Vermont Water Use
Science Center Objects
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the Nation's water-use data at the county, State, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for Vermont is presented on this web page.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-use data analysis is needed to quantify the stress on existing supplies, particularly during periods when there is increased competition for water (for example, periods of drought).
Approach:
- USGS water-use compilations are one of the few sources of information about national and regional trends in water withdrawals.
- The New England Water Science Center (WSC) collects, reviews, and aggregates water withdrawal data in Vermont from different sources (groundwater and surface water in both fresh and saline settings) as a part of the national effort.
- Our WSC collects site-specific and aggregated water-use information for each county in Vermont.
- The New England WSC complies and estimates water use at the county level for eight water-use categories: thermoelectric, public supply, domestic, livestock, mining, industrial, irrigation, and aquaculture.
Water Issues
Vermont is fortunate to have abundant freshwater resources.
Annual precipitation averages in Vermont place the State in the top half of the wettest States in the United States.
However, as populations have grown (10.6 percent between 1990 and 2015), freshwater resources have come under significant stress in many areas, particularly during periods of drought.
A graph showing Vermont population between 1985 and 2015. (Public domain)
A graph showing Vermont water withdrawal trends between 1990 and 2015. (Public domain)
Summary of 2015 Compilation
Core numbers for Vermont are presented in the Results tab.
How Much Water is Used in Vermont?
In 2015, approximately 91 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of water was withdrawn from groundwater and surface-water sources in Vermont. Total water withdrawals between 1990 and 2015 are on steady decline (-86 percent).
- Surface water withdrawals totaled 54 Mgal/d (59 % of total)
- Groundwater withdrawals totaled 37 Mgal/d (41 % of total)
- All withdrawn water was a freshwater, there wern't saline water withdrawals.
Vermont Total Water Withdrawals in 2015 by Category (Values in Mgal/day)
- Public Supply—42.7
- Aquaculture—12.0
- Domestic—11.0
- Industrial—11.0
- Livestock—5.9
- Mining—4.6
- Irrigation—3.1
- Thermoelectric—0.8
Vermont total water use by category in 2015. (Public domain)
Animation of 2015 Vermont water use by category, captured from the visualization of 2015 United States water use by category, by the USGS Vizlab. (Public domain)
Vermont Public Water Supply Withdrawals in 2015 by County
| VT County | Groundwater (Mgal/d) | Surface Water (Mgal/d) | Total (Mgal/d) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addison | 1.75 | 1.7 | 3.45 |
| Bennington | 0.98 | 2.32 | 3.3 |
| Caledonia | 0.87 | 0.9 | 1.77 |
| Chittenden | 0.47 | 13.42 | 13.89 |
| Essex | 0.15 | 0.1 | 0.25 |
| Franklin | 0.47 | 2.53 | 3 |
| Grand Isle | 0.03 | 0.47 | 0.5 |
| Lamoille | 1.2 | 0.09 | 1.29 |
| Orange | 0.84 | 1.32 | 2.16 |
| Orleans | 1.28 | 0.35 | 1.63 |
| Rutland | 1.84 | 2.53 | 4.37 |
| Washington | 0.61 | 1.24 | 1.85 |
| Windham | 0.36 | 1.74 | 2.1 |
| Windsor | 3.04 | 0.06 | 3.1 |
| Total | 13.89 | 28.77 | 42.66 |
Water Use in the United States
The USGS works in cooperation with local, State, and Federal agencies to collect water-use information, then compiles these data to produce water-use information aggregated at the county, state, and national levels. Every five years, data at the county level are compiled into a national water-use data system and State-level data are published in a national...
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Date published: September 29, 2020Status: CompletedNew England Water Use in 2015 Geonarrative
The New England Water Science Center has collected, reviewed, and aggregated water-withdrawal data in each of the six States every 5 years since 1950. The most recent water-use compilation was completed in 2015, and its summary is presented in this geonarrative.
Contacts: Tomas W SmieszekAttribution: New England Water Science Center -
Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedNew England Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the Nation's water-use data at the county, State, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for New England is presented on this web page.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-use data analysis is needed to quantify the...
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Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedConnecticut Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the Nation's water-use data at the county, State, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for Connecticut is presented on this web page.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-use data analysis is needed to quantify the...
