Preliminary Estimate of Water 

Used in Southeast River Basins 

1960

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CIRCULAR 449
Preliminary Estimate of Water 

Used in Southeast River Basins

I960

By K. A. MacKichan and J, C Kammerer

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY QRCULAR 449

Washington 1961
United States Department of the Interior

STEWART L. UDALL, SECRETARY

Geological Survey

THOMAS B. NOLAN, DIRECTOR

Free on application to the U.S. Geological Survey, Washington 25, D. C.
CONTENTS

Page Page

Abstract------- -----____-___________ 1 Withdrawal use Continued

Introduction- _ _--__-_--------________ 1 Self-supplied industrial use ____--_-_ 6

Present investigation --_---------- 1 Fuel-electric power (public

Acknowledgments------------ ______ 2 utility)___________________--__- 6

Definition of terms ._--------____-- 3 Air conditioning----------------- 9

Withdrawal use ______________________ 3 Summary of withdrawal uses__-_---_ 9

Public supplies _,-_-_____________ 3 Consumptive use -___-_____-___--_--- 9

Rural -----------.--..--____---____ 3 Changes in withdrawals since 1955 ---- 10

Irrigation--------------_-_..__-____ 6 References cited ______-_----------_- 10

ILLUSTRATION

Page 

Figure 1. Regions of the Southeast River Basins----..----..--------------------------- - 2

TABLES

Page

Table 1. Water used for public supplies__________-_-__---__----_--------------------- 4*

2. Major public water systems, 1959-------------------------------------------- 4

3. Water, self-supplied, for rural use--_---------------_---------------------- 5

4. Water used for irrigation _-_--______-_______-_-________-_________-_-__-----_ 6

5. Self-supplied industrial water ______________-_-__---_-----_------------__--- 7

6. Water used for public utility generation of fuel-electric power ____--__---_----- 8

7. Water withdrawn for air conditioning ___-_----------------__----------------- 9

8. Summary of water used ___-___--__________-_-_----------___-_-_----------- 9

9. Trends in water use in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina --------- ------ 10

III
Preliminary Estimate of Water 

Used in Southeast River Basins, I960

By K. A. MacKichan and J. C. Kammerer

ABSTRACT

The estimated withdrawal use of water in the Southeast 

River Basins during 1960 was about 3,900 mgd exclusive of 

water used to develop waterpower and exclusive of water 

used by the Savannah River Plant of the U.S. Atomic Energy 

Commission. This estimated use amounts to 770 gallons per 

capita per day.

Withdrawal use of water requires that the water be removed 

from the ground or diverted from a stream or lake. In this 

report the use is divided into four types: public supplies, 

rural, irrigation, and self-supplied industrial. An estimate of 

water used for waterpower is not included in this report. 

Consumptive use is the quantity of water discharged to the 

atmosphere or incorporated in the products of the process in 

which it was used. Only about 290 million of the 3,900 mgd 

withdrawn was consumed.

Of the water withdrawn in 1960, 3,200 mgd was taken from 

surface sources and 710 mgd from underground sources. Withdrawal of water has increased 31 percent in South Carolina, 

Alabama, and Georgia since 1955. The use of saline water 

was almost three times as great in 1960 as in 1955.

INTRODUCTION

The use of water generally reduces the 

water resources and frequently deteriorates 

the quality of water, whether the use is withdrawal or nonwithdrawal, consumptive or 

nonconsumptive. The quality may be adversely affected by addition or concentration 

of mineral constituents, addition of bacteria 

or organic matter, or the addition of heat. 

Because the use of water affects the quantity 

and quality of the supply, an adequate evaluation of the water resources of a region requires a knowledge of the quantity of water 

used, where it is used, and the type of use. 

The purpose of this report is to evaluate in 

broad categories the use of water in the 

Southeast River Basins.

PRESENT INVESTIGATION

The present investigation is part of a nationwide survey of water use in 1960. It 

covers the same area of 86,543 square miles 

being investigated by the U.S. Study Commission, Southeast River Basins, and includes the 

following principal river basins: Savannah, 

Ogeechee, Altamaha, St. Marys, Suwannee, 

Ochlockonee, Apalachicola, and Escambia. 

