Current data suggest total water use of 257,201 million gallons per year. 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. Current water use in Wapello County is approximately 1,851 mgy for industry and 252,667 mgy for power production. Any future change in water uses for industry, mining, or in particular for power production could have a large impact on total water consumption 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.