The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has compiled estimates of water use in Montana and the rest of the United States at 5-year intervals since 1950.
As part of these efforts, county-level estimated use of water in Montana for 2015 was compiled for eight categories of use—irrigation, public supply, domestic, livestock, industrial, mining, thermoelectric power, and aquaculture. In 2015, preliminary estimates indicate that a total of about 9,810 million gallons of water per day (Mgal/d) were withdrawn from Montana's streams and aquifers for these eight categories of use.
- Surface water withdrawals totaled 9,610 Mgal/d (about 98 percent of total)
- Groundwater withdrawals totaled 200 Mgal/d (about 2 percent of total)
In 2015, about 2.5 million acres in Montana were irrigated based on the ArcGIS irrigated land coverage provided by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. The irrigation water use for Montana was estimated by using NWUSP-provided estimates of actual evapotranspiration based on 1-kilometer resolution satellite data which was analyzed through the Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) model (Senay and others, 2013) to assist in estimating consumptive-use of water on irrigated lands. The consumptive-use estimates were combined with irrigation efficiencies and transmission-loss estimates to calculate irrigation withdrawals for the 2015 growing season (April through September). Preliminary estimates indicate that irrigation accounted for about 9,450 Mgal/d or about 96.3 percent of total withdrawals for all uses. Surface water was the source of about 99 percent of irrigation withdrawals and groundwater provided about 1 percent. Not all water withdrawn for irrigation was consumed by plants or evaporated; much of the water withdrawn may result in return flow (surface runoff that reaches a surface-water source or water that infiltrates past the root zone to potentially recharge the groundwater system) thus returning to the local hydrologic system and potentially available for other uses.
Water-use estimates for the remaining seven categories were based on a variety of sources and calculations. In general, publically-available metered or reported withdrawal information is very limited for the state of Montana. As a result, withdrawal estimates are often based on the interpretation of a limited amount of reported data that are in turn used to estimate withdrawals for other facilities or areas. For example, calculated per-capita water-use estimates from a set of public-supply systems with reported withdrawals were used to calculate public-supply water use in other areas of similar climatic conditions. In addition, the USGS NWUSP provides national data sets for the livestock, mining, thermoelectric, and aquaculture categories. In the pie chart above the approximate estimates for 2015 Montana withdrawals for all eight categories can be found. Surface water was the dominant source for most water use categories, groundwater was the primary source for public supply, domestic, and industrial water uses.
Results
Montana 1985-2015 groundwater and surface water estimated total withdrawals and population served.
Montana 2015 water use population served by county.
Montana 2015 water use total withdrawals by county.
Montana 2015 water use total irrigation withdrawals by county.
Montana 2015 water use total public supply withdrawals by county.
Montana 2015 water use total livestock withdrawals by county.
Montana 2015 water use total mining withdrawals by county.
Montana 2015 water use total domestic withdrawals by county.
Montana 2015 water use total industrial withdrawals by county.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Water Use in Wyoming
Evapotranspiration and Water Use Mapping
Aquaculture Water Use
Domestic Water Use
Estimating National Water Use Associated with Continuous Oil and Gas Development
Below are data associated with this project.
Water use in the U.S., 2015
How do we use water in the U.S.?
We all depend on water every day, ranging from the water from our faucets, to the food we eat, to much of the electricity we use. The U.S. and its territories used nearly 322 billion gallons of water per day in 2015. This would cover the continental U.S. in about two inches of water over the course of a year. The national breakdown of water withdrawals looks like this:
U.S. Water Use from 1950-2015
How much water do we use?
In the map below, State size (area) is scaled proportionally to State freshwater use.
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.
Below are the publications associated with this project.
Estimated water use in Montana in 2000
Streamflow for irrigation in the upper Pryor Creek basin, Montana, base period water years 1937-86
National water summary 1987: Hydrologic events and water supply and use
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has compiled estimates of water use in Montana and the rest of the United States at 5-year intervals since 1950.
As part of these efforts, county-level estimated use of water in Montana for 2015 was compiled for eight categories of use—irrigation, public supply, domestic, livestock, industrial, mining, thermoelectric power, and aquaculture. In 2015, preliminary estimates indicate that a total of about 9,810 million gallons of water per day (Mgal/d) were withdrawn from Montana's streams and aquifers for these eight categories of use.
- Surface water withdrawals totaled 9,610 Mgal/d (about 98 percent of total)
- Groundwater withdrawals totaled 200 Mgal/d (about 2 percent of total)
In 2015, about 2.5 million acres in Montana were irrigated based on the ArcGIS irrigated land coverage provided by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. The irrigation water use for Montana was estimated by using NWUSP-provided estimates of actual evapotranspiration based on 1-kilometer resolution satellite data which was analyzed through the Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) model (Senay and others, 2013) to assist in estimating consumptive-use of water on irrigated lands. The consumptive-use estimates were combined with irrigation efficiencies and transmission-loss estimates to calculate irrigation withdrawals for the 2015 growing season (April through September). Preliminary estimates indicate that irrigation accounted for about 9,450 Mgal/d or about 96.3 percent of total withdrawals for all uses. Surface water was the source of about 99 percent of irrigation withdrawals and groundwater provided about 1 percent. Not all water withdrawn for irrigation was consumed by plants or evaporated; much of the water withdrawn may result in return flow (surface runoff that reaches a surface-water source or water that infiltrates past the root zone to potentially recharge the groundwater system) thus returning to the local hydrologic system and potentially available for other uses.
