Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 1985

Abstract

The balance between supply and demand for water is a delicate one, marked over time by political and environmental conflicts, the impacts of natural disasters and human actions, and the day-today demands for a multiplicity of uses for this most vital resource. Although a renewable resource, water is not always available to a thirsty Nation when and where it is needed, nor is it always of suitable quality for the intended use. Water must be considered as a finite resource that has limits and boundaries to its availability and suitability for use. In the United States, many existing sources of water are being stressed by withdrawals from aquifers and diversions from rivers and reservoirs to meet the needs of homes, cities, farms, and industries. Increasing requirements to leave water in the streams and rivers to meet environmental, fish and wildlife, and recreational needs further complicate the matter. After continual increases in the Nation's total withdrawal of surface water and ground water for the years reported from 1950 to 1980, water withdrawals declined and have remained fairly constant since the mid 1980's. The decline in withdrawals is especially significant in light of the fact that population continued to increase during the same period. Clearly as a Nation, we are using our surface-and groundwater resources more efficiently. This decline signals that water use does respond to economic and regulatory factors, and that the general public has an enhanced awareness about waterresources and conservation issues. As planners, managers, and elected officials wrestle with the varied watermanagement problems facing the Nation at the beginning of the new century, they need consistent information on water supply and use by State, watershed, and water-use category. This will help the Nation realize the maximum benefit from its water resources and will help strike that crucial balance between supply and demand. The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled and disseminated estimates of water use for the Nation at 5-year intervals since 1950. In 1977, the Congress expanded the Survey's water-use activities by establishing a National Water-Use Information Program, which, in cooperation with the States, collects reliable and uniform information on the sources, uses, and dispositions of water in the United States. The result of that cooperative effort is a valuable long-term data set of national water-use estimates that can be used to assess the effectiveness of alternative water-management policies, regulations, and conservation activities, and to make projections of future demands. This Circular documents water use in 1995 and identifies changes in water use that have occurred over the past 45 years.

Vulnerability of U.S. water supply to shortage: a technical document supporting the Forest Service 2010 RPA Assessment

“…The USGS compiled water use data quinquennially for the period 1960-2005 and presented findings in the following circulars: MacKichan and Kammerer (1961), Murray (1968), Reeves (1972, 1977), Solley and others (1983;1988;1993, 1998, Hutson and others (2004), and Kenny and others (2009). These USGS reports represent the only consistent effort to periodically document water use for the entire nation.…”

A Preliminary Assessment of Corps of Engineers' Reservoirs Their Purposes, and Susceptibility to Drought

“…Instream use refers to water use taking place within the stream channel rather than water diverted and conveyed to the place of use. Some of the decrease in water use between 1980 and 1985 may be attributed to better estimating techniques that tend to produce estimates lower than previously reported (Solley et al 1988). …”

Failure to Act

“…Many of these combined systems are still in use today. When 1995 1990 1985 1980 1975 1970 1965 1960 1955 1950 sourCes MacKichan (1951MacKichan ( , 1957; MacKichan and Kammerer (1961); Murray (1968); Reeves (1972, 1977); Solley, Chase, and Mann (1983) ;Solley, Merk, and Pierce (1988) ;Perlman (1993, 1998); Hutson et al (2004); Kenny et al (2009 aggravated by heavy rain and snowmelt, increased runoff overwhelms the sewer system, resulting in the release of the combined sewage and stormwater directly into streams through WWOs. In addition, WWOs also result in the discharge of untreated sewage, but due to aging infrastructure rather than by design.…”