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Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedMaine Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the Nation's water-use data at the county, State, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for Maine is presented on this web page.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-use data analysis is needed to quantify the stress on...
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Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedMassachusetts Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the Nation's water-use data at the county, State, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for Massachusetts is presented on this web page.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-use data analysis is needed to quantify the...
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Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedNew Hampshire Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the Nation's water-use data at the county, State, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for New Hampshire is presented on this web page.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-use data analysis is needed to quantify the...
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Date published: November 4, 2019Status: CompletedRhode Island Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled the Nation's water-use data at the county, State, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water-use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for Rhode Island is presented on this web page.
The Issue: Comprehensive water-use data analysis is needed to quantify the...
Estimated water withdrawals and return flows in Vermont in 2005 and 2020
In 2005, about 12 percent of total water withdrawals (440 million gallons per day (Mgal/d)) in Vermont were from groundwater sources (51 Mgal/d), and about 88 percent were from surface-water sources (389 Mgal/d). Of total water withdrawals, about 78 percent were used for cooling at a power plant, 9 percent were withdrawn by public suppliers, about...
Medalie, Laura; Horn, Marilee A.
Estimated water withdrawals and use in Vermont, 1995
Medalie, Laura
Estimated withdrawals and use of freshwater in Vermont, 1990
Estimated freshwater withdrawals during 1990 in Vermont totaled about 632 million gallons per day. The largest withdrawals were for thermoelectric- power generation (82 percent), industrial use (7 percent), and public supply (6 percent). Most withdrawals, 587 million gallons per day, were made from surface-water sources as compared to 44.9 million...
Horn, M.A.; Medalie, Laura
Estimated Use of Water in the United States County-Level Data for 2015
This dataset contains water-use estimates for 2015 that are aggregated to the county level in the United States. The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS's) National Water Use Science Project is responsible for compiling and disseminating the Nation's water-use data.
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Date published: April 9, 2018Water Use Data for Vermont
The link provides access to the 5-year water-use compilations (between 1985 and 2015) data for Vermont on the National Water Information System (NWIS) web interface.
The presented data were compiled and published by the USGS's National Water Use Information Program (NWUIP).
Attribution: New England Water Science Center
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Date published: January 24, 2020
New England Water Use, 2015 Geonarrative
As part of the USGS National Water-Use Science Project, the New England WSC works in cooperation with local, State, and Federal agencies as well as academic and private organizations to collect and report total water withdrawals for the 6 states in New England. The most recent estimated water use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for New England is presented in this geonarrative.
Vermont population trends, 1990 - 2015
Vermont population between 1990 and 2015.
Animation of 2015 Vermont water use by category
Animation of 2015 Vermont water use by category, captured from the visualization of 2015 United States water use by category, by the USGS Vizlab.
Vermont Total Water Use by category in 2015
Vermont Total Water Use by category in 2015
Vermont water withdrawal trends, 1990 - 2015
A graph showing Vermont water withdrawal trends between 1990 and 2015
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How much water is used by people in the United States?
Since 1950, the USGS has collected and analyzed water-use data for the United States and its Territories . That data is revised every 5 years. As of 2015, the United States uses 322 billion gallons of water per day (Bgal/day). The three largest water-use categories were irrigation (118 Bgal/day), thermoelectric power (133 Bgal/day), and public... -
What is the Earth's "water cycle?"
The water cycle , also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the continuous movement of water as it makes a circuit from the oceans to the atmosphere to the Earth and on again. Most of Earth's water is in the oceans. The sun, which drives the water cycle, heats water in the oceans. Some of it evaporates as vapor into the air. Rising vapor cools... -
How much natural water is there?
Earth is estimated to hold about 1,460,000,000 cubic kilometers of water. The breakdown of where all that water resides is estimated as follows: Oceans (saline) 1,419,120,000 cubic kilometers Ice caps and glaciers (fresh) 31,244,000 cubic kilometers Groundwater (fresh and saline) 8,906,000 cubic kilometers Streams and lakes (fresh) 132,860 cubic... -
Is saline water used for anything?
In the U.S., about 13 percent of all water used is saline water . But saline water can only be used for certain purposes. The main use is for thermoelectric power-plant cooling. About 5 percent of water used for industrial purposes is saline, and about 53 percent of all water used for mining purposes is saline. Saline water can be desalinated for...