In spite of some very wet weather, this center pivot in southern Wisconsin is running. Irrigation has been growing in the Midwest in recent years and it could be effecting the transport of agricultural chemicals to streams.
Irrigation Water Use
Water-Use Data for the Nation
The USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) compiles and publishes national water-use data every 5 years.
The USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) compiles and publishes national water-use data every 5 years.
Water Use Information by Topic
Water Science School Home
Throughout the world, irrigation (water for agriculture, or growing crops) is probably the most important use of water (except for drinking and washing a smelly dog, perhaps). Irrigation water is essential for keeping fruits, vegetables, and grains growing to feed the world's population, and this has been a constant for thousands of years.
• Water Science School HOME • Water Use topics •
Irrigation Water Use
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Think of what your supper table might be like if water was not used to irrigate crops. Do you think you could survive very long without heaping servings of eggplant, beets, brussels sprouts, and rutabagas? Irrigation water is essential for keeping fruits, vegetables, and grains growing to feed the world's population, and this has been a constant for thousands of years.
Throughout the world, irrigation (water for agriculture, or growing crops) is probably the most important use of water (except for drinking and washing a smelly dog, perhaps). Estimates vary, but about 70 percent of all the world's freshwater withdrawals go towards irrigation uses1. Large-scale farming could not provide food for the world's large populations without the irrigation of crop fields by water gotten from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and wells. Without irrigation, crops could never be grown in the deserts of California, Israel, or my tomato patch..
Irrigation has been around for as long as humans have been cultivating plants. Man's first invention after he learned how to grow plants from seeds was probably a bucket. Ancient people must have had strong backs from having to haul buckets full of water to pour on their first plants. Pouring water on fields is still a common irrigation method today—but other, more efficient and mechanized methods are also used. One of the more popular mechanized methods is the center-pivot irrigation system, which uses moving spray guns or dripping faucet heads on wheeled tubes that pivot around a central source of water. The fields irrigated by these systems are easily seen from the air as green circles. There are many more irrigation techniques farmers use today, since there is always a need to find more efficient ways to use water for irrigation.
When we use water in our home, or when an industry uses water, about 90 percent of the water used is eventually returned to the environment where it replenishes water sources (water goes back into a stream or down into the ground) and can be used for other purposes. But of the water used for irrigation, only about one-half is reusable. The rest is lost by evaporation into the air, evapotranspiration from plants, or is lost in transit, by a leaking pipe, for example.
Irrigation methods
- A quick look at irrigation methods
- Drip or microirrigation
- Furrow or flood irrigation
- Spray or sprinkler irrigation
Irrigation water use in the United States
Every five years, water withdrawal and use data at the county level are compiled into a national water-use data system, and state-level data are published in a national circular.
Access the most recent National, state, and county irrigation data, maps, and diagrams
More topics relating to irrigation water use:
Water Use Information by Topic
Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.
Evaporation and the Water Cycle
Evaporation is the process that changes liquid water to gaseous water (water vapor). Water moves from the Earth’s surface to the atmosphere via evaporation.
Surface Water Use in the United States
The Nation's surface-water resources—the water in the nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, and reservoirs—are vitally important to our everyday life.
Trends in Water Use in the United States, 1950 to 2015
How has America's water use changed over the last 65 years? Are we using more or less water, and are there trends for different kinds of water use?
Groundwater Use in the United States
Groundwater is one of our most valuable resource—even though you probably never see it or even realize it is there. Groundwater is essential for irrigation and human use in many parts of the country. The use of groundwater in the United States in 2015 is described below.
Evapotranspiration and the Water Cycle
Evapotranspiration is the sum of all processes by which water moves from the land surface to the atmosphere via evaporation and transpiration.
Freshwater Withdrawals in the United States
The freshwater in the Nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, reservoirs, and in underground aquifers are vitally important to our everyday life, and, indeed, to all life on Earth.
Below are multimedia items associated with irrigation water use.
