The strategic challenge for the future is to ensure adequate quantity and quality of water to meet human and ecological needs in the face of growing competition among domestic, industrial, commercial, agricultural, and environmental uses.

National Research Council's Report
Confronting the Nation's Water Problems: The Role of Research

Will there be sufficient freshwater resources in the future to sustain economic growth, quality of life and ecosystems in the United States? Water managers and municipalities are looking for ways to better manage known water resources while also identifying supplemental sources of water. The USGS studies water availability and use across the United States to provide resource managers and policy makers with essential information needed for management of our Nation's water resources.