(See fig. 1,) These basins were selected for 

an initial or pilot study in recognition of the 

need of the Study Commission for early information on the magnitude and character of 

water used within its area of study.

This report presents an estimate of the 

quantity of water withdrawn and the quantity 

consumed in 1960. Some water was withdrawn 

from a source, used, and discharged into a 

stream or the ground, only to be withdrawn 

again. Each time the water was withdrawn it 

was added to the accumulated total; therefore, the same water was withdrawn several 

times and was counted each time that it was 

withdrawn. .However, if the water was withdrawn and.recirculated, so that it was used 

several times in the same plant before it was 

discharged into a stream or the ground, it 

was counted only once. Although the best information available was used, the estimates 

in this report are, in general, only approximations of the quantity of water used. The 

estimate for municipal use is probably the 

most accurate and that for industrial use, the 

least accurate.

District offices of the Water Resources 

Division of the U.S. Geological Survey supplied estimates of water used for public
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE OF WATER USED IN SOUTHEAST RIVER BASINS, 1960

OCHLOCKONEE 

AUCILLA

Figure 1. Regions of the Southeast River Basins.

supplies and for manufacturing andnonmanufacturing industries. The estimates were 

based on data in the Geological Survey files 

and on data furnished by State officials. The 

quantities of water used by electric utilities, 

for rural domestic and stock use, and for irrigation were computed from statistics of the 

U.S. Bureau of the Census (1952, 1953, and 

1956), the U.S. Federal Power Commission 

(1957, 1960), and the U.S. Agricultural Marketing Service (1960). Information on the 

sources of water (ground water and surface

water) was furnished also by the district 

offices,Water Resources Division of the Geological Survey.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Data for Alabama were compiled by L. B. 

Peirce, under the supervision of L. E. Carroon, district engineer; H.E. Blanchard compiled data for Georgia under the supervision 

of J. T. Callahan, district geologist; A. E.
WITHDRAWAL USE

Johnson, district engineer, G. E. Siple, district 

geologist, J. C. Chemerys, under the supervision of G. A. Billingsley district chemist, 

compiled data for South Carolina; and data 

for Florida were compiled by J. H. Criner, 

under the supervision of M. I. Rorabaugh, 

district engineer.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Uses of water may be classified in several 

different ways. Among them are withdrawal 

and nonwithdrawal uses and consumptive and 

nonconsumptive uses. Withdrawal uses require that the water be removed from the 

ground or diverted from a stream or lake. 

Irrigation, domestic, stock, public, and industrial uses are of this type. Generation of 

waterpower is also considered a withdrawal 

use; even in run-of-river plants the water is 

diverted through the turbines, and frequently 

the generation of waterpower has a very definite effect on the streamflow. The quantity 

withdrawn is the entire quantity of water taken 

for use. This quantity is sometimes termed 

"pumpage," "water intake," "duty of water," 

or "water requirement" (Am. Water Works 

Assoc. Task Group, 1953). Nonwithdrawal 

uses do not require diversion. Navigation, 

recreation, waste disposal, and conservation 

of fish and wildlife are examples of nonwithdrawal uses. The water user either purchases the water from a public supply system 

or withdraws it from the source himself for 

his own use.

Consumptive use is the quantity of water 

discharged to the atmosphere or incorporated 

in the products of the process in connection 

with vegetative growth, food processing, or 

incidental to an industrial process (Am. Water 

Works Assoc. Task Group, 1953).

Saline water has been defined as water containing more than 1,000 ppm (parts per million) of dissolved solids (Krieger, Hatchett, 

and Poole, 1956) regardless of the composition of the solids and is not necessarily a 

salty (NaCl) water.

Quantities of water given in this report are 

generally in terms of million gallons per day 

(mgd); however, some quantities are also 

given in acre-feet per year. An acre-foot of 

water will cover an acre to a depth of 1 foot; 

1,000 acre-feet per year equals 0.89 mgd.

