Georgia Water Science Center
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Statewide offstream water use was estimated for 2000 for the following categories: public supply, domestic and commercial, industrial and mining, irrigation, livestock, and thermoelectric power. Instream use for hydroelectric power also was estimated for 2000.
Public-supply during 2000 was 1,250 million gallons per day (Mgal/d), of which surface-water withdrawal accounted for about 78 percent (968 Mgal/d), and ground-water withdrawal accounted for about 22 percent (278 Mgal/d). The largest public suppliers are located in counties in the Metropolitan Atlanta area in northern Georgia. This area has the largest population in the State, and surface water is the principal water source. Public supply water use accounted for 19 percent of the total water use in Georgia.
Industries in Georgia used approximately 662 Mgal/d of water during 2000 (including 10 Mgal/d for mining use). The largest industrial water users in Georgia are pulp and paper mills (concentrated along the coast), textile industries (concentrated in northwestern Georgia), chemical manufacturers, and mining and mineral industries.
Agricultural water use during 2000, including water for irrigation and livestock use, totaled 1,130 Mgal/d (1,090 Mgal/d for irrigation and 35 Mgal/d for livestock). The highest rate of irrigation occurs in the Coastal Plain physiographic province, with the largest use in the southwestern part of the State. Ground water is the source of about 67 percent of irrigation use.
Thermoelectric-power water use in Georgia includes 17 plants that operate using fossil fuels (such as oil, coal, or natural gas) and 2 nuclear-powered plants. All thermoelectric-power water use in Georgia is self-supplied. Thermoelectric-power water use was estimated to be 3,310 Mgal/d in 2000, which is nearly 51 percent of total offstream use.
In Georgia, the only instream use estimated is hydroelectric power generation. Generating hydroelectric power requires significant amounts of water. During 2000, an estimated 31,900 Mgal/d was used instream to generate hydroelectric power.
Data tables of water use for 2000:
Total | Surface water, by category | Ground water, by category | Total, by category
Click on a map below to view the map at a larger size.
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/projects/projectwaterusecategory.html
Page Contact Information: webmaster-ga@usgs.gov
Page Last Modified: Friday, 23-Jun-2006 11:16:42 EDT
