USGS Releases a First-of-its-Kind National Water Availability Assessment

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released the National Water Availability Assessment in January. This assessment provides a first-of-its-kind insight into the demand for water in the United States versus the water supply.

The assessment gathered data on individuals living in rural areas and the growing challenges they face concerning water shortages and the quality of the available water. While assessing how much water is available for human and ecological needs in the United States.

This data concluded that nearly 30 million people live where surface-water supplies are limited. Furthermore, water supplies are found connected to social vulnerability. The higher the level of water limitation, the higher the level of social vulnerability.

The assessment is unique because it did not solely rely on data from locations where water was directly measured. State-of-the-art models were used to close the gaps that exist between monitoring sites.

The USGS has also provided a The National Water Availability Assessment Data Companion (Data Companion) to accompany the report. This user-friendly online platform provides policymakers, resource managers, and scientists with access to underlying datasets and tools.

More information about the National Water Availability Assessment can be found here from USGS.