WITHDRAWAL USE

Withdrawal uses can be evaluated quantitatively because they require removal of the 

water from the ground, stream, lake, or reservoir. The total quantity of water withdrawn 

can be obtained by adding together the known 

amounts of withdrawals. The primary withdrawal uses are public supplies, rural domestic and stock, irrigation, self-supplied industrial, and waterpower. Withdrawals for 

waterpower are not evaluated in this report; 

however, fuel-electric utilities and air conditioning are important subdivisions of primary 

withdrawal-uses and have been evaluated.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES

Public water-supply systems in the Southeast River Basins served almost 3 million 

people an average of 137 gallons per person 

per day or about 400 mgd. (See table 1.) The 

11 major public systems in the area supplied 

about half the water served by all public systems. (See table 2.)

Water used for public supplies includes all 

water pumped into the system. This water 

may be used for fire protection, street flushing, irrigation of lawns and gardens, and by 

industry and commerce, as well as for domestic supply. Because the water is meas - 

ured at the source, leakage is also included. 

Industry and commerce used slightly more 

than 100 mgd from public supplies, of which 

almost 10 mgd was used for air conditioning. 

Public water-supply systems may be either 

publicly or privately owned.

RURAL

Nearly 110 mgd was used in rural homes 

and for stock watering (table 3). About three - 

fourths of this water was obtained from wells 

and springs and only one-fourth from lakes, 

streams, and ponds. The resource was depleted by more than 100 mgd by this use, because practically all the water was evaporated or transpired. Rural homes are defined 

as those not served by public water-supply 

systems.

The rural use of water was computed by 

multiplying per capita uses by the human and 

livestock population. Of the 4.9 million people
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE OF WATER USED IN SOUTHEAST RIVER BASINS, 1960

Table 1. Water used for public supplies

Region

Savannah -Piedmont 

Savannah -Coastal _____

Ogeechee_ _______ _ ___

Altamaha -Piedmont ___ 

Altamaha -Coastal _ _ _ _

Satilla-St. Marys __ __

Su wannee _____________

Ochlockonee- Aucilla __ 

Apalachicola -Piedmont. 

Apalachicola -CoasttJ __ 

Choctawhatchee - 

Escambia _

Southeast River Basins.

Population 

served 

(thousands)

158 

318 

42 

351 

189 

99 

136 

94 

812 

356

351 

2,906

Water withdrawn

Surface 

water 

(mgd)

18 

43 

0 

37 

25 

0 

.4 

0 

110 

17

0 

250

Ground 

water 

(mgd)

4.3 

24 

2.6 

.9 

16 

15 

18 

11 

2.2 

18

42 

150

Total 

(mgd)

23 

66 

2.6 

38 

41 

15 

18 

11 

110 

36

42 

400

Per 

capita 

( pd)

140 

210 

61 

110 

220 

150 

130 

120 

130 

100

120 

137

Water delivered

Industry and 

commerce

Air conditioning 

(mgd)

0.2 

.5 

0 

.4 

.5 

.1 

.1 

.2 

5.7 

.6

1.3 

9.6

Other 

(mgd)

5.4 

35 

.7 

7.6 

11 

2.2 

2.2 

2.2 

2.3 

10

17 

96

Other uses 

including 

losses 

(mgd)

17 

31 

1.9 

30 

30 

13 

16 

8.8 

100 

25

24 

300

Water 

consumed 

(mgd)

2.6 

1.8 

.3 

4.9 

.4 

1.5 

1.8 

1.5 

13 

4.1

8.6 

41

Tlable 2. Major public water systems, 1959

Region where water 

is withdrawn

Savannah -Coastal _____________

Do-._ _____ __ __

Altamaha -Piedmont __ ___ _ _ _

Ochlockonee -Aucilla _ _ ______

Apalachicola -Piedmont _ _ _ _

Do ____________

Do __________________

Do __________________ _

Apalachicola -Coastal _ ______

Do __________________

Choctawhatchee -Escambia_ _

Total ________________

Name of system

Augusta ___________________

Savannah. _ ___________________

Macon1 ______________________

Tallahassee __________________

Atlanta2 _______________ _

Cobb County -Marietta Water

Authority. 

