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.
As part of these efforts, county-level estimated use of water in Wyoming 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 In 2015, preliminary estimates indicate that a total of about 8,150 million gallons of water per day (Mgal/d) were withdrawn from Wyoming's streams and aquifers for these eight categories of use.
- Surface water withdrawals totaled 7,400 Mgal/d (about 91 percent of total)
- Groundwater withdrawals totaled 750 Mgal/d (about 9 percent of total)
In 2015, about 1.4 million acres of Wyoming's agriculatural lands were irrigated based on the United States Department of Agriculture 2012 Census of Agriculture report. The irrigation water use for Wyoming 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 October). Preliminary estimates indicate that irrigation accounted for about 7,790 Mgal/d or about 95.6 percent of total withdrawals for all uses. Surface water was the source of about 93 percent of irrigation withdrawals and groundwater provided about 7 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 Not all water withdrawn for irrigation was consumed by plants or evaporated; much of the water withdrawn may result in return flow (surface runoff that reaches a surface-water source or water that infiltrates past the root zone to potentially recharge the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 Wyoming. 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. 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 irrigation, thermoelectric, aquaculture, and livestock and groundwater was the primary source for public supply, mining, domestic, and industrial water uses.

Find publications, additional National reports, downloadable County data, and more information on Water Use in the United States website.
Results

Wyoming 1985-2015 groundwater and surface water estimated total withdrawals and population served.

Wyoming 2015 water use population served by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total irrigation withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total mining withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total public supply withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total livestock withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total domestic withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total industrial withdrawals by county.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Water Use in Montana
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
U.S. Water Use from 1950-2015
Estimated Use of Water in the United States County-Level Data for 2015
Below are the Wyoming publications associated with this project
Estimated water use in Wyoming during 2000
Estimated use of water in Lincoln County, Wyoming, 1993
National water summary 1987: Hydrologic events and water supply and use
Below are partners associated with this project.
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.
As part of these efforts, county-level estimated use of water in Wyoming 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 8,150 million gallons of water per day (Mgal/d) were withdrawn from Wyoming's streams and aquifers for these eight categories of use.
- Surface water withdrawals totaled 7,400 Mgal/d (about 91 percent of total)
- Groundwater withdrawals totaled 750 Mgal/d (about 9 percent of total)
In 2015, about 1.4 million acres of Wyoming's agriculatural lands were irrigated based on the United States Department of Agriculture 2012 Census of Agriculture report. The irrigation water use for Wyoming 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 October). Preliminary estimates indicate that irrigation accounted for about 7,790 Mgal/d or about 95.6 percent of total withdrawals for all uses. Surface water was the source of about 93 percent of irrigation withdrawals and groundwater provided about 7 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 Wyoming. 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. 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 irrigation, thermoelectric, aquaculture, and livestock and groundwater was the primary source for public supply, mining, domestic, and industrial water uses.

Find publications, additional National reports, downloadable County data, and more information on Water Use in the United States website.
Results

Wyoming 1985-2015 groundwater and surface water estimated total withdrawals and population served.

Wyoming 2015 water use population served by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total irrigation withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total mining withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total public supply withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total livestock withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total domestic withdrawals by county.

Wyoming 2015 water use total industrial withdrawals by county.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Water Use in Montana
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
U.S. Water Use from 1950-2015
Estimated Use of Water in the United States County-Level Data for 2015
Below are the Wyoming publications associated with this project
Estimated water use in Wyoming during 2000
Estimated use of water in Lincoln County, Wyoming, 1993
National water summary 1987: Hydrologic events and water supply and use
Below are partners associated with this project.