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Water Use Across the Conterminous United States, Water Years 2010–20

Professional Paper 1894-D
Water Availability and Use Science Program and National Water Quality Program
By: , , , , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1894D

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Abstract

Withdrawals of water for human use are fundamental to the evaluation of the Nation’s water availability. This chapter provides an analysis of public supply, crop irrigation, and thermoelectric power water use for the conterminous United States (CONUS) during water years 2010–20. These three categories account for about 90 percent of water withdrawals in the Nation. The values presented here are based on modeling approaches that estimate water use at temporal (monthly) and spatial scales (12-digit hydrologic unit code—small watersheds sized 50–100 square kilometers) compatible for integration into a broader national assessment of water availability. Models also provide an understanding of factors that influence water use.

An estimated 244,817 million gallons per day (Mgal/d; 28,677 million cubic meters per month [Mm3/mo]) were withdrawn on average within the CONUS during water years 2010–20 from fresh water and saline water for crop irrigation, public supply, and thermoelectric power, with shares of 43, 14.5, and 42.5 percent for each of these categories, respectively. In the same period, estimated withdrawals and consumptive use (1) for public supply were 35,400 and 4,219 Mgal/d (4,081 and 486 Mm3/mo), respectively; (2) for crop irrigation were 105,497 and 75,698 Mgal/d (12,147 and 8,716 Mm3/mo), respectively; and (3) for thermoelectric power from fresh water were 82,656 and 2,904 Mgal/d (9,952 and 345 Mm3/mo), respectively.

Withdrawals for these categories of water use are highly spatially variable, with western States dominated by crop irrigation and eastern States dominated by thermoelectric-power water use. Public supply accounts for the largest percentage of water use in several heavily populated northeastern States. Reliance on groundwater compared to surface water depends on the availability of water sources and the type of water use. For public supply, withdrawals from groundwater are greater than withdrawals from surface water in the Western aggregated hydrologic regions, whereas the balance shifts to more surface water for the rest of the CONUS. In all aggregated hydrologic regions, the predominant source of water for crop irrigation is groundwater. Most thermoelectric power facilities in the eastern half of the CONUS use surface water from freshwater and saline sources; most thermoelectric power facilities in the western half of the CONUS use groundwater.

Suggested Citation

Medalie, L., Galanter, A.E., Martinez, A.J., Archer, A.A., Luukkonen, C.L., Harris, M.A., and Haynes, J.V., 2025, Water use across the conterminous United States, water years 2010–20, chap. D of U.S. Geological Survey Integrated Water Availability Assessment—2010–20: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1894–D, 56 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1894D.

ISSN: 2330-7102 (online)

Table of Contents

  • Preface
  • Abstract
  • Key Points
  • Introduction
  • Estimated Water Use by Category
  • Water Use Estimated Using Modeling Approaches
  • Other Water-Use Topics
  • Summary and Conclusions
  • Acknowledgments
  • References Cited
  • Glossary
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Water use across the conterminous United States, water years 2010–20
Series title Professional Paper
Series number 1894
Chapter D
DOI 10.3133/pp1894D
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) WMA - Earth System Processes Division
Description Report: ix, 56 p.
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details