DeKalb County3 __________ _

East Point ___ _ ______________

Albany. __ _ _______ _ ________

Columbus ____ ___

Pensacola_ _ _ _ _ ___ _ ______

Source of water

Surface ______ _ _ _ .

/^Ly»rtn»*^ Qnfl Qll Y*4*Q I"*O

Surface __ _________

Ground _ _ _

Surface ____________

__do __ . _______

._do _ _______ .

__do__

Ground ____________

SiiT*fao^

Ground .___ _ _

Water 

delivered 

(mgd)

13

22

25

6

70

9

1 Q

6

6

15

9

200

1Part of area served is in the Altamaha-Coastal region. 

2Part of area served is in the Altamaha-Piedmont region. 

3 Area served is in the Altamaha-Piedmont region.
WITHDRAWAL USE 

Table 3.^ Water, ftelf supplied for total use, in million gallons per day

Region

Savannah -

Piedmont.

Savannah -

Coastal.

Ogeechee_____

AltamahaPiedmont.

AltamahaCoastal.

SatillaSt. Marys.

Suwannee

OehlockonneeAucilla. .

ApalachicolaPiedmont.

Apalachicola -

Coastal.

C hoctawatche e 

Escambia.

Southeast River

Basins.

i i i 

1 Rural domestic use

Water withdrawn

Surface 

water

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Ground 

water

5.2

8.7

2.0

10

.77

3.6

7.2

6.3

9.4

12

3.7

70

Total

5.2

8.7

2.0

10

.77

3.6

7.2

6.3

9.4

12

3.7

70

Water

consumed

5.2

8.7

2.0

10

.77

3.6

7.2

6.3

9.4

12

3.7

70

Itiive stock use

{

Water .withdrawn

Surface 

water

3.G

.82

.11

2.7

2.9

1.6

4.7

1.6

4.0

4.4

2.5

28

Ground 

water

0.13

.18

2.1

0

.95

.52

.25

.08

.15

3.2

2.5

10

Total

3.1

1.0

2.2

2.7

3.8

2.1

5.0

1.6

4.2

7.6

5.0

38

Water

consumed

3.1

1.0

2.2

2.7

3.8

2.1

5.0

1.6

4.2

7.6

5.0

38

Domestic and livestock uses

Water withdrawn

Surface 

water

3.Q

.82

.11

2.7

2.9

1.6

4.7

1.6

4.0

4.4

2.5

28

Grounc 

water

5.3

8.9

4.2

10

1.7

4.1

7.5

6.4

9.6

15

6.2

80

Total

8.3

9.7

4.3

13

4.6

5.7

12

8.0

14

20

8.7

110

Water

.consumed

8.3

9.7

4.3

13

4.6

5.7

12

8.0

14

20

8.7

110

living in the Southeast River Basins, 2 million 

supply their own water. Of the 2 million selfsupplied population, 1.4 million have running 

water in their homes.

Frank (1955) states that each person living 

in the average electrified-farm or urban 

home in the United States uses an average of 

60 gpd (gallons per day) for household purposes and watering of lawns. The corresponding average for homes without running 

water is only 10 gpd per person. Other investigators report that only 50 gpdper person 

is used in homes with running water. Assuming these averages, about 70 mgd was used for 

rural domestic purposes in the Southeast 

River Basins, which was all obtained from 

wells or springs.

About 38 mgd out of the 110 mgd was used 

for stock watering; about one-fourth of the

stock water was obtained from wells and 

springs and three-fourths from stream, 

ponds, and lakes. The quantity of water used 

by livestock ranges widely, depending on kind 

and age of the animal and the temperature of 

the air (Sykes, 1955). Several authorities 

(Sykes, 1955; Marion, 1952; U.S. Inter-Agency 

Committee on the Arkansas -White Red Basins, 

1957) have given the water requirements of 

livestock. The per capita rates used in this 

report were taken from these and several 

other sources and are given below:

Livestock

Per capita 

use (gpd)

Horses and mules...............................a........................... 10

Beef cattle... 

Milk cows......

Hogs...............

Sheep..............

Goats..............

Chickens........

Turkeys..........

