Livestock production has declined in the county over the past 10 years. Some continued decline is anticipated over the next 20 years, resulting in less water consumption. Domestic water use during the next 20 years in Davis County will rise very slightly as a result of a small increase in population and some increase in the per-capita consumption rate. Currently there is no water used for industry, mining, and power production in Davis County. Any future water consumed by these sectors could have a large impact on total water use in the county.
Wells supply water for many communities, farms, and industries in southeastern Iowa.
The water from these wells comes from deposits of earth materials and layered rocks whose characteristics and locations are constant enough to allow fairly reliable predictions as to their location and water-yielding potential. Rocks that store and transmit water are called aquifers. All parts of southeastern Iowa are underlain by three or four aquifers. The unconsolidated deposits near the land surface comprise the surficial aquifer. Underlying the surficial aquifers are several layers of consolidated sedimentary rock collectively called bedrock.