The USGS Water Availability and Use Science Program (WAUSP) fulfills the goals established by Congress in the SECURE Water Act (Public Law (P.L.) 111-11, Section 9508) by investing in research and assessments that improve the Nation’s understanding of water availability. Specifically, the WAUSP supports the National Water Census, a USGS activity designed to systematically provide information that will allow resource managers to assess the supply, use, quality, and availability of the Nation’s water. WAUSP conducts national and regional water availability assessments, inclusive of quantity and quality, for both human and ecological uses; developing methods to estimate water budgets, including water withdrawals and consumptive uses; evaluating trends in water availability; and, developing new techniques to evaluate factors that limit water availability, the models and infrastructure that support assessments, and the tools that resource managers use to support resource planning activities.
This website provides easy access to databases, interactive tools, interpretive reports, photos, videos, maps, and more. USGS scientists address key issues important to people and communities, including water availability and use. Our data collection and interpretation efforts are designed to support national, regional, State, and local information needs and decisions related to water-availability. Don’t hesitate to contact me directly to learn more about the work we do, communicate your information needs, or connect with our scientists.
Mindi Dalton
Water Availability and Use Science Program Coordinator
