Water Use in the United States
Science Center Objects
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 circular, Estimated Use of Water in the United States.
The National Water Use Science Project, part of the National Water Census, is responsible for compiling and disseminating the nation's water-use data. The USGS Water-Use Data and Research program seeks to develop improved water-use data through agreements with State water-resources agencies.
••• WATER USE HOME • TOTAL WATER USE • SURFACE WATER USE • GROUNDWATER USE • TRENDS •••
Public Supply • Domestic • Irrigation • Thermoelectric Power • Industrial • Mining • Livestock • Aquaculture
Water Use Categories
See how water-use categories have changed since the USGS water-use circulars were first published in 1950.
The eight water-use categories included in the National Water-Use Science Project: public supply, domestic, irrigation, thermoelectric power, self-supplied industrial, mining, livestock, and aquaculture.
Overviews
- Estimated total water use for all categories and sources by State
- Water-use estimates for groundwater and surface water by State.
- Trends: How water use is changing over time, starting with the initial USGS estimates for 1950.
Additional information: Publications • Water-use category changes over time • Water-use terminology
Water Availability and Use Science Program: National Water Census
The USGS National Water Census (NWC) is designed to systematically provide information that will allow resource managers to assess the supply, use, and availability of the Nation’s water. The goal of the NWC is to provide nationally-consistent base layers of well-documented data that account for water availability and use nationally.
-
Year Published: 2018Estimated use of water in the United States in 2015
Water use in the United States in 2015 was estimated to be about 322 billion gallons per day (Bgal/d), which was 9 percent less than in 2010. The 2015 estimates put total withdrawals at the lowest level since before 1970, following the same overall trend of decreasing total withdrawals observed from 2005 to 2010. Freshwater withdrawals were 281...
Dieter, Cheryl A.; Maupin, Molly A.; Caldwell, Rodney R.; Harris, Melissa A.; Ivahnenko, Tamara I.; Lovelace, John K.; Barber, Nancy L.; Linsey, Kristin S.Attribution: Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, Water Resources, Water Availability and Use Science Program, United States of America, Water Science SchoolView CitationDieter, C.A., Maupin, M.A., Caldwell, R.R., Harris, M.A., Ivahnenko, T.I., Lovelace, J.K., Barber, N.L., and Linsey, K.S., 2018, Estimated use of water in the United States in 2015: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1441, 65 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/cir1441. [Supersedes USGS Open-File Report 2017–1131.]
Water use in the United States, 1980
Solley, Wayne B.; Barber, Nancy L.; Merk, Charles F.
Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 1980
Water use in the United States in 1980 was estimated to be an average of 450 bgd (billion gallons per day) of fresh and saline water for offstream uses- an 8-percent increase from the 1975 estimate and a 22-percent increase from the 1970 estimate. Average per capita use for all offstream uses was 2,000 gpd (gallons per day) of fresh and saline...
Solley, Wayne B.; Chase, Edith B.; Mann, William B.
Estimated use of water in the United States in 1975
Estimates of water use in the United States in 1975 indicate that an average of about 420 bgd (billion gallons per day) about 1,900 gallons per capita per day was withdrawn for the four principal off-channel uses which are (1) publicsupply (for domestic, commercial, and industrial uses), (2) rural (domestic and livestock), (3) irrigation, and (4)...
Murray, Charles Richard; Reeves, E. Bodette
Estimated use of water in the United States in 1970
Estimates of water use in the United States in 1970 indicate that an average of about 370 bgd (billion gallons per day)about 1,800 gallons per capita per day--was withdrawn for the four principal off-channel uses which are (1) public-supply (for domestic, commercial, and industrial uses), (2) rural (domestic and livestock), (3) irrigation, and (4...
Murray, Charles Richard; Reeves, E. Bodette
Estimated use of water in the United States, 1965
Estimates of water use in the United States for 1965 indicate that an average of about 310 bgd (billion gallons per day) were withdrawn for public-supply, rural domestic and livestock, irrigation, and industrial (including thermoelectric power)uses--that is, about 1,600 gallons per capita per day. This represents an increase of 15 percent over the...
Murray, Charles Richard
Estimated use of water in the United States, 1960
The estimated overage withdrawal use of water in the United States during 1960 was almost 270,000 mgd (million gallons per day), exclusive of water used to develop water power. This estimated use amounts to about 1,500 gpd (galIons per day) per capita. An additional 2,000,000 mgd were used to develop waterpower.Withdrawal use of water requires...
MacKichan, K.A.; Kammerer, J.C.
Estimated use of water in the United States, 1955
The estimated withdrawal use of water in the United States during 1955 was about 740,000 mgd (million gallons per day). Withdrawal use of water requires that it be removed from the ground or diverted from a stream or lake. In this report it is divided into five types: public supplies, rural, irrigation, self-supplied industrial, and waterpower....
MacKichan, Kenneth Allen
Estimated use of water in the United States - 1950
An estimated 170,000 million gallons of water was withdrawn from the ground, lakes, or streams each day on the average during 1950 and used on the farms and in the homes, factories, and business establishments of the United States. An additional 1,100,000 million gallons per day was used to generate hydro-power. Water power is the largest user of...
MacKichan, Kenneth Allen
Water-use data available from USGS
The U.S. Geological Survey compiles water-use estimates every five years for each State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Archived datasets underlying the published "Estimated Use of Water in the United States" reports are available from the above link. County data incorporating any revisions can be found on ...