, Marcus Hook, LP General Chemical Corp. Indian River Power, LLC NACP irrigated data (2012) NRG Indian River Power LLC United Water Comp., Delaware


# Florida Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Water Policy Northwest Florida Water Management District South Florida Water Management District Southwest Florida Water Management District St. Johns River Water Management District Suwannee River Water Management District 

# Cooperating Agencies and Organizations

The following State, regional, and local organizations provided assistance and data as part of the water-use compilation. In addition, State, regional, and national offices of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other Federal agencies provided assistance and data for various States.

## Cooperating Agencies and Organizations **53**


# Georgia Georgia Environmental Protection Division,

Watershed Protection Branch Georgia Power Company Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission University of Georgia, Cooperative Extension Service


# Hawaii Hawaii Department of Water Supply Hawaiian Electric Company Honolulu Board of Water Supply Kauai Department of Water Maui Department of Water Supply


# Idaho Idaho Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Statistics Service Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Idaho Department of Fish and Game Idaho Department of Labor Idaho Department of Water Resources Idaho Power Company United Water Idaho University of Idaho, Research and Extension Center at Kimberly


# Illinois Exelon Corporation Illinois Association of Wastewater Agencies Illinois State Water Survey—Illinois Water Inventory Program U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Services Agency


# Indiana Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water


# Iowa Iowa Department of Natural Resources—

Water Allocation and Use Program


# Kansas Kansas Department of Agriculture—Division of Water Resources Kansas Water Office 

# Kentucky Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water


# Louisiana Capitol Area Ground Water Conservation Committee Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Louisiana Office of Conservation - Injection and Mining Division Louisiana State University Agricultural Center


# Maine Maine Department of Agriculture Maine Department of Environmental Protection Maine Department of Health and Human Services Maine Geological Survey Maine Public Utilities Commission 

# Maryland Maryland Department of the Environment


# Massachusetts Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Massachusetts Water Resources Authority 

# Michigan Michigan Department of Environmental Quality,

Water Use Program


# Minnesota Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 

# Mississippi Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Extension Service Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Land and Water Resources Mississippi State Department of Health Yazoo Mississippi Delta Joint Management District


# Missouri Missouri Department of Natural Resources


# Montana Dry Prairie Rural Water Authority Fort Peck Rural County Water District Hill County Water District Montana Department of Environmental Quality Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Montana Department of Revenue Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Montana State University, Central Agricultural Research Center Montana Water Company Multiple cities in Montana

## 54 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**

PPL Montana Prairie County Community Hospital Rosebud Operating Services, Inc. Valley Capitol, Inc.


# Nebraska Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District Central Platte Natural Resource District Lewis and Clark Natural Resource District Little Blue Natural Resource District Lower Big Blue Natural Resource District Lower Elkhorn Natural Resource District Lower Loup Natural Resource District Lower Niobrara Natural Resource District Lower Platte North Natural Resource District Lower Republican Natural Resource District Middle Republican Natural Resource District Nebraska Association of Natural Resource Districts Nebraska Department of Natural Resources Nemaha Natural Resource District North Platte Natural Resource District South Platte Natural Resource District Tri-Basin Natural Resource District Twin Platte Natural Resource District Upper Big Blue Natural Resource District Upper Elkhorn Natural Resource District Upper Loup Natural Resource District Upper Niobrara-White Natural Resource District Upper Republican Natural Resource District


# Nevada Boulder City Water Department Carson City Public Works Chevron Global Power Company Colorado River Commission Federal Water Master Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Nevada Commission on Mineral Resources Nevada Department of Business and Industry Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Environmental Protection Nevada Department of Wildlife Nevada Division of Water Resources Pershing County Water Conservation District Southern Nevada Water Authority Truckee Carson Irrigation District Truckee Meadows Water Authority U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Virgin Valley Water District 

# New Hampshire New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Water Management Bureau 

# New Jersey New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection


# New Mexico New Mexico Office of the State Engineer— Water Conservation Bureau


# New York New York City Department of Environmental Protection New York State Department of Environmental Conservation New York State Department of Health


# North Carolina Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association Duke Energy Company North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Agribusiness and Aquaculture North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cooperative Extension North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Crop Science Progress Energy Company


# North Dakota North Dakota Industrial Commission - Oil and Gas Division North Dakota Regional Water Systems North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association North Dakota State Climate Office North Dakota State Data Center - North Dakota State University North Dakota State Department of Commerce North Dakota State University, Department of Agriculture North Dakota State Water Commission


# Ohio Ohio Department of Natural Resources

# Oklahoma City of Oklahoma City—Water & Wastewater Utilities City of Tulsa—Department of Public Works Grand River Dam Authority
National Weather Service Oklahoma Agricultural Statistics Service Oklahoma Climatological Survey Oklahoma Corporation Commission Oklahoma Department of Commerce Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority Oklahoma Water Resources Board Southwest Power Administration 

# Oregon Oregon Golf Association Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Services Oregon State University Extension Service Oregon Water Resources Department 

# Pennsylvania Delaware River Basin Commission Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection


# Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture Puerto Rico Department of Health Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Puerto Rico Electric and Power Authority Puerto Rico Land Authority


# Rhode Island Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Rhode Island Department of Health Rhode Island Water Resources Board


# South Carolina Duke Energy Corporation Santee Cooper Power South Carolina Department of Health and

Environmental Control South Carolina Electric and Gas 

# South Dakota South Dakota Department of Agriculture South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural

Resources


# Tennessee Memphis Light, Gas and Water Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation,

Division of Water Resources Tennessee Valley Authority U.S. Army Corps of Engineers


# Texas Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Texas Railroad Commission Texas Water Development Board—Water Use and

Projections & Planning 

# U.S. Virgin Islands U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority


# Utah State of Utah Automated Geographic Reference Center Utah Department of Agriculture Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Resources



# Vermont Champlain Water District Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation Vermont Golf Course Superintendents Association 

# Virginia Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Water Supply Planning Program Virginia Department of Health, Office of Drinking Water 

# Washington Washington State Department of Ecology Washington State Department of Health **Cooperating Agencies and Organizations 55** 

## 56 **Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010**


# West Virginia West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water And Waste Management West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey


# Wisconsin
Public Service Commission of Wisconsin—

Water and Energy Divisions Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 

# Wyoming Wyoming Agricultural Statistics Service Wyoming Department of Employment Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Wyoming Water Development Commission

## Manuscript approved on September 24, 2014 Prepared by the USGS Science Publishing Network Raleigh Publishing Service Center (PSC) Edited by Kay P. Naugle Illustrations and layout by Caryl J. Wipperfurth Cover by Carol A. Quesenberry, Denver PSC For more information about this publication contact: U.S. Geological Survey National Water Use Program wu-info@usgs.gov http://water.usgs.gov/watuse/Maupin and others**—Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010 —** Circular 1405

ISSN 1067-084X (Print) ISSN 2330-5703 (Online) http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/cir1405 Printed on recycled paper