Water-use estimates for the remaining seven categories were based on a variety of sources and calculations. In general, publically-available metered or reported withdrawal information is very limited for the state of Montana. As a result, withdrawal estimates are often based on the interpretation of a limited amount of reported data that are in turn used to estimate withdrawals for other facilities or areas. For example, calculated per-capita water-use estimates from a set of public-supply systems with reported withdrawals were used to calculate public-supply water use in other areas of similar climatic conditions. In addition, the USGS NWUSP provides national data sets for the livestock, mining, thermoelectric, and aquaculture categories. In the pie chart above the approximate estimates for 2015 Montana withdrawals for all eight categories can be found. Surface water was the dominant source for most water use categories, groundwater was the primary source for public supply, domestic, and industrial water uses.
Results
Bar and line chart that shows the Montana 1985-2015 groundwater and surface water withdrawals and population served. Montana 1985-2015 groundwater and surface water estimated total withdrawals and population served.
Map of 2015 water use compilation population served in each county in Wyoming. Montana 2015 water use population served by county.
Map of the 2015 Water Use withdrawal totals for Montana counties. Montana 2015 water use total withdrawals by county.
Map of the 2015 county Water Use withdrawals for Irrigation in Montana. Montana 2015 water use total irrigation withdrawals by county.
Map of the 2015 county Water Use withdrawals for Public Supply in Montana. Montana 2015 water use total public supply withdrawals by county.
Map of the 2015 county Water Use withdrawals for Livestock in Montana. Montana 2015 water use total livestock withdrawals by county.
Map of the 2015 county Water Use withdrawals for Mining in Montana. Montana 2015 water use total mining withdrawals by county.
Map of the 2015 county Water Use withdrawals for Domestic in Montana. Montana 2015 water use total domestic withdrawals by county.
Map of the 2015 county Water Use withdrawals for Industrial in Montana. Montana 2015 water use total industrial withdrawals by county.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Water Use in Wyoming
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has compiled estimates of water use in Wyoming and the rest of the United States at 5-year intervals since 1950.Evapotranspiration and Water Use Mapping
A planet with limited water resources needs accurate, reliable and frequently-updated tools to measure water use and plan for future needs. Scientists at EROS harness the remote sensing capabilities of satellite data to offer powerful tools that resource managers across the United States can use to gain insight into the water use needs of agricultural land, forests, and public green spaces.Aquaculture Water Use
As the label in the grocery store says, "Farm Raised Tilapia Fillets" are for sale! Yes, aquaculture and fish farming are big businesses nowadays, and with the rising population of the world, more and more seafood will be grown in the future in aquatic farms.Domestic Water Use
Domestic water use is water used for indoor and outdoor household purposes— all the things you do at home: drinking, preparing food, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, brushing your teeth, watering the garden, and even washing the dog. At the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), domestic water use refers to the amount of water that is "self-supplied", or water withdrawn directly by users, such as from...Estimating National Water Use Associated with Continuous Oil and Gas Development
Project Period: 2016-ongoing Cooperator: U.S. Geological Survey Water Availability and Use Science Program Project Chiefs: Ryan McShane and Jeremy McDowell - Data
Below are data associated with this project.
Water use in the U.S., 2015
How do we use water in the U.S.?
We all depend on water every day, ranging from the water from our faucets, to the food we eat, to much of the electricity we use. The U.S. and its territories used nearly 322 billion gallons of water per day in 2015. This would cover the continental U.S. in about two inches of water over the course of a year. The national breakdown of water withdrawals looks like this:
U.S. Water Use from 1950-2015
How much water do we use?
In the map below, State size (area) is scaled proportionally to State freshwater use.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.
- Publications
Below are the publications associated with this project.
Estimated water use in Montana in 2000
The future health and economic welfare of Montana's population is dependent on a continuing supply of fresh water. Montana's finite water resources are being stressed by increasing water withdrawals and instream-flow requirements. Various water managers in Montana need comprehensive, current, and detailed water-use data to quantify current stresses and estimate and plan for future water needs. ThiAuthorsM. R. Cannon, Dave R. JohnsonStreamflow for irrigation in the upper Pryor Creek basin, Montana, base period water years 1937-86
No abstract available.AuthorsD.R. JohnsonNational water summary 1987: Hydrologic events and water supply and use
Water use in the United States, as measured by freshwater withdrawals in 1985, averaged 338,000 Mgal/d (million gallons per day), which is enough water to cover the 48 conterminous States to a depth of about 2.4 inches. Only 92,300 Mgal/d, or 27.3 percent of the water withdrawn, was consumptive use and thus lost to immediate further use; the remainder of the withdrawals (72.7 percent) was return fByWater Resources Mission Area, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Dakota Water Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.