Center pivot irrigation system
In spite of some very wet weather, this center pivot in southern Wisconsin is running. Irrigation has been growing in the Midwest in recent years and it could be effecting the transport of agricultural chemicals to streams.
Throughout the world, irrigation (water for agriculture, or growing crops) is probably the most important use of water (except for drinking and washing a smelly dog, perhaps). Irrigation water is essential for keeping fruits, vegetables, and grains growing to feed the world's population, and this has been a constant for thousands of years.
• Water Science School HOME • Water Use topics •
Irrigation Water Use
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Think of what your supper table might be like if water was not used to irrigate crops. Do you think you could survive very long without heaping servings of eggplant, beets, brussels sprouts, and rutabagas? Irrigation water is essential for keeping fruits, vegetables, and grains growing to feed the world's population, and this has been a constant for thousands of years.
Throughout the world, irrigation (water for agriculture, or growing crops) is probably the most important use of water (except for drinking and washing a smelly dog, perhaps). Estimates vary, but about 70 percent of all the world's freshwater withdrawals go towards irrigation uses1. Large-scale farming could not provide food for the world's large populations without the irrigation of crop fields by water gotten from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and wells. Without irrigation, crops could never be grown in the deserts of California, Israel, or my tomato patch..
Irrigation has been around for as long as humans have been cultivating plants. Man's first invention after he learned how to grow plants from seeds was probably a bucket. Ancient people must have had strong backs from having to haul buckets full of water to pour on their first plants. Pouring water on fields is still a common irrigation method today—but other, more efficient and mechanized methods are also used. One of the more popular mechanized methods is the center-pivot irrigation system, which uses moving spray guns or dripping faucet heads on wheeled tubes that pivot around a central source of water. The fields irrigated by these systems are easily seen from the air as green circles. There are many more irrigation techniques farmers use today, since there is always a need to find more efficient ways to use water for irrigation.
When we use water in our home, or when an industry uses water, about 90 percent of the water used is eventually returned to the environment where it replenishes water sources (water goes back into a stream or down into the ground) and can be used for other purposes. But of the water used for irrigation, only about one-half is reusable. The rest is lost by evaporation into the air, evapotranspiration from plants, or is lost in transit, by a leaking pipe, for example.
Irrigation methods
- A quick look at irrigation methods
- Drip or microirrigation
- Furrow or flood irrigation
- Spray or sprinkler irrigation
Irrigation water use in the United States
Every five years, water withdrawal and use data at the county level are compiled into a national water-use data system, and state-level data are published in a national circular.
Access the most recent National, state, and county irrigation data, maps, and diagrams
More topics relating to irrigation water use:
Water Use Information by Topic
Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.
Evaporation and the Water Cycle
Evaporation is the process that changes liquid water to gaseous water (water vapor). Water moves from the Earth’s surface to the atmosphere via evaporation.
Surface Water Use in the United States
The Nation's surface-water resources—the water in the nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, and reservoirs—are vitally important to our everyday life.
Trends in Water Use in the United States, 1950 to 2015
How has America's water use changed over the last 65 years? Are we using more or less water, and are there trends for different kinds of water use?
Groundwater Use in the United States
Groundwater is one of our most valuable resource—even though you probably never see it or even realize it is there. Groundwater is essential for irrigation and human use in many parts of the country. The use of groundwater in the United States in 2015 is described below.
Evapotranspiration and the Water Cycle
Evapotranspiration is the sum of all processes by which water moves from the land surface to the atmosphere via evaporation and transpiration.
Freshwater Withdrawals in the United States
The freshwater in the Nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, reservoirs, and in underground aquifers are vitally important to our everyday life, and, indeed, to all life on Earth.
Below are multimedia items associated with irrigation water use.
Center pivot irrigation system
In spite of some very wet weather, this center pivot in southern Wisconsin is running. Irrigation has been growing in the Midwest in recent years and it could be effecting the transport of agricultural chemicals to streams.
In spite of some very wet weather, this center pivot in southern Wisconsin is running. Irrigation has been growing in the Midwest in recent years and it could be effecting the transport of agricultural chemicals to streams.