The Geographic Distribution of Water Uses

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The Geographic Distribution of Water Uses

A deeper look: the geographic distribution of water uses

It is also instructive to look in more detail at the distribution of different water uses. For example, in the U.S., industry is concentrated East of the Mississippi, mainly in the “steel belt” (also known as the “rust belt”) and in Texas and Louisiana (primarily related to oil and gas extraction) – and thus water use for industry is as well (Figure 14). It’s worth considering whether this pattern is ultimately rooted in the timing of settlement and westward expansion in the U.S., availability of fuel (i.e. coal), or availability of water sources and rivers as a means of transportation for goods and raw materials. The pattern of water withdrawal for agriculture in the US is even more dramatic (Figure 15). Large agricultural water withdrawals from surface water and groundwater are dominantly West of the Mississippi. This is evident from a state-by-state map view and shown even more clearly when plotted simply from West to East (Figure 15, bottom panel).

Total water withdrawals for industrial uses shown by state in map view (top), and arranged from West to East (bottom)
Figure 14. Total water withdrawals for industrial uses shown by state in map view (top), and arranged from West to East (bottom).
Click link to expand for a text description of Figure 14
Water Withdraws million gal/day by State **approximate numbers
State Water Withdraws million gal/day
Hawaii 100
Alaska 100
Oregon 250
Washington 500
California 200
Nevada 100
Idaho 100
Arizona 100
Utah 250
Montana 100
Wyoming 100
New Mexico 100
Colorado 200
North Dakota 100
South Dakota 100
Nebraska 100
Texas 2200
Kansas 100
Oklahoma 100
Minnesota 200
Iowa 300
Missouri 100
Louisiana 3200
Arkansas 250
Wisconsin 500
Mississippi 300
Illinois 400
Alabama 500
Tennessee 800
Indiana 2400
Kentucky 250
Michigan 700
Georgia 600
Ohio 650
Florida 250
South Carolina 300
West Virginia 1100
North Carolina 300
Virginia 500
Pennsylvania 900
Maryland 250
D.C. 100
New York 300
Delaware 100
New Jersey 100
Connecticut 200
Vermont 100
Massachusetts 200
Rhode Island 100
New Hampshire 100
Maine 250
Puerto Rico/US Virgin Islands 100
Source: J.F. Kenny et al., U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1344 (2009).
Total water withdrawals for agricultural (irrigation) uses shown in map view (top), and arranged from West to East (bottom)
Figure 15 Total 2015 water withdrawals for agricultural (irrigation) uses shown by state in map view (top), and arranged from West to East (bottom). 
Click link to expand for a text description of Figure 15
Total Water Withdraws for Agriculture **approximate numbers
State Water Withdraws million gal/day
Hawaii 200
Alaska 200
Oregon 6000
Washington 3000
California 24000
Nevada 1500
Idaho 16000
Arizona 5000
Utah 4000
Montana 10000
Wyoming 4000
New Mexico 2000
Colorado 13000
North Dakota 200
South Dakota 200
Nebraska 9000
Texas 8500
Kansas 2000
Oklahoma 500
Minnesota 300
Iowa 200
Missouri 1500
Louisiana 900
Arkansas 9000
Wisconsin 300
Mississippi 2000
Illinois 500
Alabama 200
Tennessee 200
Indiana 200
Kentucky 200
Michigan 300
Georgia 750
Ohio 200
Florida 3500
South Carolina 200
West Virginia 200
North Carolina 200
Virginia 200
Pennsylvania 200
Maryland 200
D.C. 200
New York 200
Delaware 200
New Jersey 200
Connecticut 200
Vermont 200
Massachusetts 200
Rhode Island 200
New Hampshire 200
Maine 200
Puerto Rico/US Virgin Islands 200
Source: J.F. Kenny et al., U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1344 (2009).

The source of the water we use also provides clues about where water may be most readily available, and/or where typical rainfall and snowmelt cannot meet demand. Inspect the maps below (Figure 16). Surface water withdrawals are spread more or less uniformly across the U.S., and reflect overall water use reasonably closely. This is influenced in large part by total population, energy production, and industrial and agricultural activity (i.e. CA, TX, NY, and FL are the most populous states). However, groundwater withdrawals (obtained by pumping at wells) are a good indication that surface water flows alone are not sufficient to meet demand.

Total surface water abstractions (left) and groundwater abstractions (right) by state
Figure 16. Total surface water abstractions (left) and groundwater abstractions (right) by state. The color scale is the same as for Figure 15.
Click the link to expand for a text description of Figure 16

Surface Water Withdraws
Amount (million gals./day) States (random order)
1500-3200  CA
600-1500  ID, TX, CO, IL, MI, OH, NY, NC, VA, TN,
300-600 OR, MO, WI, IN, PA, NJ, DE, SC, AL, LA, AK
300  All others
Ground Water Withdraws
Amount (million gals./day) States (random order)
1500-3200 n/a
600-1500 CA
300-600 TX, NE, AK
<300 All others
Source: J.F. Kenny et al., U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1344 (2009).