10

20

3

2

2

.04 

.06
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE OF WATER USED IN SOUTHEAST RIVER BASINS. 1960

IRRIGATION

Water was being withdrawn for irrigation in 

1960 at the rate of 48,000 acre-feet per year 

(table 4) to irrigate 124,000 acres. A small 

amount of additional water was lost in conveyance before it reached the field. About 38 

percent of the water came from wells and 

springs, the remaining 62 percent came from 

lakes, ponds, and streams.

Irrigation water is usually measured in 

acre-feet per year. However, in this report 

it is given also in average million gallons per 

day so that the quantities can be compared 

with and added to quantities of water jised for 

other purposes. Irrigation water is applied 

during only a part of each year, and at variable rates; therefore, the actual rate of application is much greater than the average daily 

rate given in table 4.

SELF-SUPPLIED INDUSTRIAL USE

Water has many industrial uses, including 

processing, cooling, conveyance of material, 

boiler feed, and sanitation. Some industries 

require water of very high quality, whereas 

other industries are relatively unconcerned 

about the quality of the water. Most industrial water is self-supplied, although a small 

amount is purchased from public supplies

(table 1). Industry used an average of 3,300 

mgd of self-supplied water during 1960 (table 

5). Most self-supplied industrial water 86 

percent) was obtained from surface sources.

A large part of the industrial water is used 

for cooling and is returned to a stream or an 

aquifer unchanged, except for an increase i'n 

temperature. Water for cooling does not need 

to be of high quality; some cooling equipment 

is designed for use of sea water or other 

saline water. About 25^percent of the water 

used was saline. Only 110 of the 3,300 mgd 

was lost through evaporation.

FUEL-ELECTR-IC POWER(PUBLIC UTILITY)

The amount of water used by public utilities 

for fuel-electric power was about three times 

the amount of self-supplied industrial water 

used by other industries (table 5). Almost all 

the water used by public utilities for generation of fuel-electric power was for condenser 

cooling (table 6). Water for other uses, such 

as boiler feed, sanitary services, cooling of 

machinery within the plant, and irrigation of 

lawns was less than 0.1 percent. All water 

used for cooling condensers was obtained 

from surface sources, and about 19 percent 

of it was saline. The only use made of saline 

water was in condensers. Less than 0.1 percent of the water withdrawn was consumed.

Table 4. Water used for irrigation

Region

Savannah -Piedmont _______

Savannah -Coastal __ ____

Ogeechee__ __ ___ ________

Altamaha -Piedmont ______

Altamaha -Coastal

Satilla-St Marys __

Suwannee- _ _ _ _ __.

Ochlockonee -Aucilla ______

Apalachicola -Piedmont __. 

Apalachicola -Coastal _____

Choctawhatchee -Escambia. 

Southeast River Basins ___

Water delivered to farms

Surface water

1,000 

acre -ft 

per year

7.1 

1.4 

3.2 

1.5 

3.9 

1.9 

5.0 

.8 

1.9 

2.1 

1.1 

30

Average 

annual 

(mgd)

6.3 

1.3 

2.8 

1.3 

3.4 

1.7 

4.4 

.7 

1.7 

1.8 

1.0 

27

Ground water

1,000 

acre -ft 

per year

0.5 

.4 

1.2 

0 

2.2 

1.2 

6.0 

1.4 

0 

4.3 

.4 

18

Average 

annual 

(mgd)

0.4. 

.4 

1.1 

0 

1.9 

1.1 

5.4 

1.2 

0 

3.8 

.3 

16

Conveyance 

losses

1,000 

acre -ft 

jer year

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

.1

Average 

annual 

(mgd)

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

.1

Water consumed

1,000 

acre -ft 

per year

7.6 

1.8 

4.4 

U5 

6.0 

3.1 

11 

2.2 

1.9 

6.4 

1.5 

47

Average 

annual 

(mgd)

6.8 

1.6 

3.9 

1.3 

5.4 

2.8 

9.8 

1.9 

1.7 

5.7 

1.3 

42
Table 5. Self supplied industrial water, in million gallons per day 

[Water used by U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Savannah River plant is not included

Region

Savannah -

Piedmont.

Savannah -

Coastal.

