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).

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).

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.

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).