Wisconsin water-use data
Since 1950, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has compiled data at 5-year intervals on use of water used in homes, businesses, industries, and on farms throughout the United States, and has described how that water use has changed with time. The estimates can assist state-level cooperative partners and other federal agencies to better understand water use in order to meet current and future demands as well as assist in sustaining our water resources.
Water use refers to water that is used for specific purpose and also the interaction of human activity with the hydrologic cycle. Water that is used in Wisconsin may be diverted from surface-water sources (rivers and lakes) or withdrawn from ground-water sources (water-bearing formations below land surface also known as an aquifer).
The USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center has made water-use data and information available since 1979 in "Water Use in Wisconsin" summary reports. Data has also been available at the NWUIP website since 1985.
Water-use compilation matrix
Since reporting started in 1950, the way scientists collect water use data and create estimates has changed. In some years, not all categories, counties, or sources of water use were available for compilation into the Wisconsin reports.
Use this matrix to determine what categories were compiled into the USGS "Water Use in Wisconsin" report of that year.
Wisconsin water-use reports
PLEASE NOTE: Estimates from these reports were a snapshot of what was best known at the time. However, as additional resources became available and we reviewed former estimates, some revisions were needed in order to correct errors and reflect improved understanding. Therefore, some former estimates have been re-evaluated and corrected in order to keep the water-use dataset evolving rather than permanently fix past estimates.
Contact USGS Water-use Specialist Cheryl Buchwald to learn whether water-use data changed for a particular county or water-use category of interest. These revisions will become available through this website in the near future.
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Water Use in Wisconsin, 2005
Buchwald, C.A., 2009, Water use in Wisconsin, 2005: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2009–1076, 76 p. |
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Water Use in Wisconsin, 2000
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-356, Ellefson, B.R., Mueller, G.D., and Buchwald, C.A., 1 sheet.
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Water Use in Wisconsin, 1995
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-356, Ellefson, B.R., Fan, C.H., and Ripley, J.L., 1 sheet. |
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Water Use in Wisconsin, 1990
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 93-118, Ellefson, B.R., Sabin, T.J., Krohelski, J.T., 1 sheet. |
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Water Use in Wisconsin, 1985
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 87-699, Ellefson, B.R., Rury, K. S., Krohelski, J.T., 1 sheet. |
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Water Use in Wisconsin, 1979
U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 82-444, Lawrence, C.L., and Ellefson, B.R., 98 p. |
United States water-use reports
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Water Availability—The Connection Between Water Use and Quality
- This Fact Sheet FS 2008-3015 highlights several case examples and presents selected recommendations for increasing our understanding of the connections between water use and management, water quality, and availability.
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Water Use References
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