Chapter 2 discussed population growth and its relationship to per capita water use.
Population density is another factor influencing per capita water use.
As population per acre increases, per capita landscape area tends to decrease. Table D-1 shows changes in population density by county between 1980 and 1990. The historical urban water use trends shown in Table 2-1 indicate a recent leveling off of per capita water use in most areas of California, possibly due in part to higher population densities and water conservation efforts. Chapter 1 introduced the terms net water use and depletion , represented graphically in Figure D-1 . The interaction of net water use and depletion varies geographically.