Water Use Across the Conterminous United States, Water Years 2010–20, Chapter D of U.S. Geological Survey Integrated Water Availability Assessment—2010–20

Key Points

• An estimated average of 223,594 million gallons per day (Mgal/d; 26,179 million cubic meters per month [Mm3/mo]) were withdrawn from freshwater sources for human use for crop irrigation, public supply,
  and thermoelectric power across the conterminous United States (CONUS) during water years 2010–20. Including saline water, withdrawals were 244,817 Mgal/d (28,677 Mm3/mo).
• Average withdrawals and consumptive use (1) for CONUS crop irrigation during water years 2010–20 were 105,497 and 75,698 Mgal/d, respectively; (2) for public supply were 35,440 and 4,219 Mgal/d, respectively; and (3) for thermoelectric power from fresh water were 82,656 Mgal/d and 2,904 Mgal/d, respectively.
• Across the CONUS, the source of water—whether groundwater, surface water, public supply, reclaimed wastewater, or a combination thereof—typically depends on the availability of these sources and on the category of use.
• The water-use categories of industrial, self-supplied domestic, mining, livestock, and aquaculture together accounted for 10 percent of water withdrawals in the United States in 2015. Although a small proportion
  nationally, these water-use categories can be locally important.

Companion chapters: