Water use in the U.S. reached its lowest recorded level in nearly 45 years, according to a report by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), “Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010.”
The report provides there was a 13 percent reduction of water use from 2005, when about 410 billion gallons of water per day (Bgal/d) were withdrawn. About 355 Bgal/d were withdrawn in the U.S. during 2010.
“Reaching this 45-year low shows the positive trends in conservation that stem from improvements in water-use technologies and management,” said Mike Connor, deputy secretary of the Interior. “Even as the U.S. population continues to grow, people are learning to be more water conscious and do their part to help sustain the limited freshwater resources in the country.”
In 2010, 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
- Illinois
- North Carolina
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Michigan
- New York
- Alabama
- Ohio
The USGS has tracked national water-use statistics since 1950.
Water withdrawn for thermoelectric power was the largest use nationally, with the other leading uses being irrigation, public supply and self-supplied industrial water, respectively. Withdrawals declined in each of these categories, according to the recent report. Collectively, all of these uses represented 94 percent of total withdrawals from 2005-2010—irrigation withdrawals (all freshwater) declined 9 percent.
“Irrigation withdrawals in the United States continued to decline since 2005, and more croplands were reported as using higher-efficiency irrigation systems in 2010,” said Molly Maupin, USGS hydrologist. “Shifts toward more sprinkler and micro-irrigation systems nationally and declining withdrawals in the West have contributed to a drop in the national average application rate from 2.32 acre-feet per acre in 2005 to 2.07 acre-feet per acre in 2010.”