Ogeechee. ______

AltamahaPiedmont.

AltamahaCoastal.

Satilla-St.

Marys.

Suwannee. ______

OchlockoneeAucilla.

ApalachicolaPiedmont.

ApalachicolaCoastal.

ChoctawhatcheeEscambia.

Southeast River

Basins.

Fuel-electric power (public utility) use

Water withdrawn

Surface water

Fresh

0

330

0

0

230

0

83

0

980

300

1.0

1,900

Saline

0

3.0

0

0

150

0

0

61

0

0

220

430

Ground water

Fresh

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

.1

0

0

.1

Saline

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Total

Fresh

0

330

0

0

230

0

83

0

980

300

1.0

L,900

Saline

0

3.0

0

0

150

0

0

61

0

0

220

430

Water

consumed

0

.64

0

0

.01

0

.01

.65

.07

.03

.01

1.4

Other uses

i

Water withdrawn

Surface water

Fresh

7.3

37

0

.1

20

0

0

0

14

6.8

54

140

Saline

0

83

0

0

0

20

0

0

0

0

260

370

Ground water

,,Fresh

2.4

54

Q 

.O

.1

44

190

40

39

.1

1.7

86

460

Saline

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Total

Fresh

9.7

91

.9

? 2

64

190

40

39

15

8.5

140

600

Saline

0

83

0

0

0

20

0

0

0

0

260

370

Water

consumed

1.0

3.5

0

.1

1.6

23

2.0

11

1.7

.8

62

110
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE Of WATER USED IN SOUTHEAST RIVER BASINS, 1960

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CONSUMPTIVE USE 9

AIR CONDITIONING

About one-fourth of the 38 mgd of water 

used for air conditioning was taken from pub - 

lie supplies (table 7). The quantities of water 

used for air conditioning are annual rates.

Table 7. Water withdrawn tot air conditioning, in million 

gallons per day

Region

Savannah -Piedmont _

Savannah -Coastal __

Oseechee

Alt amaha-Piedmont _

Altamaha -Coastal _

Satilla-St. Marys ...

Suwannee __________

OchlockoneeAucilla.

ApalachicolaPiedmont.

Apalachicola -

Coastal.

Choctawhatchee -

Escambia.

Southeast River

Basins .

Selfsupplied 

industrial 

water

0.5

1.8

.1

0

.1

4.0

.7

1.9

.4

0

18

28

Public 

supplies

0.2

.5

0

.4

.5

.1 t

.1

.2

5.7

.6

1.3

9.6

Total

0.7

2.3

.1

.4

.6

4.1

.8

2.1

6.1

.6

19

38

Air conditioning is very seasonal with most 

of the water used in a 4-, to 6-month period. 

Therefore, during the air-conditioning season 

water is used at a much higher rate than that 

shown in table 7; during the rest of the year 

this use is negligible.

SUMMARY OF WITHDRAWAL USES

The estimated withdrawal of water in the 

Southeast River Basins amounted to 3,900 mgd 

during 1960, exclusive of water used for 

waterpower (table 8). This amounts to 770 

gallons per capita per day. Surface-water 

sources supplied 3,200 mgd and ground-water 

sources supplied 710 mgd. Industry used the 

largest part of the water withdrawn, 3,300 

mgd of the 3,900 mgd. Irrigation used the 

smallest amount of water, only 43 mgd. Most 

of the surface water (61 percent) and practically all the ground water (94 percent) was 

withdrawn in the Coastal Plain of the region.

CONSUMPTIVE USE

The gross supply in the Southeast River Basins was reduced about 290 mgd during 1960 

this was the quantity of water that was consumed in use. Industry consumed 110 mgd of

Table 8. Summary of water used, in million gallons per day

[Water used by U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Savannah River plant is not included]

Region

Savannah -Piedmont ________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _*

Savannah -Coastal -

Oceechee __________________________________ _ _ _

Altamaha -Piedmont ... _ __ _ .__ _ ._ _ .... __ _ _

Altamaha -Coastal ____________________________ _

Satilla-St. Marys.-__.__ _ __ .... .

