Estimating U.S. Subnational Freshwater Withdrawals by Water Use Category from 1995 to 2021

Sarah Rehkamp () and James Chandler Zachary ()
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Sarah Rehkamp: Economic Research Service
James Chandler Zachary: Economic Research Service

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), 2024, vol. 38, issue 14, No 11, 5615-5628

Abstract: Abstract Freshwater is an important natural resource that is increasingly stressed due to a changing climate, economic productivity, and population growth, among other factors. Globally, the United States is a top freshwater user, both in total and per capita use. This water is used throughout the U.S. economy, dominated by irrigation and thermoelectric uses. However, analysis to better understand freshwater use is limited by the frequency and timeliness of data available. In this paper, we develop econometric models, forecasts, and mathematical programming models to generate subnational estimates of annual U.S. freshwater use from 1995 to 2021 by water use category. When reviewing the results at the national level, we find that freshwater withdrawals are generally decreasing over time, but the year-to-year and subnational variation differs by water use category. This work combines several methodologies to create a useful, timely dataset on freshwater for applied research applications. The results may also be informative on where and by whom water is being used, indicating areas of potential regional stress or scarcity.

Keywords: Blue water; Resource use; U.S. economy; Regression analysis; Forecasting; Mathematical programming (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s11269-024-03924-7

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