Trends in Water Use

Illustrating water consumption statistics for the entire United States, Trends in Water Use is a sculpture embedded with 50 years of data complied by the U.S. Geological Survey. Each tributary dividing the canyon represents a specific category of water use referencing the USGS report; Thermoelectric Power, Irrigation, Industrial, Public Supply, Domestic Use, and Mining/Aquaculture/Livestock/Rural (combined). The width of the canyon walls correlates to the amount of water used and the height represents time, from 1950 at the rim to 2000 at the base. 

 

According to the USGS report, the United States consumes 408 billion gallons of water every day - that equates to just over 1,500 gallons per person.

 

*The most recent USGS report (Circular 1441) released in 2015 shows a decrease in daily water use to 322 billion gallons per day. The 2015 estimates put total withdrawals at the lowest level since before 1970.