Water-use terminology in the series of USGS water-use circulars, first published for the year 1950, has changed over time as illustrated here. Some categories were re-named but retained essentially the same definition, while other changes split existing categories or shifted components of one category to another. See the entries for these terms in the water-use terminology page for other details.
••• WATER USE HOME • TOTAL WATER USE • SURFACE WATER USE • GROUNDWATER USE • TRENDS •••
Public Supply • Domestic • Irrigation • Thermoelectric Power • Industrial • Mining • Livestock • Aquaculture
Rural estimates for 1950 and 1955 were allocated to Rural Domestic and Livestock in later reports.
The focus of most of these Circulars are water withdrawals from surface-water and groundwater sources. From 1960 to 1995 consumptive use was also estimated. Consumptive use for Irrigation and Thermoelectric Power was estimated for 2015. Ancillary data such as population served by public supply, power generated, and irrigated acres has also been included in many of the reports.
Below are related water-use topics.
Water Use in the United States
Trends in Water Use
Water-Use Terminology
Below is a PDF version of a table showing the changes in water-use terminology, used the series of USGS water-use circulars, since 1950.
- Overview
Water-use terminology in the series of USGS water-use circulars, first published for the year 1950, has changed over time as illustrated here. Some categories were re-named but retained essentially the same definition, while other changes split existing categories or shifted components of one category to another. See the entries for these terms in the water-use terminology page for other details.
••• WATER USE HOME • TOTAL WATER USE • SURFACE WATER USE • GROUNDWATER USE • TRENDS •••
Public Supply • Domestic • Irrigation • Thermoelectric Power • Industrial • Mining • Livestock • Aquaculture
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Download a PDF of this table here. Rural estimates for 1950 and 1955 were allocated to Rural Domestic and Livestock in later reports.
The focus of most of these Circulars are water withdrawals from surface-water and groundwater sources. From 1960 to 1995 consumptive use was also estimated. Consumptive use for Irrigation and Thermoelectric Power was estimated for 2015. Ancillary data such as population served by public supply, power generated, and irrigated acres has also been included in many of the reports.
- Science
Below are related water-use topics.
Water Use in the United States
The USGS produces national estimates of water withdrawal and consumptive water use. Withdrawal estimates are currently being finalized for a 20-year period from 2000 to 2020 for the three largest water use categories nationally (public supply, self-supplied thermoelectric power, and self-supplied crop irrigation). Six additional categories of use (self-supplied industrial, domestic, mining...Trends in Water Use
Total withdrawals for all categories of use in 2015 were estimated to be 322 billion gallons per day (Bgal/d), a level of withdrawal not reported since before 1970. Total withdrawals in 2015 were 9 percent less than in 2010, continuing a sharp but steady downward trend since 2005. Freshwater withdrawals were also 9 percent less than in 2015.Water-Use Terminology
The following terms have been used in one or more of the water-use publications. The comparison of water-use categories over the history of these reports may also help clarify the use of some of the terms. - Multimedia
Below is a PDF version of a table showing the changes in water-use terminology, used the series of USGS water-use circulars, since 1950.