USGS National Water Census
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| USGS National Water Census | |
|---|---|
| Name | USGS National Water Census |
| Formation | 2010 |
| Type | Federal program |
| Headquarters | Reston, Virginia |
| Parent organization | United States Geological Survey |
USGS National Water Census The National Water Census was a multiyear initiative administered by the United States Geological Survey to quantify freshwater availability, use, and trends across the United States. Designed to inform decision-makers in Congress of the United States, Department of the Interior, and state water agencies such as the California Department of Water Resources or the Texas Water Development Board, the program produced integrated assessments of hydrologic systems. The Census connected observational networks operated by the National Weather Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and Bureau of Reclamation with research from universities including Stanford University, University of Arizona, and University of Florida.
Overview
The program aimed to synthesize hydrologic observations, modeling, and socioeconomic data to produce standardized estimates of water quantity and trends for regions like the Colorado River Basin, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River Basin. Products combined streamflow records from USGS stream gauges, groundwater-level data from the National Ground-Water Monitoring Network, and remote sensing from platforms such as Landsat and GRACE satellite. The Census leveraged scientific collaborations with institutions like the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, research centers including the U.S. Geological Survey Water Mission Area, and state surveys like the Kansas Geological Survey.
Program History and Development
Initiated in 2010 following Congressional interest reflected in hearings of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources and requests from the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Census grew from earlier USGS water programs and cross-agency initiatives such as the WaterSMART program at the Bureau of Reclamation. Early development drew on hydrologic modeling methods from researchers at Princeton University, techniques validated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and statistical frameworks used by the U.S. Census Bureau for sample design. Pilot projects targeted basins including the Apalachicola–Chattahoochee–Flint River Basin and the Upper Colorado River Basin to refine methods and engage stakeholders like the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.
Objectives and Methodology
Primary objectives included estimating renewable freshwater supply, mapping consumptive and non-consumptive water uses, and attributing changes to drivers such as climate variability documented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and land-use change assessed by the United States Department of Agriculture. Methodology integrated hydrologic models (e.g., water-budget models informed by MODFLOW), remote-sensing products from NASA, and sociohydrological datasets from state water agencies and federal sources including the Energy Information Administration where thermoelectric water use is relevant. The program adopted standardized metadata practices aligned with guidance from the Federal Geographic Data Committee and data quality protocols consistent with the Office of Management and Budget.
Data Products and Tools
Deliverables included national and regional datasets on streamflow, groundwater recharge, evapotranspiration, and water-use statistics, distributed through portals maintained by the USGS National Water Information System and interoperable with platforms like the National Water Model. Visualization and analytical tools incorporated web-mapping services compatible with the Esri ecosystem and open-source tools used by researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Colorado Boulder. Products also included peer-reviewed reports, technical memos, and decision-support tools co-developed with agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service for resource management.
Partnerships and Funding
The Census was funded through appropriations to the United States Geological Survey and supplemented by cooperative agreements with entities including the National Science Foundation, state water resource departments, and foundations that support environmental research. Academic partnerships involved centers like the USDA Agricultural Research Service and the Desert Research Institute, while operational collaborations engaged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Multi-stakeholder governance incorporated input from water utilities, tribal nations such as the Navajo Nation, and regional compacts including the Colorado River Compact.
Applications and Impact
Census outputs supported infrastructure planning by agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency for flood risk, informed regulatory processes at the Environmental Protection Agency concerning water quality standards, and aided basin-scale negotiations exemplified by disputes over the Colorado River and water-allocation compacts. The datasets underpinned academic studies published in journals such as Water Resources Research and provided baseline information used by state planning bodies including the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for drought contingency. The program’s synthesis efforts enabled more consistent cross-jurisdictional comparisons used by policymakers in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Limitations and Future Directions
Limitations included spatial and temporal gaps in observational networks, uncertainties in groundwater estimates highlighted in reviews by the National Research Council, and challenges integrating socio-economic data maintained by disparate agencies like the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Future directions proposed by stakeholders involved expanding remote-sensing assimilation with missions from NASA and European Space Agency, improving coupled human-natural system modeling advanced at institutions such as Columbia University, and enhancing interoperability through standards from the Open Geospatial Consortium. Continued collaboration with state agencies, tribal governments, and international basin organizations like the International Joint Commission was recommended to sustain and scale national water assessments.