Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015
Surface Water Use in the U.S.
Surface Water Information by Topic
Water Use Information by Topic
Water Science School Home
The Nation's surface-water resources—the water in the nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, and reservoirs—are vitally important to our everyday life.
• Water Science School HOME • Surface Water topics • Water Use topics •
Surface water serves many purposes
The main uses of surface water include drinking-water and other public uses, irrigation uses, and for use by the thermoelectric-power industry to cool electricity-generating equipment. The majority of water used for thermoelectric power, public supply, irrigation, mining, and industrial purposes came from surface-water sources. Of all the water used in the United States in 2015 (about 322,000 million gallons per day (Mgal/d), fresh and saline), about 74 percent (237,000 Mgal/d) came from surface-water sources. (All 2015 water use information is from the report Estimated use of water in the United States in 2015.) Water from groundwater sources accounted for the remaining 26 percent.
About 70 percent of the freshwater used in the United States in 2015 came from surface-water sources. The other 30 percent came from groundwater. Surface water is an important natural resource used for many purposes, especially irrigation and public supply (supplying people with drinking water and for everyday uses).
Surface-water use, by category of use, 2015
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Surface-water use, by state, 2015
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Trends in surface-water withdrawals, 1950-2015
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Source: Estimated Water Use in the United States in 2015
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Want to know more about surface water use in the United States? Follow me to the Surface Water Use website!
Below are science topics related to surface water use in the U.S.
Water Use Information by Topic
Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.
Trends in Water Use in the United States, 1950 to 2015
How has America's water use changed over the last 65 years? Are we using more or less water, and are there trends for different kinds of water use?
Thermoelectric Power Water Use
Much of the electricity used in the United States and worldwide comes from thermoelectric power plants. This type of production includes fuels such as coal, oil, gas-fired, nuclear, and other lesser-used methods, such as geothermal and burning waste material. Production of electrical power results in one of the largest uses of water in the United States and worldwide. Water for thermoelectric...
Groundwater Use in the United States
Groundwater is one of our most valuable resource—even though you probably never see it or even realize it is there. Groundwater is essential for irrigation and human use in many parts of the country. The use of groundwater in the United States in 2015 is described below.
Saline Water Use in the United States
Do you wear contact lenses? If so, you most likely use a saline water solution to clean them. But what else do we use saline water for and do we really use that much? Read on to learn all about the use of saline water.
Total Water Use in the United States
The water in the Nation's rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and underground aquifers are vitally important to our everyday life. These water bodies supply the water to serve the needs of every human and for the world's ecological systems, too. Here in the United States, every 5 years the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) compiles county, state, and National water withdrawal and use data for a number of water...
Freshwater Withdrawals in the United States
The freshwater in the Nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, reservoirs, and in underground aquifers are vitally important to our everyday life, and, indeed, to all life on Earth.
Public Supply Water Use
It is likely the water you use at home is brought to you by a public water-supply system. These are agencies, such as your local county government, that find and get the water that is delivered to not only your home, but to many businesses and industries. Most of the population of the United States gets their water this way.
Irrigation Water Use
Throughout the world, irrigation (water for agriculture, or growing crops) is probably the most important use of water (except for drinking and washing a smelly dog, perhaps). Irrigation water is essential for keeping fruits, vegetables, and grains growing to feed the world's population, and this has been a constant for thousands of years.
Livestock Water Use
Livestock water use is water associated with livestock watering, feedlots, dairy operations, and other on-farm needs.
Domestic Water Use
Domestic water use is water used for indoor and outdoor household purposes— all the things you do at home: drinking, preparing food, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, brushing your teeth, watering the garden, and even washing the dog. At the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), domestic water use refers to the amount of water that is "self-supplied", or water withdrawn directly by users, such as from...
Below are multimedia items related to surface water use in the U.S.
Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015
Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015
Bar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of use
Bar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of use
Bar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of use
Source and use of water in the U.S. in 2015
Source and Use of Water in the United States, 2015
This diagram uses a "cylinder and pipe" layout to show the source (surface water or groundwater) of the Nation's water and for what purposes the water was used in 2015. The data are broken out for each category of use by surface water and groundwater as the source.
Source and Use of Water in the United States, 2015
This diagram uses a "cylinder and pipe" layout to show the source (surface water or groundwater) of the Nation's water and for what purposes the water was used in 2015. The data are broken out for each category of use by surface water and groundwater as the source.