Suwannee ....... __________________ __

Ochlockonee -Aucilla. _ __________________________

Apalachicola -Piedmont _______ __________ ____ _

Apalachicola -Coastal .--___._____ .__ _____

Choctawhatchee -Escambia _________ ___ __ ___

Southeast River Basins ________ _________ _____

Drainage 

area 

(sq mi)

6,768 

3,531 

5,436 

5,699 

8,796 

5,425 

10,929 

6,203 

6,671 

12,845 

14,240 

86,543

Water withdrawn

Surface 

water

35 

500 

2.9 

41 

420 

23 

92 

63 

1,100 

330 

540 

3,200

Ground 

water

12 

87 

8.8 

11 

64 

210 

71 

58 

12 

39 

130 

710

Total

48 

590 

12 

52 

490 

230 

160 

120 

1,100 

370 

670 

3,900

Water 

consumed

19 

17 

8.5 

19 

12 

32 

26 22' 

27 

30 

81 

290
10 PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE OF WATER USED IN SOUTHEAST RIVER BASINS, 1960

the 290 mgd; self-supplied rural user& consumed nearly the same amount; public supplies consumed, the least, 41 mgd.

CHANGES IN WITHDRAWALS SINCE 1955

The present survey is comparable to the 

surveys made for 1950 and 1955. However, 

the area was not divided into the same subregions in 1955. A comparison of trends in 

three States, South Carolina, Georgia, and 

Alabama, should be a good indication of 

trends in the Southeast River Basins. The 

withdrawal of water increased 31 percent 

during the 5-year period. The greatest actual 

increase was in the withdrawal of water for 

industrial use, 1,700 mgd (see table 9); but 

the greatest percentage increase was in the 

use of self-supplied rural water, 58 percent. 

The withdrawal of saline water by selfsupplied industry increased 180 percent, 

from 250 to 730 mgd.

Table 9. Trends in water use in Alabama, Georgia, and South 

Carolina, in million gallons per day

Use

Public supplies __ 

Rural __ __ _ _ _

Irrigation _ _ _ _

Industry ___ _ ___

« 

All uses ________

Water used in 

1955

630 

120 

76 

5,300

6,100

1960

690 

190 

90 

7,000

8,000

Percent 

increase

10 

58 

18 

32

31

dustry: Am. Water Works Assoc. Jour., 

v. 45, no. 12, p. 1249-1260.

Frank, Bernard, 1955, The story^of water as 

the story of man, in Water: U.S. Dept. 

Agriculture Yearbook, 1955, p. 1-8.

Krieger, R. A., Hatchett, J. L., Poole, J. L., 

1956, Preliminary survey of the salinewater resources of the United States: U.S. 

Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1374.

Marion, A. W., 1952, The water situation and 

Ohio agriculture, in Proceedings of the 

First Ohio Water Clinic: Ohio State Univ., 

Eng. Expt. Sta. Bull, 147, p. 21-26.

Sykes, J.F., 1955, Animals and fowl and water, 

in Water: U.S. Dept, Agriculture Yearbook, 

1955, p. 14-18.

U.S. Agricultural Marketing Service, Crop 

Reporting Board, 1960,Livestock and poultry inventory, January 1, number value, and 

classes: U.S. Crop Reporting Board, published annually, 30 p.

U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1952, Irrigation 

of agricultural lands, v. 3 of U.S.Census of 

Agriculture, 1950.

 1953, Characteristics of the population, 

v. 2 of U.S. Census of population, 1950.

 1956, Counties and State economic

REFERENCES CITED

American Water Works Association Task 

Group, 1953, Water conservation in in-f

areas, v. 1 of U.S. Census of Agriculture, 

1954.

U.S. Federal Power Commission, 1957, Water 

requirements of utility steam electric generating plants 1954: Rept. FPC-DC-57,

 1960, Production of electric energy and 

capacity of plants, sec. 1 Electric power 

statistics.

U.S. Inter -Agency Committee on the Arkansas - 

White-Red Basins, 1957, Development of 

water and land resources of the Arkansas - 

White-Red River Basins: U.S. 85th Cong., 

1st. sess., S. Doc. 13.

INT.DUP..D.C.61- 93503