The USGS Water-Use Data and Research (WUDR) program provides financial assistance through cooperative agreements with State water resource agencies to improve the availability, quality, compatibility, and delivery of water-use data that is collected or estimated by States.
Background
Water managers across the United States require more complete, timely, and accurate water-availability information to support policy and decision-making, specifically, data associated with water withdrawals and consumptive use. Recognizing the limitations of current water-use data, the SECURE Water Act authorized a program that supports activities related to data collection and methods research and development at the State level. The Act requires that these State water use and availability datasets be integrated with appropriate datasets that are developed or maintained by the USGS.
Federal fiscal year 2015 (FY15), was the first year that funding was appropriated for this program. In FY15 funding was distributed to State Water-Resource Agencies non-competitively to allow each State to evaluate their current water-use data in relation to USGS baseline standards for each category of water user and to develop a workplan to improve it. In FY16 and subsequent years, funding was distributed under a competitive proposal process.
In 2015, the Interstate Council on Water Policy held three stakeholder meetings to further develop the technical priorities of the WUDR Cooperative Agreements and help develop the foundation for the competitive announcement in FY16.The stakeholder meetings provided the State water-resources agencies an opportunity to share the water-use data and research priorities for each of their respective States, and how their State priorities fit with USGS priorities.
Information sheets
- WUDR program information sheet
- WUDR overview and status, with summaries of completed projects (updated March 31, 2022)
Water-Use Open Forum
The USGS is pleased to host a water-use webinar series to provide the greater water-use community with an opportunity to share challenges, and solutions to water-use data issues such as data collection, data storage, quality assurance, analysis, and data dissemination. To see information on upcoming and previous presentations visit the Water Use Open Forum page.
Please email the WUDR Coordinator to be added to the email list for announcements of future talks.
Program proposals and awards
Proposals
The 2023 awards cycle is complete.
- FY23 WUDR Program Announcement on Grants.gov
- Proposal due date was April 13, 2023 at 4 PM ET.
More information on grant applications and workplans.
Three Q&A sessions were held in Microsoft Teams to help with the application process:
- Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, from 2:00-3:00 pm ET
- Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, from 2:00-3:00 pm ET
- Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, from 2:00-3:00 pm ET
Awards
- FY22 Program Awards list
- FY21 Program Awards list
- FY20 Program Awards list
- FY19 Program Awards list
- FY18 Program Awards list
- FY17 Program Awards list
- FY16 Program Awards list
2015 Interstate Council on Water Policy Stakeholder Meetings
- Tuscaloosa, AL, 9/15/2015
- Salt Lake City, UT 9/17/2015
- Chicago, IL, 10/27/2015
Below are related information links for the Water-Use Data and Research program.
Water Availability and Use Science Program
Water-Use Data and Research program: Proposals and awards
Water-Use Data and Research program: Completed State workplans
Water-Use Open Forum
Water Use in the United States
State Contacts for Water-Use Data
Water-Use Data and Research (WUDR) Project Viewer
About this tool
The Water-Use Data and Research (WUDR) Program provides financial assistance to State water-resource agencies to improve water-use data. This viewer provides a map interface to locate projects and see the project dates, priorities addressed, and project activities.
- Overview
The USGS Water-Use Data and Research (WUDR) program provides financial assistance through cooperative agreements with State water resource agencies to improve the availability, quality, compatibility, and delivery of water-use data that is collected or estimated by States.
Background
Water managers across the United States require more complete, timely, and accurate water-availability information to support policy and decision-making, specifically, data associated with water withdrawals and consumptive use. Recognizing the limitations of current water-use data, the SECURE Water Act authorized a program that supports activities related to data collection and methods research and development at the State level. The Act requires that these State water use and availability datasets be integrated with appropriate datasets that are developed or maintained by the USGS.
Federal fiscal year 2015 (FY15), was the first year that funding was appropriated for this program. In FY15 funding was distributed to State Water-Resource Agencies non-competitively to allow each State to evaluate their current water-use data in relation to USGS baseline standards for each category of water user and to develop a workplan to improve it. In FY16 and subsequent years, funding was distributed under a competitive proposal process.
In 2015, the Interstate Council on Water Policy held three stakeholder meetings to further develop the technical priorities of the WUDR Cooperative Agreements and help develop the foundation for the competitive announcement in FY16.The stakeholder meetings provided the State water-resources agencies an opportunity to share the water-use data and research priorities for each of their respective States, and how their State priorities fit with USGS priorities.
Information sheets
- WUDR program information sheet
- WUDR overview and status, with summaries of completed projects (updated March 31, 2022)
Water-Use Open Forum
The USGS is pleased to host a water-use webinar series to provide the greater water-use community with an opportunity to share challenges, and solutions to water-use data issues such as data collection, data storage, quality assurance, analysis, and data dissemination. To see information on upcoming and previous presentations visit the Water Use Open Forum page.
Please email the WUDR Coordinator to be added to the email list for announcements of future talks.
Program proposals and awards
Proposals
The 2023 awards cycle is complete.
- FY23 WUDR Program Announcement on Grants.gov
- Proposal due date was April 13, 2023 at 4 PM ET.
More information on grant applications and workplans.
Three Q&A sessions were held in Microsoft Teams to help with the application process:
- Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, from 2:00-3:00 pm ET
- Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, from 2:00-3:00 pm ET
- Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, from 2:00-3:00 pm ET
Awards
- FY22 Program Awards list
- FY21 Program Awards list
- FY20 Program Awards list
- FY19 Program Awards list
- FY18 Program Awards list
- FY17 Program Awards list
- FY16 Program Awards list
2015 Interstate Council on Water Policy Stakeholder Meetings
- Tuscaloosa, AL, 9/15/2015
- Salt Lake City, UT 9/17/2015
- Chicago, IL, 10/27/2015
- Science
Below are related information links for the Water-Use Data and Research program.
Water Availability and Use Science Program
The Water Availability and Use Science Program exists to provide a more accurate assessment of the status of the water resources of the U.S., assist in the determination of the quantity and quality of water that is available for beneficial uses, identify long-term trends in water availability, and develop the basis for an improved ability to forecast the availability of fresh water.Water-Use Data and Research program: Proposals and awards
Water-Use Data and Research (WUDR) financial assistance is awarded in a competitive process each Federal Fiscal Year. The funding cycle begins with the WUDR Program Announcement being made available on Grants.gov. State water resources agencies can then prepare proposals for improving their water-use data under the priorities described in an approved workplan. All submitted proposals are reviewed...Water-Use Data and Research program: Completed State workplans
Under the Water-Use Data and Research (WUDR) program, workplans are developed by States to evaluate their current water-use data in relation to USGS baseline standards for each category of water user and develop a workplan to improve it.Water-Use Open Forum
The USGS Water-Use Open Forum is for those involved in water-use data collection, data management, and regulation to communicate about challenges and solutions to water-use data issues, such as data collection, storage, QA/QC, analysis and data dissemination.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...State Contacts for Water-Use Data
Water-use data is compiled for each of the United States as well as for the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The list below contains a link to the USGS water-use site for each entity, if one exists, as well as the point of contact for State-level information. - Web Tools
Water-Use Data and Research (WUDR) Project Viewer
About this tool
The Water-Use Data and Research (WUDR) Program provides financial assistance to State water-resource agencies to improve water-use data. This viewer provides a map interface to locate projects and see the project dates, priorities addressed, and project activities.