{"id":938,"date":"2018-07-22T15:58:59","date_gmt":"2018-07-22T19:58:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/water\/?p=938"},"modified":"2018-07-22T15:59:54","modified_gmt":"2018-07-22T19:59:54","slug":"usgs-report-indicates-water-use-across-the-us-declines-to-levels-not-seen-since-1970","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/water\/2018\/07\/usgs-report-indicates-water-use-across-the-us-declines-to-levels-not-seen-since-1970\/","title":{"rendered":"USGS report indicates water use across the US declines to levels not seen since 1970"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On June 19, 2018, the US Geological Service released a report that states the US as a whole has decreased water use to levels not seen since 1970.\u00a0 Below is the news story copied from the USGS website on 22 july 2018.<\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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Release Date:\u00a0JUNE 19, 2018<\/span><\/div>\n
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Reductions in water use first observed in 2010 continue, show ongoing effort towards \u201cefficient use of critical water resources.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Water use across the country reached its lowest recorded level in 45 years. According to a new\u00a0USGS report<\/a>, 322 billion gallons of water per day (Bgal\/d) were withdrawn for use in the United States during 2015.<\/p>\n

This represents a 9 percent reduction of\u00a0water use from 2010<\/a>\u00a0when about 354 Bgal\/d were withdrawn and the lowest level since before 1970 (370 Bgal\/d).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe downward trend in water use shows a continued effort towards efficient use of critical water resources, which is encouraging,\u201d said Tim Petty, assistant secretary for Water and Science at the Department\u00a0of the Interior. \u201cWater is the one resource we cannot live without, and when it is used wisely, it helps to ensure there will be enough to sustain human needs, as well as ecological and environmental needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Map<\/a><\/div>\n
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Total water withdrawals by State, 2015 [1 Bgal\/d = 1,000 million gallons per day].<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In 2015, more than 50 percent of the total withdrawals in the United States were accounted for by 12 states (in order of withdrawal amounts): California, Texas, Idaho, Florida, Arkansas, New York, Illinois, Colorado, North Carolina, Michigan, Montana, and Nebraska.<\/p>\n

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\"Graph<\/a><\/div>\n
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Total water withdrawals by category and by State from west to east, 2015 \u00a0[1 Bgal\/d = 1,000 million gallons per day].<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

California accounted for almost 9 percent of the total withdrawals for all categories and 9 percent of total freshwater withdrawals. Texas accounted for about 7 percent of total withdrawals for all categories, predominantly for thermoelectric power generation, irrigation, and public supply.<\/p>\n

Florida had the largest share of saline withdrawals, accounting for 23 percent of the total in the country, mostly saline surface-water withdrawals for thermoelectric power generation. Texas and California accounted for 59 percent of the total saline groundwater withdrawals in the United States, mostly for mining.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe USGS is committed to providing comprehensive reports of water use in the country to ensure that resource managers and decision makers have the information they need to manage it well,\u201d said USGS director Jim Reilly. \u201cThese data are vital for understanding water budgets in the different climatic settings across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the first time since 1995, the USGS estimated consumptive use for two categories \u2014 thermoelectric power generation and irrigation. Consumptive use is the fraction of total water withdrawals that is unavailable for immediate use because it is evaporated, transpired by plants, or incorporated into a product.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsumptive use is a key component of the water budget. It\u2019s important to not only know how much water is being withdrawn from a source, but how much water is no longer available for other immediate uses,\u201d \u00a0said USGS hydrologist Cheryl Dieter.<\/p>\n

The USGS estimated a consumptive use of 4.31 Bgal\/d, or 3 percent of total water use for thermoelectric power generation in 2015. In comparison, consumptive use was 73.2 Bgal\/d, or 62 percent of total water use for irrigation in 2015.<\/p>\n

Water withdrawn for thermoelectric power generation was the largest use nationally at 133 Bgal\/d, with the other leading uses being irrigation and public supply, respectively. Withdrawals declined for thermoelectric power generation\u00a0and public supply, but increased for irrigation. Collectively, these three uses represented 90 percent of total withdrawals.<\/p>\n