The Water Cycle and Water Use

CEE 350: Water Resources Engineering

The amount of water on the globe is fixed.

Prof Al Valocchi.
From Oki & Kanae Storages & fluxes CEE 350 | Spring 2019
slide 2
Hydrologic Cycle

From Mays
Global – long term avg
Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
slide 3
Hydrologic Cycle - Storages

From text
Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
slide 4
Freshwater on land surface is 0.009% of all water
on Earth.

Megan Konar
CEE 350
slide 5
Freshwater on land surface is 0.009% of all water
on Earth.

Megan Konar
CEE 350
slide 6
Freshwater on land surface is 0.009% of all water
on Earth.

Megan Konar
CEE 350
slide 7
The amount of water on the globe is fixed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al-do-HGuIk

“All the water on Earth today, every drop, is all the water there
has ever been on the planet.”
Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
slide 8
How do we “use” water?

Withdrawal
Consumption

Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
slide 9
Water withdrawals are dominated by
thermoelectric power plants.
Mining
Aquaculture Domestic Livestock
1%
3% 1% 1%
Industrial U.S. Water
5%
Withdrawals by
sector, 2010
Public total: 355 Bgal/d
Supply
12%
Thermoelectric
power
45%

Irrigation
32%

Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
[USGS, 2014] slide 10
Globally, water withdrawals are dominated by
agriculture.
Global Water Withdrawals by Sector

Domestic and
Municipal
10%

Industry
20%

Agriculture
70%

Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
[Liquid Assets, Boberg, 2005] slide 11
Water consumption is dominated by agriculture.

Thermoelectric
Livestock power
Domestic 3% 4%
Mining 8%
U.S. Water
Industrial 1%
Consumption by
4% sector, 1995
total: 100 Bgal/d

Irrigation
80%

Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
[USGS, 1998] slide 12
Trends in US water withdrawals & consumption

From Mays

Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
slide 13
Most of average American residential water use is
outdoors.
U.S. Residential Water Consumption
[WRF Residential End Uses of Water, 2016]

3% 4%
7%
95 gal/person/d
7% Leak
Faucet
138,000 gal 6%
per household Shower
per year Clothes Washer
9%
Toilet
64% Outdoor
Other

Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
slide 14
• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/2-Average-Domestic-Water-Consumption-Per-Capita-Per-Day-in-Selected-EU-
Countries-in_fig2_279851772

Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
slide 15
 Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
slide 16
 Prof Al Valocchi.
CEE 350 | Spring 2019
slide 17