The Nation's surface-water resources—the water in the nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, and reservoirs—are vitally important to our everyday life.
• Water Science School HOME • Surface Water topics • Water Use topics •
Surface water serves many purposes
The main uses of surface water include drinking-water and other public uses, irrigation uses, and for use by the thermoelectric-power industry to cool electricity-generating equipment. The majority of water used for thermoelectric power, public supply, irrigation, mining, and industrial purposes came from surface-water sources. Of all the water used in the United States in 2015 (about 322,000 million gallons per day (Mgal/d), fresh and saline), about 74 percent (237,000 Mgal/d) came from surface-water sources. (All 2015 water use information is from the report Estimated use of water in the United States in 2015.) Water from groundwater sources accounted for the remaining 26 percent.
About 70 percent of the freshwater used in the United States in 2015 came from surface-water sources. The other 30 percent came from groundwater. Surface water is an important natural resource used for many purposes, especially irrigation and public supply (supplying people with drinking water and for everyday uses).
Surface-water use, by category of use, 2015
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Surface-water use, by state, 2015
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Trends in surface-water withdrawals, 1950-2015
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Source: Estimated Water Use in the United States in 2015
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Want to know more about surface water use in the United States? Follow me to the Surface Water Use website!
Below are science topics related to surface water use in the U.S.
Water Use Information by Topic
Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.
Trends in Water Use in the United States, 1950 to 2015
How has America's water use changed over the last 65 years? Are we using more or less water, and are there trends for different kinds of water use?
Thermoelectric Power Water Use
Much of the electricity used in the United States and worldwide comes from thermoelectric power plants. This type of production includes fuels such as coal, oil, gas-fired, nuclear, and other lesser-used methods, such as geothermal and burning waste material. Production of electrical power results in one of the largest uses of water in the United States and worldwide. Water for thermoelectric...
Groundwater Use in the United States
Groundwater is one of our most valuable resource—even though you probably never see it or even realize it is there. Groundwater is essential for irrigation and human use in many parts of the country. The use of groundwater in the United States in 2015 is described below.
Saline Water Use in the United States
Do you wear contact lenses? If so, you most likely use a saline water solution to clean them. But what else do we use saline water for and do we really use that much? Read on to learn all about the use of saline water.
Total Water Use in the United States
The water in the Nation's rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and underground aquifers are vitally important to our everyday life. These water bodies supply the water to serve the needs of every human and for the world's ecological systems, too. Here in the United States, every 5 years the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) compiles county, state, and National water withdrawal and use data for a number of water...
Freshwater Withdrawals in the United States
The freshwater in the Nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, reservoirs, and in underground aquifers are vitally important to our everyday life, and, indeed, to all life on Earth.
Public Supply Water Use
It is likely the water you use at home is brought to you by a public water-supply system. These are agencies, such as your local county government, that find and get the water that is delivered to not only your home, but to many businesses and industries. Most of the population of the United States gets their water this way.
Irrigation Water Use
Throughout the world, irrigation (water for agriculture, or growing crops) is probably the most important use of water (except for drinking and washing a smelly dog, perhaps). Irrigation water is essential for keeping fruits, vegetables, and grains growing to feed the world's population, and this has been a constant for thousands of years.
Livestock Water Use
Livestock water use is water associated with livestock watering, feedlots, dairy operations, and other on-farm needs.
Domestic Water Use
Domestic water use is water used for indoor and outdoor household purposes— all the things you do at home: drinking, preparing food, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, brushing your teeth, watering the garden, and even washing the dog. At the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), domestic water use refers to the amount of water that is "self-supplied", or water withdrawn directly by users, such as from...
Below are multimedia items related to surface water use in the U.S.
Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015
Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015
Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015
Bar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of use
Bar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of use
Bar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of use
Source and use of water in the U.S. in 2015
Source and Use of Water in the United States, 2015
This diagram uses a "cylinder and pipe" layout to show the source (surface water or groundwater) of the Nation's water and for what purposes the water was used in 2015. The data are broken out for each category of use by surface water and groundwater as the source.
Source and Use of Water in the United States, 2015
This diagram uses a "cylinder and pipe" layout to show the source (surface water or groundwater) of the Nation's water and for what purposes the water was used in 2015. The data are broken out for each category of use by surface water and groundwater as the source.