Water Use
Chapter 11 of National Handbook of Recommended Methods for Water Data Acquisition

by William E. Templin, Richard A. Herbert, Claire B. Stainaker, Marilee Horn, and Wayne B. Solley

11.A. Introduction

11.A.1. Purpose and scope

The purpose of Chapter 11 of the National Handbook of Recommended Methods for Water Data Acquisition is to provide standards and guidance in measuring, estimating, collecting, compiling, and analyzing water-use data. This chapter includes a brief description of (1) water-use activities and commonly used water-use terminology, (2) approaches and methods used in measuring and estimating water use, (3) water-use-data-management systems, and (4) methods for determining water use for specific water-use categories. Where appropriate, descriptions include accuracy, quality assurance procedures, and water-use data collection instrumentation. Methods of measuring and estimating water use vary widely. The use of recommended methods, estimation techniques, terminology, and definitions for water-use data acquisition help ensure that the water-use estimates will meet certain requirements for content and uniformity for a wide variety of purposes.

The water-use categories covered in this Chapter include: public water supply, domestic, commercial, industrial, mining, irrigation, livestock and animal specialties, thermoelectric power, and hydroelectric power. A section also is included on wastewater collection and return flow. Each water-use category section describes (1) water-use activities contained in the use category; (2) sources of information; (3) methods of data collection, measurement, and estimation; and (4) selected references. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes that are used in defining use categories are based on the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (1987) Standard Industrial Classification Manual. The methods and estimation techniques described in this chapter are designed for the technical aspects of data acquisition and analysis. The intended audience is the hydrologist, scientist, planner, or manager who deals with the measurement, analysis, publication, or interpretation of water-use data. Some of the commonly used methods for measuring water use have already been discussed in previous chapters of this National Handbook of Recommended Methods for Water-Data Acquisition. Methods for measuring surface-water flow (Chapter 1), ground-water pumpage (Chapter 2), and evapotranspiration (Chapter 8) also are appropriate for use in water-use data collection and analysis.

11.A.2. Terminology

Water use, in the broadest sense, pertains to the interaction of human activity with and their influence on the hydrologic cycle, and includes elements such as self-supplied withdrawal, public supply delivery, consumptive use, wastewater release, reclaimed wastewater, return flow, and instream use. In a restrictive sense, water use refers to water that is actually used for a specific purpose, such as for domestic use, irrigation, or industrial processing. The quantity of water use for a specific category is determined by combining self-supplied withdrawals and public water-supply deliveries.

11.A.3. Agencies involved in water use

Information on various water-use categories and related data in the United States are collected, estimated, and compiled by approximately 30 Federal agencies, hundreds of State, county, and city agencies, and an unknown number of other organizations. Until the late 1970's, national efforts to collect and compile water-use data were carried out on an ad hoc, sometimes irregular, and infrequent basis by several Federal agencies and other interested organizations. The need for a single source for accurate, consistent, timely, and accessible water-use information became apparent. In 1977, the Congress of the United States moved to make water-use data collection and analysis for all major water-use categories more uniform and accurate by directing the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish a National Water-Use Information Program to complement the USGS's data on the availability and quality of the Nation's water resources. Other Federal agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, collect water-use data for specific agency objectives. This chapter represents a continuation of the effort by Federal agencies to provide improved reliability, coordination, and accuracy to the development of water-use information.